You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink!

It amazes me when I run into people with absolutely closed minds.  Individuals who are either afraid of the truth, or just refuse to see it will never been effective and efficient leaders.  When I wrote my book on leadership, it included a section I titled "Not being afraid to admit when they were wrong."  This characteristic is one which can be very difficult to recognize and to admit because we are human.  I also had written about other leadership characteristics such as willing to empower others but now wielding power, willing to accept critique and contrary ideas, and many others.  All of them extremely important to being a true leader.

Some people are great at management, but quite frankly suck at leadership.  The CEO who is not open to new ideas and can't see there may be another or better way will quickly loose respect.  A person who criticizes in public versus private will not only loose respect of their people, but also loose great people. They often find it easier for them to belittle someone or to even go to the extent of firing them because they lack confidence to lead them.  This is where they cannot comprehend the difference between management and leadership, which in the truest meaning is the ability to get others to follow...and that means willingly follow.

I remember consulting for a Fortune 500 company and meeting with the President of the company.  He said he perceived challenges within the leadership chain and a lack of "cohesiveness."  Well, he was right, with some of the problems being with how his upper leadership looked at him. There was fear of not doing the right thing, fear of consequences, and the lack of trust.  I had two hats made up with one embroidered "President" and one "Leader."  After my analysis I met in his office and gave him my findings and the hats.  I asked him to put on his President hat and asked him what that meant and how he felt.  I then followed with asking him to place the Leader hat on and tell me what that meant.  We talked for almost an hour and with each concern that came from upper and middle leadership his answers would change when I asked him to place on the Leader hat.  At the end he looked at me and said, "Maybe some of the problems I thought with the team were problems with me."  My reply was, "No sir they are not problems with you, they are opportunities."  I went back about three months after the visit expecting to meet with him in his office.  Instead I was directed to a large room with every department head in it along with the President of the company.  I received a standing ovation and the President of the company came and handed me the hat which had "President " on it and said, "I won't be needing this anymore."  What a profound moment and one that almost brought tears to my eyes.  We talked in an open forum for about two hours, and you could tell the atmosphere changed from individuals to a team.  At the end, their "leader" stood before them and gave a short speech on he meeting we had in the office and the story of the hats.  He went on to explain learning that leadership was more important than being perceived as "the boss" and why it was more important to be respected than liked. I was shocked to see what happened next.  The entire management team took out hats which had the word "Leader" written on them and placed them on their heads.

Simple things can lead to great results, but anyone in a position of power must be willing to see the opportunities with effective leadership and admit their own shortcomings.  If they are not willing to do this, the same result will continue.  As the saying goes, ignorance is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  None of us is perfect, however, we all have the same chance to learn if we open our minds and our hearts.

Now go lead!

Secrets to Higher Occupancy

Being a magician I am often asked, "Do you have a wand?"  Apparently some people are too caught up in the Harry Potter  phenomenon to understand you don't need a wand to create magic, especially when it comes to occupancy. There are of course two parts to this equation with the first and most important being resident retention and the second being the leasing side of it.  At this time we continue to enjoy high occupancy in most of the major markets, however, as reports show new construction permits are rising and as our industry is cyclical there will come a time when markets will loosen up.  As expected because the average market occupancy is high so are the expectations for you to remain at or above those statistics.  It's a never ending and evolving industry, which is why many of us love this business.  No two days or months are ever the same.

Why is it over seventy percent of marketing budgets are dedicated to bringing in new residents when it is a fact it costs seven times more to replace a resident than to keep them?  The national average cost of a resident leaving you is high, and you might be surprised to see what it actually is.  Depending on your market and your price points, the actual cost of losing a resident can easily be three thousand dollars and in many cases more.  This includes lost rent, marketing costs, turn costs (paint, cleaning, damage repair, upgrades, floor covering, marketing, and one of the factors most of us forget...time and personnel resources).  Which leads us to the age old question, "How do I keep my residents and prevent them from moving out?"  Here are just a few of the key elements to higher resident retention with the list being a lot more than what we will cover here:

