Mortgage Women

The Standard You Set Is The Team You Get

Ownership, honesty, and servant leadership are the real differentiators in mortgage performance

The Standard You Set  Is The Team You Get
The Standard You Set  Is The Team You Get

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Episode 

The Standard You Set Is The Team You Get

Have you ever asked yourself: “Would my team still show up if everything went sideways tomorrow?”

No titles. No authority. Just you, your team, and a hard situation. Would they still choose to follow your lead?

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you. True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Excellence doesn’t just happen … It’s the result of intentional leadership, where every decision, behavior, and expectation reflects a higher standard. And it’s personal. Leaders who own their actions create a culture where accountability is expected, not enforced. They don’t push responsibility onto others or wait for someone else to take the lead. Instead, they model what ownership looks like through their decisions, reactions, and follow-through. When you consistently own the outcome, good or bad, you give your team permission and motivation to do the same.

Here’s what sets exceptional leaders apart and leads to excellence among mortgage teams:

Lead With Courage, Not Just Compliance

Anyone can follow a playbook. But it takes courage to lead when the answers aren’t obvious.

The most respected mortgage leaders aren’t the ones who have it all figured out. They’re the ones who show up real, vulnerable, and decisive when it counts. High-trust leaders consistently outperform because their teams feel safe, respected, and supported. When people believe their leader is honest and dependable, performance improves naturally. Trust isn’t built on perfection, it’s built on courage.

Start here:

Share a recent mistake and what you learned. If you’ve ever misjudged staffing needs during a busy season or underestimated how long a process would take, you know the ripple effect it can have. If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty. That moment of ownership could turn frustration into problem-solving, and finger-pointing into team unity.

Ask your team for input before big decisions. Include them early, not after the fact. It shows respect and earns commitment.

Tell t he truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Honesty builds trust faster than spin ever will.

People don’t need perfect leaders. They need leaders that are real.

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you.

Make Excellence Non-Negotiable

Excellence isn’t a poster in the break room. It’s how you show up every single day.

It’s in the emails you send, the way you prepare for meetings, the conversations you have when no one’s watching. And the leaders who model excellence consistently create teams that deliver it consistently.

Research from Harvard Business Review and McKinsey has shown that high-performing cultures consistently rely on clear, shared standards. These aren’t lofty slogans or vague values — they’re specific behaviors and expectations that everyone understands and upholds.

Build yours like this:

Set a “no-excuses” bar for preparation. If you expect sharp and timely work, you need to model it first.

Give quick, clear feedback. Acknowledge what works and what doesn’t as it happens.

Celebrate small wins out loud. Public praise encourages private effort.

When excellence becomes your normal, it becomes theirs too.

This is especially urgent in today’s mortgage market, where loan officer turnover continues to drain resources and erode momentum. Every time someone leaves, you’re not just retraining … you’re rebuilding trust, culture, and consistency from scratch. Leaders who make excellence non-negotiable reduce that churn because high standards create high buy-in.

Retention isn’t just a people problem. It’s a performance problem. And the antidote is clear expectations, consistent follow-through, and a culture that never compromises.

True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Challenge the Status Quo, Even When It’s Uncomfortable

Great leaders don’t just protect the system. They improve it.

Imagine you’re a VP who notices your compensation model rewards speed over service. You decide to challenge it, proposing a new structure that emphasizes both volume and client satisfaction. It’s not an easy sell, change never is, but over time, your team starts to shift. You hear more stories about quality conversations, repeat clients, and fewer complaints. It’s not just the numbers that change, it’s the pride your team takes in doing things right.

Change isn’t easy. But leaders who make it safe to rethink, refine, and rebuild create cultures where innovation thrives, because without psychological safety, your team won’t take the risks necessary to improve. Innovation isn’t just about new ideas, it’s about having the courage to challenge the old ones and the confidence that your voice will be heard.

Start with this:

Host a monthly “What’s not working?” session. This isn’t just a gripe session, it’s a strategic tool. When leaders consistently invite honest input, they create space for better systems, faster problem-solving, and more inclusive innovation.

