A broker’s role is to support their clients, no matter the market conditions.
Currently, all signs suggest that Australia’s brokers are excelling in this area, with the third-party channel now capturing a record share of mortgages.
Yet the landscape continues to evolve.
Adam Brown, executive for broker distribution at National Australia Bank (NAB), says that while market volatility remains elevated, with a number of geopolitical issues still unfolding, there are signs of resilience in the near term.
“At a national level, the February rate hike has prompted a degree of caution as households and businesses adjust, with NAB expecting the RBA to raise rates further to a peak of 4.35 per cent,” he says.
“Business conditions remain broadly stable, with capacity utilisation still elevated, although there have been signs of easing in recent months. A rebound in cost and price growth suggests that underlying inflationary pressures persist, despite short-term volatility in activity.
“Looking ahead, improving forward orders point to activity remaining resilient in the near term. Against this backdrop, many Australians are actively adapting. The latest NAB Australian Wellbeing Survey shows that while cost pressures remain, people are prioritising saving, managing spending more carefully, and taking a more proactive approach to their financial position.”
Against this backdrop, the value of a high-performing broker becomes clear, with customers increasingly seeking guidance, reassurance, and clarity around their next steps.
For Brown, the top-performing brokers tend to stay close to customers, while also having the ability to adapt quickly and make confident decisions as conditions shift.
“It’s less about doing more, and more about doing the right things well, building deeper relationships, having more proactive conversations, and running a more efficient business behind the scenes,” he adds.
“For brokers, performance now comes down to how well they can guide customers through more complex decisions and stay close to them as their needs evolve.”
Unlocking high performance
High performance was a central theme at the Better Business Summit 2026, held in partnership with NAB, where Drew Arthurson, chief operating officer (COO) of the Sydney Swans, shared insights on cultivating a resilient,
high-performing culture.
The Swans are one of Australia’s most iconic teams with around 1.3 million supporters, but the organisation operates like a medium-sized business – not unlike a large brokerage.
There are approximately 180 people on the payroll, including 80 athletes and around 100 staff.
As Arthurson explained, one of the key focuses of the club is to unlock the best in every member of the organisation, regardless of their role.
“We think about it in terms of culture and performance,” he said.
“Culture is about the way things are done around here, and performance looks at whether people are executing on their core roles to the best of their abilities.”
Arthurson presented the model the Swans follow during his keynote address, emphasising three key elements: Club, Team, and Self.
The Club perspective defines the organisation’s North Star and overall direction, while the Team element ensures each department is aligned in its efforts.
Meanwhile, a focus on Self brings responsibility back to the individual, enabling them to see how their contributions support the Club’s overall mission – a crucial takeaway for brokers and brokerages aiming to align their efforts.
“We’re trying to build a tribe mindset and thinking about how we can build a tribe mindset where people are thinking club first and striving for something bigger than themselves,” he added.
Arthurson also commented on the importance of focusing on “feedback improvement cycles” that enable all team members to collaborate on ideas.
For brokers, he suggested that this could translate to “real-time coaching loops”.
Instead of relying solely on yearly performance evaluations, he emphasised the importance of continuous feedback, recognising employees who meet expectations and providing guidance to those who need improvement as situations unfold.
“We’re focused on incremental improvement. We believe that the science of performance is about the invisible consistency, and that visible discipline translates into visible results,” he said.
“So we really focus on maximising people’s performance and building out really clear road maps around how people can improve in their individual roles, but also in their ability to contribute at a team level, whether that’s on or off the field.”
Strong partnerships
It’s equally crucial for brokers to recognise that they don’t have to do it all alone.
As Brown explains, having the right lender support matters.
“Confidence that a lender will engage constructively, through options such as restructures, variations or early support, allows brokers to step in sooner and provide clearer direction when it’s needed most,” he says.
Brown says NAB’s approach is grounded in partnership, bringing together the right people, insights, and tools to help brokers deliver for customers at every stage.
“That includes our powerhouse team – from dedicated BDMs and relationship managers to credit experts – who work closely alongside brokers to shape deals, navigate complexity, and deliver better outcomes for customers,” he adds.
“It also includes access to timely, consistent market insights, giving brokers a clear view of what’s happening in the Australian economy and property market and helping them identify opportunities for both customers and their own businesses.”
Recent advances in technology and AI have also helped brokers perform at higher levels.
“Digital tools and automation are streamlining parts of the process, helping brokers operate more efficiently and freeing up time to focus on what matters most: building strong, trusted relationships with customers,” he adds.
Higher level
So, what should brokers be doing today to elevate their performance?
Arthurson suggests starting with self-reflection, focusing on three core tenets.
“Know your why. What are you striving for with your business? Are you striving for legacy? Are you striving for scale? Are you striving for succession? That’d be the first thing,” he says.
“Number two is understanding how you are codifying your ways of working. How are you defining the way work gets done within your business? That’s fundamental for me. If people join your organisation and look around, what do they see?
“Next is, we call it trademark – what defines the way we work in our organisation and what can give us a competitive advantage in a competitive industry.
“And number three is people. Are the people I need inside my organisation or the people I’m trying to attract and retain? And how are we mobilising them or maximising them?
“These are the three things that I would think about.”
In a market that continues to shift, the ability to perform under pressure is becoming one of the defining traits of successful brokerages.
Whether through strong internal culture, clear processes, or the support of trusted lending partners, brokers who can stay consistent in uncertain conditions are best placed to perform at a high level and deliver for customers.
“In times of change, brokers play a central role in helping customers move forward with confidence,” Brown adds.
“At NAB, our role is to be a partner for our brokers at every stage, through every market condition, so they can keep their businesses strong and continue helping Australians achieve their ambitions.”