• Realizing that renewals are not an event but a process and the retention process starts from the day they walk in your office to rent an apartment home.
• Understanding what residents want which can include simple things like method of communication, expectation of services, to be treated with respect, to solve their challenges related to their apartment home, and the list goes on.
• A friendly team that makes them feel special and recognizes them as individuals.  Do you great them by name when they come in the door?  Do you follow up even when follow up  is not anticipated? Does your team provide a  cohesive service presence making it feel like they live in a home and not an apartment?  
• Do you provide services other communities do not setting the bar to a higher standard?  This can include one night a week an office and a service person staying until seven or eight PM just for them and not for leasing.  Maybe they have access from a secondary door and you have beverages and pastries for them to come and enjoy giving your team a chance to get to truly know their residents and provide personal time to get to know them.
• Does you maintenance team go by the rule when performing a service request or preventative maintenance of finding at least one thing else you could do in their apartment home and letting the resident know they did it.
• Do you perform renewal visits in their home and not yours.  Two things happen here with the first being on their turf taking away the office environment and giving us a chance to see if you really want to renew them or not or if their might be things that can be taken care of at renewal.  Trust me, I have seen more than my fair share of resident homes who should not have been renewed because they were destroying or not taking care of my asset.  If they are doing that, what kind of neighbors are they?  
• Does your team know how to handle resident complaints or challenges?  We train them to lease but for some reason we fail to train them on how to handle a difficult resident or situation which in more cases than not leads to a resident leaving. You have heard it we have one chance to make a good first impression. Sorry, but that is bull hockey sticks as the saying goes.  Every day, every interaction, and every interaction we have the opportunity to loose a residents confidence in us, the team, and the management company. We should be reinforcing this but hardly anyone does.
• Does your community provide services others properties do not? Some time back I recommended putting in a type of mini market supplied with items of necessity at property.  This included toilet paper, hair care and hygiene products, paper towels, dish and dishwasher soap, non perishable goods, etc.  I got a look like a deer caught in headlights and objections such as having to get a retail license, state taxes, etc.  Once they looked into this and discovered it was not difficult to over come these they tried it and the success was beyond their expectations and the residents loved it.  I recently talked to the manager of this site and their regional and they said sales have averaged well over a thousand dollars each month and with the markup have added another income source for other revenue and resident retention is up and surveys say the residents love this amenity. Now with Amazon Prime it is even easier, less time consuming, and more profitable to have items delivered to the office door of your community.  These are items your resident can't wait for Amazon to deliver in a day or two and discover they are out when they come home from work and don't want to venture back out.  Hotels do this, why not us?  Do you have a laminated community identification card and agreement with local vendors for discounts only available for your residents in exchange for their brochures and or information available at your concierge desk? Which raises the questions, do you have concierge services or are you just a leasing office?
• Do you make contact with a new renewal and thank them for choosing to stay with you, knowing they do have a choice.  
• Do you have special renewal events for those renewing the previous month including food, beverages, and maybe even a drawing for gift or gift card donated by a local merchant for them attending the event?

The next part of the equation is of course leasing and it begins with the right people, the right leadership, and the right training and expectations.

         T - Train for success for your team, your individuals, your community, and your company.

         R - Recognize potential of the individuals and any areas of needed improvement

         A - Adopt a training plan and plan your training

         I -  Instill motivation through training, leading by example, and having clear expectations.

         N - Never assume training is understood and ask questions to verify the message is clear

Here are some additional key factors related to the leasing process:

• Perform observations related to leasing and do not depend on shops alone.  
• Provide critique and not criticism to coach for a higher level of performance
• Never let technology get in the way of having a personal touch.  There are times that technology is great and others when we need to personalize.
• The listening and analysis aspect of a guest visit should never be overlooked but often is.
• Does each member of your team know how to recognize the "moment of truth" when it is time to ask for the lease or to possibly identify we need to change our approach?
• I personally dislike a leasing agent being behind a desk and having that barrier between them and the prospect.  New concepts such as pod systems and mobile lobby devices versus computers are gaining success.  Imagine sitting at the couch or out by the pool with an IPad and doing the initial interview (both of them and of you) from a relaxed environment or maybe even on the way to the model.  Being able to jot down notes while interacting with the guest, asking and documenting discovery questions and responses, and expediting the leasing process with it being mobile. Come on people, get with the current times.
• Is there a forty-five point checklist in the apartment being shown or in their apartment on move-in day showing the lengths we go to in making sure their new home is the best it can be?