Reward thoughtful dissent. If a team member challenges a process with data and ideas, highlight it as a win, not a threat. That signals that good thinking matters more than status.

Say “Let’s test it” more than “That’s how we do it.” Testing invites learning. It encourages experimentation and smart risk-taking, both critical for teams trying to stay ahead in a fast-moving market.

Your team will follow you into the unknown, if you make it worth exploring.

If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty.

Serve Boldly, Not Softly

Excellence doesn’t happen without support. Behind every high-performing team is a leader who listens, coaches, and clears the path for others to do their best work.

Servant leadership isn’t a weakness. It’s a strength strategy.

Imagine if you shifted your one-on-ones from routine task reviews to focused coaching conversations. Instead of simply checking off boxes, you ask deeper questions, offer targeted feedback, and help your team solve real problems. That change in approach might not feel dramatic at first, but over time, it builds stronger connections, clearer expectations, and more meaningful growth.

Great leaders don’t serve to be liked. They serve to lift.

Try this:

Begin one-on-ones with “Where do you feel stuck?” This simple question opens the door to honest dialogue. Imagine someone hesitating before admitting they’re overwhelmed with a new system. By making space for that truth, you help them move forward instead of floundering in silence.

Follow up with, “What support would make the biggest difference?” This is not just a nice question. It shows you’re not afraid to take action.

Set the tone: “Here’s what excellence looks like … let’s go get it.” When you define the standard clearly, you eliminate guesswork and invite your team to rise to it.

Service, when done right, elevates everything.

If you stripped everything away, is the person left someone they’d want to follow?

The mortgage business is hard, fast, relentless. And in that chaos, true leadership isn’t found in the org chart, it’s found in how you lead when no one’s watching.

Excellence isn’t a metric. It’s a mindset, a decision, a pattern. It starts with leaders who own the responsibility to raise the bar, and then hold it there.

So ask yourself again: Would they follow you?

Because in the end, leadership isn’t a title, it’s a choice you make over and over again. And excellence is not an accident, it’s a standard you model—every single day.

Casey Cunningham is the CEO and founder of XINNIX.

Have you ever asked yourself: “Would my team still show up if everything went sideways tomorrow?”

No titles. No authority. Just you, your team, and a hard situation. Would they still choose to follow your lead?

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you. True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Excellence doesn’t just happen … It’s the result of intentional leadership, where every decision, behavior, and expectation reflects a higher standard. And it’s personal. Leaders who own their actions create a culture where accountability is expected, not enforced. They don’t push responsibility onto others or wait for someone else to take the lead. Instead, they model what ownership looks like through their decisions, reactions, and follow-through. When you consistently own the outcome, good or bad, you give your team permission and motivation to do the same.

Here’s what sets exceptional leaders apart and leads to excellence among mortgage teams:

Lead With Courage, Not Just Compliance

Anyone can follow a playbook. But it takes courage to lead when the answers aren’t obvious.

The most respected mortgage leaders aren’t the ones who have it all figured out. They’re the ones who show up real, vulnerable, and decisive when it counts. High-trust leaders consistently outperform because their teams feel safe, respected, and supported. When people believe their leader is honest and dependable, performance improves naturally. Trust isn’t built on perfection, it’s built on courage.

Start here:

Share a recent mistake and what you learned. If you’ve ever misjudged staffing needs during a busy season or underestimated how long a process would take, you know the ripple effect it can have. If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty. That moment of ownership could turn frustration into problem-solving, and finger-pointing into team unity.

Ask your team for input before big decisions. Include them early, not after the fact. It shows respect and earns commitment.

Tell t he truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Honesty builds trust faster than spin ever will.

People don’t need perfect leaders. They need leaders that are real.

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you.

Make Excellence Non-Negotiable

Excellence isn’t a poster in the break room. It’s how you show up every single day.

It’s in the emails you send, the way you prepare for meetings, the conversations you have when no one’s watching. And the leaders who model excellence consistently create teams that deliver it consistently.

Research from Harvard Business Review and McKinsey has shown that high-performing cultures consistently rely on clear, shared standards. These aren’t lofty slogans or vague values — they’re specific behaviors and expectations that everyone understands and upholds.

