Steve Davies: Leading Quietly, But Confidently in the Foothills

February 5, 2020

When it comes to leading an office or group of agents, each leader has their own style. Some are bold, loud and command the attention of others with just a few words, while others have a more subtle approach. As for Steve Davies, he describes his leadership style as “quietly confident”. While Steve’s reserved personality and humble demeanor may shy away from being the center of attention, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience that has allowed the Foothills region of RE/MAX Gold to flourish under his leadership this past year.

Steve has been a part of RE/MAX Gold for the past 18 years and now leads seven offices—but that wasn’t always his plan. To get the full picture, we have to go back 30 years. Steve was sitting in a real estate class at his local community college when in walked James O’Bryon. James was invited to be a guest speaker that day, as he was running a successful brokerage in Cameron Park called “O’Bryon Company”. At this point, Steve wasn’t totally sold on real estate as his career path, but during that class he made up his mind: If he was going to be in this industry, he wanted to work for someone like James—approachable, genuine and knowledgeable. “If James sold shoes, I’d be a shoe salesman. It’s about being associated with driven people,” says Steve. Fast forward a few years and some gigs in between and Steve found his way back to residential real estate, working with James.

“It’s critical to surround yourself with the best possible people in all that you do. It’s what makes our company different. We’re always fine tuning and giving 100%.”

—Steve Davies

From there on, everything began to fall into place. While Steve didn’t picture himself ever pursuing a leadership role, he possessed the most important quality of a leader: a love for helping and supporting others. As he grew with the company, Steve’s gifts were recognized and molded by those he looked up to—namely Beverly Kendall, RE/MAX Gold Chief Relationship Officer and Co-Broker of Record. “Bev taught me more than anyone by intentionally correcting my mistakes, in an effort to see me grow,” recalls Steve. “She would say ‘Great job, but next time say this’ or ‘put more emphasis on this word’. She constantly gave me feedback for how to be better.” Now, as a longstanding and respected leader in the company, Steve is confident in the way he leads because of the mistakes he’s made along the way. “I think I’ve made the most mistakes at RE/MAX Gold, but I’ve learned from them all and I won’t make the same mistake again.” Now, overseeing as many agents as he does, it’s rare he comes across a problem that he hasn’t encountered himself.

Steve’s philosophy for leadership boils down to the idea that it’s not about him—it’s about doing what he can to help others be successful. As a manager, some of his favorite moments come when he hires an agent after years of staying in touch, then hearing them say “I should have done this a long time ago.” Another joy for Steve is the opportunity to support other Managers as they “find their groove” and then celebrating alongside them when they reach their goals. Ultimately, every day that he gets to sow into his agents, turn problems into “wins” or make small changes that have a big impact are considered a highlight in his book.

For Steve, each day is an opportunity to continue learning and growing. Some of his go-to resources regarding leadership are audiobooks, so he can listen while on the move. He speaks highly of the book “Setting the Table” by Danny Meyer, which focuses on the power of hospitality in business. Another favorite is “It’s Your Ship” by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff, which talks about being a manager who leads their team to be the best they can be.

When it comes to networking and building relationships in the industry, Steve says he’s more of a “behind the scenes” guy. One of his favorite ways to give back is by volunteering with the Honor Our Troops program through the El Dorado County Association of Realtors. Each year, Steve works in the kitchen for the annual Spaghetti Feed and Pancake Breakfast in the community. He loves catching up with the same team of people year after year, while giving back to the men and women who make sacrifices for our country.

Looking ahead into a new decade, Steve has big things planned for the agents and offices he leads. While he says his goal sheet keeps growing, his top priorities are ones that we can all pledge our attention to: 1) Treat everyone with respect 2) Be present 3) Continue to find balance. Part of creating a life of balance is carving out time for the activities that he enjoys. When he manages to sneak away from the office, you’ll likely find Steve in the great outdoors on what he refers to as “introverted excursions”. Be it hiking through the mountains, resting on riverbanks, exploring in the desert or simply tending to his garden, experiencing nature is how Steve refuels after pouring out to those he serves.

Whether you know Steve personally or not, there’s a lot of wisdom that can be gleaned from his story. While management was not on his horizon, Steve surrounded himself with people who went out of their way to affirm his strengths as a leader, while giving him practical feedback to refine his skills. No matter where you’re at in your career, find people who believe in you and want to see you succeed. And if you’re seasoned in your role, seek out others to invest in—as Steve can attest, you never know how your influence may inspire others and drive them to find their purpose.

Contact Steve Davies directly at (916) 337-2788 or by email at sdavies@norcalgold.com.

RE/MAX Gold sells more homes each year than any other independently owned real estate brokerage in California, with 83 offices in 26 counties to serve you, in association with RE/MAX One.