Where Life Happens
Collective Stories of Apartment Living
Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash
Apartments, those clusters of dwelling spaces stacked upon each other, are often seen as large structures of brick and mortar. But within their walls, they hold the essence of life itself. From the moment a person is born to their last breath, apartments become the backdrop for countless stories, experiences, and memories.
As property management professionals, it is our privilege to play a role in the transition of life all around us. Our everyday responsibilities help ensure the stories of life in the places we manage provide a sense of safety, joy, and reliability. Today, we delve into the heart of apartment communities, exploring the profound role they play in shaping the tapestry of human existence.
- Birth and Beginnings: Apartments often witness the beginning of life’s journey. New parents bring their newborns into the world within the cozy confines of their home, creating a nest filled with joy, sleepless nights, and the melodious cries of an infant. The walls of an apartment echo the laughter of a child taking their first steps, the clinking of baby bottles, and the warmth of a loving family.
- Friendships and Community: As individuals grow, apartments transform into social hubs. The communal spaces, be it the courtyard, recreation areas, or shared facilities, become the stage for the formation of friendships and lifelong connections. Neighbors become friends, sharing in each other’s triumphs, and offering support during challenging times. Apartment communities become a microcosm of society, fostering a sense of belonging and unity.
- Education and Growth: Apartments are not just shelters; they are educational environments. Children studying late into the night, college students navigating the complexities of newfound independence, and professionals honing their skills – apartments witness the intellectual growth of the people who reside there. The quiet hum of concentration and the occasional celebratory shouts mark the milestones achieved within these walls.
- Love and Relationships: Love blossoms in apartments – the shared meals, romantic gestures, and quiet moments of togetherness. Whether it’s a couple moving in together for the first time, or an expanding family, apartments bear witness to the evolution of love and relationships. Each room holds the echoes of whispered confessions, shared dreams, and the growth of bonds that withstand the test of time. Sometimes love fails and the walls hold space for the pain of broken hearts – slowing beating on toward healing.
- Loss and Endings: Apartments, in their silent solidarity, also bear witness to the inevitable cycle of life. The passing away of a loved one, the packing of belongings after a job change, or the decision to move on – apartments encapsulate the poignant moments of transition and farewells. They become chapters in the stories of our lives, etched in the memories of those who called them home.
Apartments are more than physical spaces; they are the silent narrators of the human experience. From the cradle to the grave, these structures capture the myriad emotions, relationships, and events that shape our existence. As we traverse the journey of life, let’s not forget to appreciate the profound role that apartments play in weaving the intricate fabric of our stories. Whether for a season or for a lifetime, life truly happens in the heart of our homes – our apartments.
Advertising & Authenticity
Who are we? What do we believe? What are we going to do about it?
Leo Burnett was an American advertising executive and the founder of Leo Burnett Company, Inc. He was responsible for creating some of advertising’s most well-known characters and campaigns of the 20th century, including Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger, United’s “Fly the Friendly Skies”, and Allstate’s “Good Hands”. In 1999, Burnett was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
Leo Burnett believed that every company should ask themselves those questions, which still apply today. The answers help businesses distill their understanding of identity, values, and intention – in other words, culture. Leo understood that “the work of [an advertising] agency is warmly and immediately human.” This human-centric statement resonates with me because I believe that few industries are more engaged in the lifecycle of humanity than those in the multifamily industry.
The Impact of Culture
The Multifamily Collective is filled with content that credits culture as the most significant source of influence. The common language of shared culture is powerful. Entire countries, religions, and generations are grounded in shared beliefs, values, and practices that coalesce to form their culture. A company’s culture is the most important factor in determining its long-term success. An organization that holds itself accountable to behaviors that are in genuine alignment with its published core values earns the trust and loyalty of its workforce.
Authenticity Matters
In all areas of life – personal, social, and professional – people are hungry for authenticity. Culture in word but not in deed is false and quickly fails the authenticity test. Depending on the source, reports show that consumers receive more than 5,000 attempts every day to influence their decisions. Targeted ads on Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and even Waze recognize where you are and what your online behavior trends indicate, then use that information to make suggestions for you. Paid. Targeted. “Suggestions.”
Influencers are engaged in the business of influencing. In 2020, successful influencers earned around $1,000 on average per post depending on their statistics – reach, engagement, etc. When a person on social media posts authentic content about their life, passions, creative work, family, travels, etc., followers find it engaging and believable, and they develop a relationship with the person behind the content. When that same person shares an ad as though it were a legitimate lifestyle post, the consumer senses the difference immediately. The change in tone is jarring, and the content no longer feels honest. It weakens the relationship.
Differentiation
With all the digital noise and constant demand for attention – how does any company stand out from the clamor and earn the trust of their customers? Consumers are savvier than ever before. They are also more cynical. Trust isn’t given away easily, and everything feels like a negotiation. Consumers sense the ‘sales’ stuff coming from a mile away.
In this quote, Adam Grant offers a different perspective: “Negotiation is not a duel to win. It is a puzzle to solve together.” When you approach negotiation with a customer as an opportunity to bring different voices to the table to craft a more optimal solution, the outcomes are better for everyone—trying to WIN forces the other participant to LOSE. And no person is eager to feel like a loser.