Build yours like this:

Set a “no-excuses” bar for preparation. If you expect sharp and timely work, you need to model it first.

Give quick, clear feedback. Acknowledge what works and what doesn’t as it happens.

Celebrate small wins out loud. Public praise encourages private effort.

When excellence becomes your normal, it becomes theirs too.

This is especially urgent in today’s mortgage market, where loan officer turnover continues to drain resources and erode momentum. Every time someone leaves, you’re not just retraining … you’re rebuilding trust, culture, and consistency from scratch. Leaders who make excellence non-negotiable reduce that churn because high standards create high buy-in.

Retention isn’t just a people problem. It’s a performance problem. And the antidote is clear expectations, consistent follow-through, and a culture that never compromises.

True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Challenge the Status Quo, Even When It’s Uncomfortable

Great leaders don’t just protect the system. They improve it.

Imagine you’re a VP who notices your compensation model rewards speed over service. You decide to challenge it, proposing a new structure that emphasizes both volume and client satisfaction. It’s not an easy sell, change never is, but over time, your team starts to shift. You hear more stories about quality conversations, repeat clients, and fewer complaints. It’s not just the numbers that change, it’s the pride your team takes in doing things right.

Change isn’t easy. But leaders who make it safe to rethink, refine, and rebuild create cultures where innovation thrives, because without psychological safety, your team won’t take the risks necessary to improve. Innovation isn’t just about new ideas, it’s about having the courage to challenge the old ones and the confidence that your voice will be heard.

Start with this:

Host a monthly “What’s not working?” session. This isn’t just a gripe session, it’s a strategic tool. When leaders consistently invite honest input, they create space for better systems, faster problem-solving, and more inclusive innovation.

Reward thoughtful dissent. If a team member challenges a process with data and ideas, highlight it as a win, not a threat. That signals that good thinking matters more than status.

Say “Let’s test it” more than “That’s how we do it.” Testing invites learning. It encourages experimentation and smart risk-taking, both critical for teams trying to stay ahead in a fast-moving market.

Your team will follow you into the unknown, if you make it worth exploring.

If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty.

Serve Boldly, Not Softly

Excellence doesn’t happen without support. Behind every high-performing team is a leader who listens, coaches, and clears the path for others to do their best work.

Servant leadership isn’t a weakness. It’s a strength strategy.

Imagine if you shifted your one-on-ones from routine task reviews to focused coaching conversations. Instead of simply checking off boxes, you ask deeper questions, offer targeted feedback, and help your team solve real problems. That change in approach might not feel dramatic at first, but over time, it builds stronger connections, clearer expectations, and more meaningful growth.

Great leaders don’t serve to be liked. They serve to lift.

Try this:

Begin one-on-ones with “Where do you feel stuck?” This simple question opens the door to honest dialogue. Imagine someone hesitating before admitting they’re overwhelmed with a new system. By making space for that truth, you help them move forward instead of floundering in silence.

Follow up with, “What support would make the biggest difference?” This is not just a nice question. It shows you’re not afraid to take action.

Set the tone: “Here’s what excellence looks like … let’s go get it.” When you define the standard clearly, you eliminate guesswork and invite your team to rise to it.

Service, when done right, elevates everything.

If you stripped everything away, is the person left someone they’d want to follow?

The mortgage business is hard, fast, relentless. And in that chaos, true leadership isn’t found in the org chart, it’s found in how you lead when no one’s watching.

Excellence isn’t a metric. It’s a mindset, a decision, a pattern. It starts with leaders who own the responsibility to raise the bar, and then hold it there.

So ask yourself again: Would they follow you?

Because in the end, leadership isn’t a title, it’s a choice you make over and over again. And excellence is not an accident, it’s a standard you model—every single day.

Casey Cunningham is the CEO and founder of XINNIX.

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Have you ever asked yourself: “Would my team still show up if everything went sideways tomorrow?”

No titles. No authority. Just you, your team, and a hard situation. Would they still choose to follow your lead?