Does your team send photographs along with the thank you email showing those things we identified as desirable or necessary features to emphasize we have what they want?

The list goes on and I could talk on this subject for hours, which I do when conducting seminars on the subject.  I believe you get the drift and the message of what we can do to improved occupancy and the bottom line, no magic wand required just some magical services.  Now go out and create your own magic and you will no doubt find the incantation to greater success and an awesome team. 

What's your leadership style?

As human beings we are all different.  While leadership has many basic characteristics, the combination and ability to use those characteristics makes leaders different.  If I ask you what makes a great leader we often hear a variety of answers.  You may think of someone that was open, decisive, strong, leads by example, ethical, able to gain respect, or a whole list of descriptions.  Many times we look at qualities of leadership based on those we have worked with or maybe even a parent.  Both of those examples have molded who I am today as a leader. In leading a leadership conference for a management company I ask the attendees who they admired and followed with the question, "why?"  Many of them found it easy to identify who they admired as a leader, however, some struggled as to why they were thought of for leadership qualities.  I also got quite a few that identified with historical leaders such as John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and even a few sports stars.  

In my book "Finding the Leader in You" available on Amazon, I list a few of what I consider to be specific leadership characteristics essential to a leadership.  This is not an all inclusive list, merely some of those qualities that I believe are the basis for creating an environment where others will want to follow. After all, that is the truest definition of leadership.

One aspect I have also presented is that a great leader needs to identify with their primary characteristics and just as important those traits we need to strengthen.  Great leaders are not only always looking to develop others but also being open to themselves and always seeking to better oneself.  One of the most difficult challenges is self reflection, as we are human and being objective about ourselves is not something we do well.  As an example, how do you make your employees feel about you.  You may feel you are great at leadership because your operation runs smoothly.  The question you must ask is, is your operation running as efficient as possible.  How your team feels about you is often how well they accept your leadership and perform.  Remember, we always need to be looking at how we can improve.  Just as time, teams, and practices change if we are going to evolve as both a team and an industry we must adapt.  A great quote by a great author said this, "People won't always remember what you said and they won't always remember what you did.  They will always remember how you made them feel."  That author and poet was Maya Angelou and is very true.  If you can find out how you make your team feel, you also in all probability can identify what what you are doing well and what you need to improve on.  

As an example I remember one time the company made some operational changes we knew would be a hard pill for the employees to follow (you notice I did not say swallow as change should not be looked as something we force down our employees throats).  A couple of days after the new process was incorporated I asked one of the managers about the change and did not just ask what they thought, but how they felt about the change.  It opened up a whole new perspective on how the change was communicated as well as what their true concerns were and helped me formulate a strategy which included providing more details as to the why in addition to the what.  

Developing ourselves and others are both important.  Sometimes as we find ways to develop and improve ourselves, it also allows us to improve others without even knowing it.   

Now go lead.

LLHL - Ok, what does it mean?

Watching TV the other night Newt Gingrich was describing something he remembered when he was in the military.  When I was in intel school many years ago, I remember an instructor telling us about the exact same thing Newt was describing.  Must be a military thing but believe it really applies to leadership and how we should look at leadership in general.

LISTEN
The first "L" and is what I call the first step.  Listening includes observing, paying attention to your surroundings, keeping your ear to the ground related to feedback, and of course paying attention to your subliminal messages in your operation.  Observe before making changes and know what impact decisions may have on an operation.  Understanding through observation can provide direction for needed training, for insight into efficiency, and for how the human factor plays a part in reaching goals and objectives.  Listening with your eyes includes your surroundings which can include more than just the immediate operational area.  As an example in property management we also need to be aware of the competitive market as well as the tertiary market. 

Listen to feedback from your team.  Some of the greatest leaders in time would have never made successful decisions without consulting others or at least asking for their input.  Maybe the right decision is yours, but components of input from others makes it a better solution. Who knows, maybe yours was not the best at all and someone did actually have a better solution.  Leaders should never be afraid to accept critique or the possibility someone else actually had a better answer. 

