A wide body of experimentation and research suggests that what the mind believes to be true is a very powerful thing. And according to best-selling author Bruce Kasanoff, the same forces at work in a drug validation study have a profound effect on a person’s career. You don’t need more training to be qualified for a promotion. You don’t need caffeine to wake up. You don’t need a good night’s sleep to feel rested. It just takes a credible researcher in a professional setting to tell you that you have what you need. In essence, the placebo effect works because a patient believes something to be true based on the authority of the person in the white lab coat. If you manage a real estate office or lead a team, this is a very important principle to understand. Why? You’re the credible researcher in the professional setting. This is not about tricking people–it’s about demonstrating the power of belief and using your authority to assist those under your care. It’s your job to understand what your agents believe about themselves and their propensity for success. If you neglect this responsibility, your agents will be left to listen to the random voices that speak into their lives. While some of these voices might be positive and helpful, most of them will be negative and counterproductive.