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you. True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Excellence doesn’t just happen … It’s the result of intentional leadership, where every decision, behavior, and expectation reflects a higher standard. And it’s personal. Leaders who own their actions create a culture where accountability is expected, not enforced. They don’t push responsibility onto others or wait for someone else to take the lead. Instead, they model what ownership looks like through their decisions, reactions, and follow-through. When you consistently own the outcome, good or bad, you give your team permission and motivation to do the same.

Here’s what sets exceptional leaders apart and leads to excellence among mortgage teams:

Lead With Courage, Not Just Compliance

Anyone can follow a playbook. But it takes courage to lead when the answers aren’t obvious.

The most respected mortgage leaders aren’t the ones who have it all figured out. They’re the ones who show up real, vulnerable, and decisive when it counts. High-trust leaders consistently outperform because their teams feel safe, respected, and supported. When people believe their leader is honest and dependable, performance improves naturally. Trust isn’t built on perfection, it’s built on courage.

Start here:

Share a recent mistake and what you learned. If you’ve ever misjudged staffing needs during a busy season or underestimated how long a process would take, you know the ripple effect it can have. If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty. That moment of ownership could turn frustration into problem-solving, and finger-pointing into team unity.

Ask your team for input before big decisions. Include them early, not after the fact. It shows respect and earns commitment.

Tell t he truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Honesty builds trust faster than spin ever will.

People don’t need perfect leaders. They need leaders that are real.

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you.

Make Excellence Non-Negotiable

Excellence isn’t a poster in the break room. It’s how you show up every single day.

It’s in the emails you send, the way you prepare for meetings, the conversations you have when no one’s watching. And the leaders who model excellence consistently create teams that deliver it consistently.

Research from Harvard Business Review and McKinsey has shown that high-performing cultures consistently rely on clear, shared standards. These aren’t lofty slogans or vague values — they’re specific behaviors and expectations that everyone understands and upholds.

Build yours like this:

Set a “no-excuses” bar for preparation. If you expect sharp and timely work, you need to model it first.

Give quick, clear feedback. Acknowledge what works and what doesn’t as it happens.

Celebrate small wins out loud. Public praise encourages private effort.

When excellence becomes your normal, it becomes theirs too.

This is especially urgent in today’s mortgage market, where loan officer turnover continues to drain resources and erode momentum. Every time someone leaves, you’re not just retraining … you’re rebuilding trust, culture, and consistency from scratch. Leaders who make excellence non-negotiable reduce that churn because high standards create high buy-in.

Retention isn’t just a people problem. It’s a performance problem. And the antidote is clear expectations, consistent follow-through, and a culture that never compromises.

True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Challenge the Status Quo, Even When It’s Uncomfortable

Great leaders don’t just protect the system. They improve it.

Imagine you’re a VP who notices your compensation model rewards speed over service. You decide to challenge it, proposing a new structure that emphasizes both volume and client satisfaction. It’s not an easy sell, change never is, but over time, your team starts to shift. You hear more stories about quality conversations, repeat clients, and fewer complaints. It’s not just the numbers that change, it’s the pride your team takes in doing things right.

Change isn’t easy. But leaders who make it safe to rethink, refine, and rebuild create cultures where innovation thrives, because without psychological safety, your team won’t take the risks necessary to improve. Innovation isn’t just about new ideas, it’s about having the courage to challenge the old ones and the confidence that your voice will be heard.

Start with this:

Host a monthly “What’s not working?” session. This isn’t just a gripe session, it’s a strategic tool. When leaders consistently invite honest input, they create space for better systems, faster problem-solving, and more inclusive innovation.

Reward thoughtful dissent. If a team member challenges a process with data and ideas, highlight it as a win, not a threat. That signals that good thinking matters more than status.

Say “Let’s test it” more than “That’s how we do it.” Testing invites learning. It encourages experimentation and smart risk-taking, both critical for teams trying to stay ahead in a fast-moving market.

Your team will follow you into the unknown, if you make it worth exploring.

If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty.

Serve Boldly, Not Softly

Excellence doesn’t happen without support. Behind every high-performing team is a leader who listens, coaches, and clears the path for others to do their best work.