Subliminal messages can include issues related to morale within a team, higher than normal costs, excessive call out's, or increased turnover.  Sometimes listening with your eyes can be just as important as listening with your ears.

LEARN
All is for naught if we do not learn from the first "L" and from our mistakes.  Don't forget we can also learn from our successes and we should always be asking "How can we do it better next time."  Learning can also be related to us constantly learning or expanding our knowledge base.  As an example I am a sponge when it comes to articles or books on leadership and enhancing productivity within a team environment.  When we stop learning, we stop growing as leaders.  Learning also means evaluating throughout a process of operational change to see if adjustments, corrections, or sometimes even new directions are needed.  Sharing what is learned with your  team and those leaders working with you is equally important as a part of open communication and development of from an educational standpoint.

HELP
This step is critical and involves more than what you might think.  Help can be in the form of training and education.  It can mean providing the tools or knowledge so that others want to and have the ability to exceed and excel.  Sometimes help can come from outside sources such as consultants and teachers.  I remember one time doing a consulting job where the company said they knew what needed to be implemented, just needed direction as to the best course to take.  When I asked the Director of Property Management why she felt it was the best solution she responded by saying she thought a new approach from someone outside of the organization might be better received.  We can observe and learn, however, if we don't implement a plan into action that will be received by those needing the direction it will become more difficult to achieve the intended result.  Part of my plan was also doing team meetings to ascertain what they perceived the problems were and asking for their input.  I found this went a long way and they felt more involved and not just the receiver of a directive.

LEAD
So what is the true definition of leadership?  After all, leading means you get others to follow you.  With leadership comes great responsibility.  Leadership is being decisive, is developing others, allowing empowerment, is not being afraid to admit when they are wrong, and so many other qualities you have seem me write about before.  It is also the Listening, Learning, and Helping that develops others to be the best they can be.  If your operation runs as successfully when you are absent as when you are there, that my friends is when you know you have been an effective leader. 

Now go lead!

When life gives you lemons

Just about everyone has had ups and I am sure experienced downs.  With each challenge I have faced throughout my career I have always tried to find the positive and learned from each and every opportunity.  I remember when they eliminated my position less than three years after accepting the regional here in Florida.  This was back in 2009 after the market tanked and companies were looking at what ever they could do to cut costs.  Now this was a hard pill to swallow knowing my region was one of the top occupancy and producing regions in the company.  Making over six figures with my bonus they called the layoff a "downsizing," while I called it an "up profiting."  I could have easily put my tail between my legs and done what many others had done in my position by collecting unemployment and riding the coat tail of the government.  Sorry, that just wasn't me.  I started speaking and training again and took a job not paying much working for the mouse.  While it didn't pay well, I was working and bringing in a weekly check and on top of it pretty much the coolest job at Disney.  My job you ask, well here's a picture.

Yes, I was a scuba diver and the safety coordinator for Mickey Mouse when he would dive in the Living Seas at Epcot.  I was responsible for the big eared one's safety (as we called him "the boss") and even wrote the operating guidelines for character diving at Disney.  Even though my pay was poultry compared to what I was making before, I always gave it 100% and would volunteer for projects and always willing to take on additional responsibility.  It was that initiative that led me to the next level as a manager at Disney.  Safety has always been something I had a passion for in addition to leadership.  In 2013 the aquarium was getting ready for their five year accreditation with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.  This was a huge deal as the facility and our dive team were being evaluated by a team of professionals from all over the world.  The AZA is the independent accrediting organization for the best zoos and aquariums in America and the world, assuring the public that when they visit an AZA accredited facility, it meets the highest standards. Less than 10 percent of the 2,800 wildlife exhibitors licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture meet the comprehensive standards of AZA accreditation. My supervisor and the aquarium curator came to me and asked if I would take responsibility for safety documentation and reporting for the upcoming inspection.  During the inspection one of the AZA advisory members commented that the safety portion of the inspection was "the best and easiest inspection they had ever had for an aquarium ever."  

