People Principles: CBRE’s Joe Rigby on Modern Real Estate Leadership

While market trends and investment volumes tell one story, the other is about the people who lead the industry.

Joe Rigby, Managing Director for the North, CBRE

In this conversation, Joe Rigby, CBRE's Managing Director for the North, shares his perspective on the principles of modern real estate leadership, the need to evolve a traditional industry, and the importance of the human factor.

Joe rigby's Leadership Playbook: "Letting Them Breathe"

Overseeing teams across the distinct markets of Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool, Rigby's leadership philosophy is clear and direct.

He believes he is "super lucky" to be working with the best people and sector experts in the industry. His approach, therefore, is simply to "let them breathe", granting his team the autonomy and support to do their best work.

Having transitioned into his first management role heading up the office agency team, he is candid about the challenges. He notes that no amount of training can truly prepare you for the nuances of managing different personalities and that experience is gained through "time spent" in the role.

"You're dealing with personalities all the time, right? Courses can't teach you everything... It's how you interact with people and what they need at certain points." He explains.

Modernising a traditional Industry

Rigby is passionate about the need for the real estate leadership community to evolve its communication methods, describing much of the industry's media output as "same as always".

He argues that to attract and retain the next generation, the industry must recognise that younger people "digest content in just a completely different way".

Rigby sees engaging video content as essential to this modernisation.

He shared a powerful anecdote about a new apprentice who instinctively used her phone to record everything, even interviewing a developer for a piece she later posted on TikTok.

When asked if he sees TikTok being the way forward for clients, he playfully laughed, noting that clients still want professional advice, but these days, who knows?

TikTok aside, for Rigby, the tech-savvy Next Gen consume media differently, which was a clear signal of "how they communicate and how they showcase an industry".

CBRE has leaned into the trend of video content, notably with Frankie Isherwood’s occupier series alongside Jordan Salah and Ciara Dougray on the Manchester’s flex market overview.

The Human Factor in Real Estate Leadership: Authenticity and Diversity of Thought

Reflecting on his own career, Rigby, who started with no family connections in property, spoke about the reality of "impostor syndrome," noting that even very senior leaders in the business have told him they feel it regularly, despite decades of experience.

His advice to those who feel like an "outsider" is to "be your authentic self" and embrace what makes you different.

He is a strong advocate for "diversity of thought", arguing that bringing in people from different backgrounds is essential to getting a different outlook and better advice.

"If you just bring in the same people all the time, you're going to get the same advice and the same thoughts," he states.

He believes that what makes you feel like an outsider can be your greatest strength, providing a fresh perspective that is vital for true real estate leadership.

The Insider take

Building a powerful team and empowering your people with trust is key.

Next, understanding how to navigate the nuances of each personality to maximise productivity is essential; there’s no singular way of managing people effectively. Nuance is required.

Given the current skills shortages, it's vital to pass on our profound understanding of the industry to the next generation.

Tomorrow's workforce approaches industry differently from today's. To unlock their full potential in innovative ways, we must explore and leverage their unique perspectives and skills.

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