Servant leadership isn’t a weakness. It’s a strength strategy.

Imagine if you shifted your one-on-ones from routine task reviews to focused coaching conversations. Instead of simply checking off boxes, you ask deeper questions, offer targeted feedback, and help your team solve real problems. That change in approach might not feel dramatic at first, but over time, it builds stronger connections, clearer expectations, and more meaningful growth.

Great leaders don’t serve to be liked. They serve to lift.

Try this:

Begin one-on-ones with “Where do you feel stuck?” This simple question opens the door to honest dialogue. Imagine someone hesitating before admitting they’re overwhelmed with a new system. By making space for that truth, you help them move forward instead of floundering in silence.

Follow up with, “What support would make the biggest difference?” This is not just a nice question. It shows you’re not afraid to take action.

Set the tone: “Here’s what excellence looks like … let’s go get it.” When you define the standard clearly, you eliminate guesswork and invite your team to rise to it.

Service, when done right, elevates everything.

If you stripped everything away, is the person left someone they’d want to follow?

The mortgage business is hard, fast, relentless. And in that chaos, true leadership isn’t found in the org chart, it’s found in how you lead when no one’s watching.

Excellence isn’t a metric. It’s a mindset, a decision, a pattern. It starts with leaders who own the responsibility to raise the bar, and then hold it there.

So ask yourself again: Would they follow you?

Because in the end, leadership isn’t a title, it’s a choice you make over and over again. And excellence is not an accident, it’s a standard you model—every single day.

Casey Cunningham is the CEO and founder of XINNIX.

Have you ever asked yourself: “Would my team still show up if everything went sideways tomorrow?”

No titles. No authority. Just you, your team, and a hard situation. Would they still choose to follow your lead?

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you. True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Excellence doesn’t just happen … It’s the result of intentional leadership, where every decision, behavior, and expectation reflects a higher standard. And it’s personal. Leaders who own their actions create a culture where accountability is expected, not enforced. They don’t push responsibility onto others or wait for someone else to take the lead. Instead, they model what ownership looks like through their decisions, reactions, and follow-through. When you consistently own the outcome, good or bad, you give your team permission and motivation to do the same.

Here’s what sets exceptional leaders apart and leads to excellence among mortgage teams:

Lead With Courage, Not Just Compliance

Anyone can follow a playbook. But it takes courage to lead when the answers aren’t obvious.

The most respected mortgage leaders aren’t the ones who have it all figured out. They’re the ones who show up real, vulnerable, and decisive when it counts. High-trust leaders consistently outperform because their teams feel safe, respected, and supported. When people believe their leader is honest and dependable, performance improves naturally. Trust isn’t built on perfection, it’s built on courage.

Start here:

Share a recent mistake and what you learned. If you’ve ever misjudged staffing needs during a busy season or underestimated how long a process would take, you know the ripple effect it can have. If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty. That moment of ownership could turn frustration into problem-solving, and finger-pointing into team unity.

Ask your team for input before big decisions. Include them early, not after the fact. It shows respect and earns commitment.

Tell t he truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Honesty builds trust faster than spin ever will.

People don’t need perfect leaders. They need leaders that are real.

In the mortgage world, leadership often gets confused with metrics, meetings, and mandates. But when excellence is the goal, none of that matters unless your people actually want to follow you.

Make Excellence Non-Negotiable

Excellence isn’t a poster in the break room. It’s how you show up every single day.

It’s in the emails you send, the way you prepare for meetings, the conversations you have when no one’s watching. And the leaders who model excellence consistently create teams that deliver it consistently.

Research from Harvard Business Review and McKinsey has shown that high-performing cultures consistently rely on clear, shared standards. These aren’t lofty slogans or vague values — they’re specific behaviors and expectations that everyone understands and upholds.

Build yours like this:

Set a “no-excuses” bar for preparation. If you expect sharp and timely work, you need to model it first.

Give quick, clear feedback. Acknowledge what works and what doesn’t as it happens.

Celebrate small wins out loud. Public praise encourages private effort.

