Podcast Summary

Podcast: Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada

Episode: 749 – 11 Leadership Rules That Fix 90% of Team Problems

Host: Tristan Ahumada
Date: December 18, 2025
Length: ~8 minutes

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tristan Ahumada unpacks 11 essential leadership principles inspired by Mary Kay Ash—founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics—emphasizing that true leadership is about people, not just strategy or processes. Tristan shares how applying these people-centric ideas transformed his own leadership and team dynamics. He promises that fully integrating these rules into your work culture will fix 90% of common team problems before they ever escalate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Foundation: Leadership is About People, Not Just Plans

• Leadership is not strategy alone: Real results come from understanding and valuing people.
• Mary Kay’s Legacy: Built a billion-dollar brand not by focusing on products but by leading with an unshakeable philosophy on treating people right.

The 11 Leadership Principles

1. The Golden Rule (00:52)

“Treat others as you want to be treated. This is the main game. This is the management style.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 00:52

• Use this as the filter for every decision, conversation, and policy.
• Sets the baseline for organizational culture.

2. Integrity—On and Off the Job (01:23)

“You can’t be a shark in business and a saint at home. That doesn’t work.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 01:26

• Consistency in character is essential—people are always watching.
• Authenticity builds trust within teams and with clients.

3. Build with People, Not Just Plans (02:00)

“The plan is secondary. The people executing are primary... Hire for character. Train for skill.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 02:09

• Success or failure comes down to the people you have, not how perfect the strategy is.

4. The Invisible Sign (02:28)

“Imagine that every single person you meet is wearing an invisible sign... that says ‘make me feel important’... or ‘make me feel significant.’”
— Tristan Ahumada, 02:35

• Shift your interactions by treating everyone as though their primary wish is to feel significant.
• This simple mindset alters your listening, acknowledgment, and the quality of relationships.

5. Praise People to Success (03:20)

“Don’t just praise the big wins, praise the small wins, too. Catch people doing something right and acknowledge it.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 03:28

• Recognition should be continuous, focusing on both major and minor achievements.

6. The Art of Listening (03:55)

“God gave us two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 03:58

• Ask questions, then genuinely listen—don’t listen just to respond.
• Being heard makes team members feel valued and engaged.

7. Sandwich Criticism (05:14)

“Place the criticism between two heavy layers of praise... That’s how feedback lands without destroying someone.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 05:20

• Start with genuine praise, deliver the corrective feedback, end with encouragement.

8. Enthusiasm Moves Mountains (05:46)

“You can’t light a fire with a wet match. As a leader, you set the temperature, you set the energy.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 05:48

• Your enthusiasm is contagious; bring positive energy for your team to rise to.

9. Speed of the Leader is Speed of the Gang (06:20)

“Your team will never work harder or faster than you do. That’s just the truth.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 06:22

• Model the pace and work ethic you wish to see.

10. People Support What They Help Create (06:54)

“If you want buy-in, involve your team in the decision. Don’t just hand down mandates.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 06:57

• Collaboration and ownership drive investment and execution quality.

11. Open Door Philosophy (07:18)

“Be accessible. Small problems become big problems when people feel like they can’t come to you.”
— Tristan Ahumada, 07:20

• Make yourself approachable; encourage bringing up issues early.
• Most problems are just conversations that were never had.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Leadership isn’t about being in charge. It’s about taking care of the people that you’re in charge of.” (08:18)
• “The right people don’t give up. They pivot. They change.” (02:18)
• “Enthusiasm isn’t optional, it’s part of the job.” (05:55)
• “Most team problems aren’t complicated. They’re just conversations that never happened.” (07:45)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–01:20: Introduction, Mary Kay's background, focus on leadership philosophy
• 01:20–03:55: Principles 1–6 overview and impact
• 03:55–07:45: Practical leadership in action (Principles 7–11, including feedback, enthusiasm, modeling behavior, collaboration, open door)
• 07:45–end: The importance of applying these rules daily and teaser for the next session

Call to Action

• Reflect on which principle you most need to work on (Tristan personally struggles with #6: Listening).
• DM Tristan “Mary Kay” on Instagram for a free PDF of the principles.
• Stay tuned for the next episode for a deeper dive.

Final Thoughts

Tristan delivers these principles in a direct, actionable, and relatable style, rooted in real leadership challenges from real estate and beyond. The essence: Simple, consistent, people-first leadership fixes the overwhelming majority of team issues—if you dare to live it every single day.