With my head held high, I began applying for leadership positions within the organization.  Then one day after telling my supervisor I had an interview later that week I was informed I did not need to go to the interview.  For a second, I thought "oh crap what is wrong."  The aquarium curator and the Dive Safety Officer called me to their office to inform me I had been nominated and accepted into Disney's Emerging Leader Program.  They told me that out of 65,000 cast members only 35 are selected for this prestigious program.  So a few weeks later I entered Disney University on my journey as a Disney leader.  Disney is  known throughout the world for developing exceptional leaders and providing extraordinary guest service.  Fortune 500 companies send their employees to Disney for their leadership programs because of how the Disney brand is perceived.  My next step was as a manager at a four diamond deluxe resort responsible for a team of cast members and later lead the concierge services for the Kilimanjaro Club at Animal Kingdom Lodge.  

While I truly miss property management and hope to someday return, being in a leadership position and using the skills I have learned along my journey to help others exceed and excel have been so positive in my continued development.  When we quit learning, we do ourselves and those working with us a disservice.  Walt Disney said, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."  He also said, "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."  

So when life give you lemons, don't' just make lemonade...open a lemonade stand and share it with the world.  I hope I have been an inspiration for others and don't forget, "Inspiration comes along with perspiration to be successful."  Now as I have said so many times in my postings...Go Lead!

Accomplishing Results

I have enjoyed my many years in leadership and in sharing information.  From managing large apartment community portfolios to leading a team at a four diamond resort one thing is constant...the importance of effective leadership.  To the thousands who read my blog and the hundreds that have worked with me over the years, you also know how much I cherish sharing information with the intent of assisting others to exceed and excel. 

Management is accomplishing results and meeting objectives through other peoples actions.  Leadership is allowing others to have the ability and empowering them to accomplish these results.  It means not only leading by example but more importantly leading so others want to follow, hence the true definition of leadership.  The basic philosophy shows the transition from management to leadership has some distinct characteristics.  In a management position your direction and interaction with those that work with you is more "hands on" by a relation of 70% to 30%.  As you transition to leader you will find this reverses if you hire the right people and lead through empowerment.  This comes with training, allowing people to make mistakes, support and review of decisions, and effective communication.  You have heard me talk in both my leadership book and my best seller in property management how the PDSA system is an effective tool in leadership and in making decisions.  What is PDSA you ask?  It basically means formulating a PLAN, Do what you planned, STUDY the results and efficacy in reaching the goal or objective, and ACT to make adjustments to stay on task and in reaching the intended goal.  Lee Iacocca once was asked how he was able to turn the Chrysler Corporation around and out of bankruptcy and what led to his success.  He responded by saying, "I did not do it!  We did it!  I simply identified the successful people that could get the job done and empowered them to do it!" 

As an example in property management we emphasize management of our communities...without guiding others as leaders and wonder why we do not have more true leaders in the ranks.  We give you the responsibility for a multi-million dollar investment without showing you how empowerment all the way down the line of positions makes everyone more accountable.  You basically act as chief financial officer, facility manager, public relations director, customer service manager, marketing and development manager, and occasionally therapist and dog catcher.  We teach you and support training for you to address all these areas, and unfortunately forget to teach you to be mayor or a true leader of your community and team.  Managers will often say, "If I want it done right, I will do it myself."  Leaders say, "If I want it done right I will find and train the right person.  

There are several truths of ineffective leaders or those that do not incorporate leadership and empowerment into their leadership style.  

• We cannot do it all ourselves and if you try, you will burn yourself out.
• We avoid allowing others the sense of accomplishment because we do not understand the true benefits of empowerment.
• We eliminate the potential for a motivational environment.  People want to feel they are a part of something and can hold their heads high when there is a successful endeavor.
• We don't always have the best answer or know the best way of doing something.  By not realizing this it narrows how a task can be completed and does not allow for a motivational environment. 