When excellence becomes your normal, it becomes theirs too.

This is especially urgent in today’s mortgage market, where loan officer turnover continues to drain resources and erode momentum. Every time someone leaves, you’re not just retraining … you’re rebuilding trust, culture, and consistency from scratch. Leaders who make excellence non-negotiable reduce that churn because high standards create high buy-in.

Retention isn’t just a people problem. It’s a performance problem. And the antidote is clear expectations, consistent follow-through, and a culture that never compromises.

True leadership is built in the trenches … with trust, courage, and a relentless commitment to serving others. It’s about owning the standard, owning the moment, owning the outcome.

Challenge the Status Quo, Even When It’s Uncomfortable

Great leaders don’t just protect the system. They improve it.

Imagine you’re a VP who notices your compensation model rewards speed over service. You decide to challenge it, proposing a new structure that emphasizes both volume and client satisfaction. It’s not an easy sell, change never is, but over time, your team starts to shift. You hear more stories about quality conversations, repeat clients, and fewer complaints. It’s not just the numbers that change, it’s the pride your team takes in doing things right.

Change isn’t easy. But leaders who make it safe to rethink, refine, and rebuild create cultures where innovation thrives, because without psychological safety, your team won’t take the risks necessary to improve. Innovation isn’t just about new ideas, it’s about having the courage to challenge the old ones and the confidence that your voice will be heard.

Start with this:

Host a monthly “What’s not working?” session. This isn’t just a gripe session, it’s a strategic tool. When leaders consistently invite honest input, they create space for better systems, faster problem-solving, and more inclusive innovation.

Reward thoughtful dissent. If a team member challenges a process with data and ideas, highlight it as a win, not a threat. That signals that good thinking matters more than status.

Say “Let’s test it” more than “That’s how we do it.” Testing invites learning. It encourages experimentation and smart risk-taking, both critical for teams trying to stay ahead in a fast-moving market.

Your team will follow you into the unknown, if you make it worth exploring.

If you stood in front of your team, owned that mistake, and asked them how to prevent it next time, you’d likely find they appreciate your honesty.

Serve Boldly, Not Softly

Excellence doesn’t happen without support. Behind every high-performing team is a leader who listens, coaches, and clears the path for others to do their best work.

Servant leadership isn’t a weakness. It’s a strength strategy.

Imagine if you shifted your one-on-ones from routine task reviews to focused coaching conversations. Instead of simply checking off boxes, you ask deeper questions, offer targeted feedback, and help your team solve real problems. That change in approach might not feel dramatic at first, but over time, it builds stronger connections, clearer expectations, and more meaningful growth.

Great leaders don’t serve to be liked. They serve to lift.

Try this:

Begin one-on-ones with “Where do you feel stuck?” This simple question opens the door to honest dialogue. Imagine someone hesitating before admitting they’re overwhelmed with a new system. By making space for that truth, you help them move forward instead of floundering in silence.

Follow up with, “What support would make the biggest difference?” This is not just a nice question. It shows you’re not afraid to take action.

Set the tone: “Here’s what excellence looks like … let’s go get it.” When you define the standard clearly, you eliminate guesswork and invite your team to rise to it.

Service, when done right, elevates everything.

If you stripped everything away, is the person left someone they’d want to follow?

The mortgage business is hard, fast, relentless. And in that chaos, true leadership isn’t found in the org chart, it’s found in how you lead when no one’s watching.

Excellence isn’t a metric. It’s a mindset, a decision, a pattern. It starts with leaders who own the responsibility to raise the bar, and then hold it there.

So ask yourself again: Would they follow you?

Because in the end, leadership isn’t a title, it’s a choice you make over and over again. And excellence is not an accident, it’s a standard you model—every single day.

Casey Cunningham is the CEO and founder of XINNIX.

This article published in the 
October
 
2025
 issue.
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MaxClass is a woman-owned company, and we're offering MWLC members 65% off your continuing education when you use our code WOMENWIN.

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Browse our courses

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Breaking Barriers

Confront the unspoken challenges women face as they rise to leadership in the mortgage industry and beyond.
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