Average is easy
Average gets a leasing person a fair amount of sales
An average service tech can do a fair amount of tickets in a day
An average make ready tech can do a fair amount of turns in a day
An average assistant manager can process a fair amount of transactions in a day
An average manager can lead a fair charge
Ever Get Annoyed?
Do you ever think – I really have a disdain for this guy or that gal because they seem to get more done in an hour than I get done all week? They get twice the commissions for half the work. They get twice as many service requests done in a day than I do and they head home on time everyday.
Get Annoyed Get Excellent
Put that ill-headed pride aside – get pissed – get over it and just ask. Ask that top producer what it is that makes them different. Ask them how they organize their day. What they say to people during the apartment tour and demonstration that gets them so many leases. Ask the leader how he/she gets so much out of their team. Then get busy doing that stuff.
This note from the margin got me thinking about the things that I do to avoid being average –
- I am number challenged. Budgets, forecasts and proformas are the bane of my existence. This is the hard work part of the business to me. What did I decide to do about it. I took out a budget and starting a blog series. I will take roughly two years – writing once a week – to think through and define every single line item right through the debt.
- For the longest time I really struggled with the written word – to combat that, I started reading everything I could get my hands on. I took the time to memorize the 5000 words used on the SAT test. And, I started this blog.
- I struggled with giving and taking feedback to and from industry leaders. Answer – I started participating in industry forums like the ones you see on Multifamily Insiders.
- I struggled with finishing. I love to start things but I get to a point and I lose interest. Answer – this is the eighth year of M Brewer Group. I have changed the name three times over the years and have written well over 2000 posts. And, I hope to never finish but not for lack of an endgame.
- I learned some basic code language so I could tweak the look of my blog. Word to the wise on this point (have a Mike Whaling backup plan if you get it wrong).
- As mentioned above – I read a ton.
- I am constantly trying something, suggesting we try something or pushing to get something done.
- I exercise.
- And, I love people where they are at without enabling them to settle.
Guess what, I still misspell words, break the rules of grammar, start and don’t finish, muck up budget work and go long stretches without posting to this blog. Do I fret – no. I acknowledge, learn from it and move on.
What do you do to keep yourself from doing above average work?
Your looking past average work multifamily manic,
M
0 Responses
Great stuff, Mike. I’m glad you took the time to learn at least some basic code — I think a basic knowledge of HTML is almost required of marketers today. And I appreciate the mention on the backup plan … I might need to add that as an option on my website!
You have saved my bacon more than once – can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.
Great post Mike! I often feel like I should be doing more and/or get more involved. I also sometimes wish that other people would want to be successful as much as I want them to be and take the steps you suggest. I think it all boils down to whether or not the things you are doing really get you jazzed. If not, I can see how being average would work. It’s a lot easier to put out over-the-top amazing work if you love or at least enjoy what you are doing…in my opinion. You can’t make other people want it.
I concur MD – if it is not somewhat innate in the person no amount of motivation will pull anything out of them. That whole, “It’s an inside job,” is 100% true.
Really appreciate you taking the time to chime in here. I am super-jazzed to see where you take Mills Media in 2013. #gameon
It is usually only at the end of the year I will look at stats and figures and sit back and ask myself: was that enough?..with the usual answer being no. Many times I will compare my day, week, month with a moment of time at Disneyland…did I make enough people happy and did the day end with a Fireworks show. Some days yes and some days..well no. I am opting for more yes days for 2013. Thanks for the thoughtful post.
Very excited to for you Jonathan. And, very excited to be partners in this journey. Trust me when I say that you have given Mills Properties and me more than a few smiles. You are a consummate professional and a trusted friend. Cheers to your over the top 13!