Leadership is not how successful your operation is when you are there.  Successful leadership is empowering others so that goals are met even if you are a thousand miles away.  I will repeat the poem in my book which hundreds have said inspired them and for which I truly believe

I saw them tearing a building down, a gang of men in my hometown.
With a heave and a ho and a yes, yes yell, they swung at a beam and a sidewall fell
I asked the foreman if these men were skilled, the same needed if you had to build
He said oh no indeed, the most common laborer is all I need 
For you see I can tear down in a day or two, what it took others years to do
Now I asked myself as I walked away, which of these roles am I willing to play
Am I one who is tearing down, as I carelessly make my way around.
Or am I one who builds with care, so my team and those around me are better because I had been there.

Now go lead.

Making the Move-In an experience...not an event.

I have been asked throughout my career when do we start the renewal process.  Unfortunately most site teams do not understand renewal is not an event, it is a process and starts with the first time you meet a new resident/guest.  Like the renewal process we should not look at move-ins as an event but more as an experience and a part of the renewal process.  

Having worked for Walt Disney for over six years it is clear we need to make interactions with our residents "experiences" not events.  To have the pleasure of working with an organization that is known throughout the world for creating magic and guest satisfaction has been extremely rewarding, even though I am really looking forward to getting back into property management.  The experience and tools given to me I know have given me a new insight into resident/guest satisfaction and delivering services that exceed and excel.  

Imagine this, your new resident is moving in today and we all know this can be a very stressful transition for them.  What can you do to make it a memorable experience?  They may have traveled, dealt with packing and handling a moving truck, worried about change of address and utilities, and there is always the "renters remorse" in wondering if they have made the right choice at your community.  

1.  You provided them with a move-in package with their signing the application which provides a step-by-step process in making preparations for their move.  This includes utility numbers and web site contact information (link to new customer page), moving truck rental locations, local storage facilities, pizza establishments for those move-in day munchie needs, change of address cards from the post office and where the local post office and UPS stores are located, local contacts for companies that provide labor for unloading, a short welcome letter including what they can expect on moving day at your community when they arrive (any last minute things that need to be processed including inviting them to sign their lease in advance), a property map showing their new home location and where to is the best place to park their truck for unloading, after hours number for maintenance, close home improvement store address, and even a checklist for all the things they need to do in leaving their current location and getting ready for their new home.  It takes a little preparation, but packets can be made up in advance on those rainy slow days so you are always ready to provide one to a new resident.

2.  You make several calls and/or emails prior to move-in checking to see if we can be of further assistance or if they need any additional information.  With each contact you thank them for choosing your community, remembering they do have choices.

3.  Your team has checked and double checked the their new home to insure EVERYTHING is the best it can be.  You do this at least two days out from the arrival experience, giving enough time to insure any corrections can be made.  You then inspect the day of move-in to insure some critter has not crawled up the drain, found its way through a door sweep, and expired somewhere for your resident to fine them as a move-in surprise.  This is where an apartment move-in checklist comes in handy to insure everything from the maintenance and operation to the A/C filter and general conditions are perfect.

4.  You have placed a "Welcome Home" amenity package in their home with a personalized tent card with ALL the new residents listed (including children and pets).  This could include for very little cost a couple of carnations and some babies breath in a small vase on the kitchen counter, several bottles of water in the refrigerator, coupons for local food establishments, a welcome home banner across the refrigerator, a small jar of touch up paint, a copy of the inspection checklist to show what all has been inspected, coloring pages and crayons for the kids (gives them something to do while mom and dad are moving), and maybe even a coupon for Red Box.  

5.  You walk the resident to the apartment after they receive the keys, completing the checklist and walking the apartment with them.  You provide information regarding which outlets are controlled by which switches (I like putting a small sticky dot you can get from an office supply store on the outlet or having maintenance turn that outlet upside down so it is easy to distinguish), what your garbage disposal can and cannot take (often missed), where fire extinguishers are located, etc. You ask them if there is anything else we can do to assist, shaking their hands (including children), and thanking them for choosing your community. 

6.  You make a follow-up call the day after move-in, just to check in on them to insure everything went well and everything is OK.  You do the same one week after, following up on the process and their experience.  

We have so many opportunities to make this a great experience, and also so many opportunities for failure or not meeting expectations.  My question is, what can you do to not just meet their expectations, but to exceed them?  Make it a celebration, and experience, and most of all the best move-in they will or have ever had.