Currency of Trust
If authenticity is the real currency of trust, then transparency, thoughtful communication, and a commitment to work together for everyone involved is a simple formula that, when applied internally and externally, may differentiate you from the noise.
Authentic relationships require real work. Transactions may be more straightforward, but they lack the mutually beneficial connectivity found in human-to-human relationships, and when it comes down to it, we are all human, afterall.
What are you doing to stand out and create authentic connections? Share with us below!
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Story Teller
Image source: Sharon Cauthen
Story Teller
By: Sharon Cauthen
Recently, I was clearing out a box of old photos and papers when I came across two pages of childish script. I knew instantly what it was, and I felt transported to a moment in time – the emotions of the day flooding back in an instant. The truth is, I’ve never forgotten what happened and how it made me feel. It was a simple story that went something like this…
When I was in fourth grade, our teacher assigned a creative writing assignment. I loved writing and spent much of my no-frills home life tuned in to my internal fanciful thinking or reading anything I could get my hands on. For the assignment, I wrote a story called Lifecycle describing in youthful detail, the beginning, middle, and the predetermined end. There was a special gotcha at the end of the story, of which I was particularly proud. I turned in my paper, eager for a good grade and some recognition from a teacher who never quite seemed to like me very much.
The paper was returned to me with a notation in bright red across the top – “Was this plagiarized?” and a score of F! The shock of embarrassment ran through my body as my face flamed red and my heart pounded loudly enough to drown out the sound of anything but its beat in my ears. Students sitting in nearby desks could see the terrible grade and the angry red writing scrawled on my paper. Having my clever idea and hard work dismissed as something I wasn’t capable of stung, and I felt tears threatening to spill over.
I had to take a note home to my parents who were none too pleased. They were the kind of parents who always stood behind the teacher whenever there was an issue, but on this one (and one other story I’ll save for another day), they stood up for me. You see, I had written the story at home, sitting at the kitchen table and I read it out loud to my family because I felt so giddy with the preciousness of my story idea and its surprise ending. There were a thousand things they would have believed the teacher about – but my ability to craft this story wasn’t one of them. Their faith in my storytelling skills gave me the runway and confidence to continue writing to this day.
I learned a lesson that day that superseded one young girl’s paper. It serves me still today.
Anyone in a position of authority can leave a scar with one ill-conceived or short-tempered remark, the pain of which may never be forgotten. Building up the confidence of others and recognizing their talents pays back and forwards.
Lift people up whenever you can. A simple acknowledgment that you see them and appreciate their contributions is important but taking the time to learn about their interests and passion projects beyond their daily job duties is heady stuff. It’s magical. The people who fill our teams are whole multifaceted humans who possess untapped potential.
One final thought. Believe people until there is a real reason not to. It’s been almost half a century and I still remember my creative writing assignment, and I vividly recall the feeling of knowing how it felt to be denied – and who believed in me.
TANGLED
TANGLED by Sharon Cauthen
I woke up with a cold, a stuffy head, and a nose that had somehow forgotten how to do its essential job – air in/ air out. My car is in the shop, leaving me homebound today. I lost my glasses and frantically looked from room to room before finding them on the side table where they definitely do not belong. I needed to prep for a video meeting beginning in fifteen minutes when the dog started doing the potty dance. I quickly took him for a walk – but he needed more than a quick walk. He had business to do (have you ever successfully rushed a dog doing its business?). I required coffee to help me defy the cold medication and remain alert for the meeting, but the water reservoir was low, and I felt resentful that my spouse didn’t refill it.
Trying not to spill the hot coffee, I raced (walked briskly) to my desk for the meeting. I saw that most annoying message on my screen – the multi-factor authenticator blockade. Ugh. Text was the fastest way to get the code that obstructed my way. Fine. But my phone was playing a Daily Stoic meditation which I dumped unceremoniously on behalf of the code. I wasn’t feeling very stoic anyway.
Finally, I have access, glasses, and coffee, and I sit up in my chair with seconds to spare. Once I jumped through the hoops and could access my system, I saw a message from earlier that morning. “I’m sorry, I need to reschedule our meeting. I have an unavoidable conflict disrupting my calendar. Very frustrating.”
Frustrating indeed.
A few deep breaths and some introspection later found me reframing my morning. The cold is annoying but not debilitating. It will pass. I have a car and the funds to pay for its maintenance. I found my glasses and was reminded that no one puts them anywhere except me. I am grateful to have a furry companion and his need for regular walks is not a surprise. Moving his walk even fifteen minutes earlier would have made for a more enjoyable experience for us both. I have a nice coffee maker and access to clean filtered water for it. The Daily Stoic will wait for me. Patiently, because the Stoics are like that.
Two or three last thoughts.
My morning was irritating but not traumatic. There is a difference. Trauma should not be spackled over with platitudes. It deserves light and air for healing. This was not that. This was a series of slightly annoying events.
The meeting cancellation message was sent in plenty of time, but my messy morning disrupted its receipt. Just a wee bit more organization would have prevented the frantic race – after which I planned to look into the camera as though I had it all together all along. (I see my people nodding their heads at this.)
Finally, multi-factor authentication messages are ALWAYS annoying. I stand my ground on this one.
