motivation
You are the Work
Realize one thing quickly…
You are the work.
What you do for a living is the catalyst/stimulus for the person you become.
The real work is YOU.
When you get this truth straight in your head – job descriptions and titles and the need for validation, inspiration and motivation (external) goes away.
You become your own best self every time you step into the day.
You become alive in knowing you are not tied to the whims of other people.
You own your destiny.
You own choice.
You own will.
Your encouraging you to do the work of YOU Multifamily Maniac,
M
Validation
I am often struck by a person’s need for validation/recognition by people of authority.
In my head – the best measure of success and validation is the mirror test.
When you wake in the morning and stand in front of the mirror – ask yourself “Am I better person today than I was yesterday based on my experiences.
If the answer is yes – boom! If not, acknowledge it, make a new plan, execute it and check in the following morning.
Don’t look for your inspiration out there because the world has a funny way of letting you down.
Look for inspiration in there (inside your heart, mind, body and soul). This world has a funny way of kicking ass and taking names.
Your challenging you to look inside not outside Multifamily Maniac,
M
Apartment Motivation
Listening to Michael Tolcher tonight and thinking hard about a the lead stanza of his song – Sooner or Later. Under the premise of motivation – give this a read/listen:
Pull the hair back from your eyes
Let the people see your pretty face
Try not to say anything weird
Save your questions without answers
‘Til your old enough to know that things ain’t as they appeared
Before you go out in the sun
Cover your skin and don’t get burned
Beware the cancer, it might kill you when you’re old
Be first in line, raise your hand
Remember everything you hear
And playing in the rain is worth catching cold
Apartment Maniacs – The Point Is
The apartment management world is plenty full of people who will tell you what to do. And it is plenty full of people who will sit back and take it. Are you one of the sit back and wait for what people have to say kind? Are you one that learns the hard way. Or are you one of the try like hell, never sit still, over the top, drive everyone around you crazy to the point that they finally believe in the flavor of the punch you are drinking types?
The multifamily space is no different from any other business in the world. And odds are pretty good that the person tasked with leading you is no more sure of him or herself than you are. They just have a higher level of responsibility. But lead they will not if they don’t know what they are doing. It the best parts of those who think they are leading with no one following are only taking a walk kind of stuff.
I will never forget the day (thumb and first finger held millimeters away from each other) that I was that close to my supervisor having to make a tough call. A call that would have put me on the downside of my career. Why? He and I did not view the world the same way.It was the proverbial butting of heads. In his mind it was a defining moment. In mine – (youthful arrogance included) it was a wild waste of time.
Did I shift? No way on gods green earth. I knew in my heart of hearts what I was after. No deviation. No compromise. And no chance did I run down a road that I didn’t believe in.
What happened? We took 750+ units to 98.8% occupancy and less than 2 percent left to lease. And rent bumps of $100+ in some cases. Some would posit that the economy took over and I would posit back that someone had to lead the team.
Now I am under no illusion that I did that myself. But what I’m aware of is that I was relentless in drawing that team together under a premise that was larger than all of us combined. And they believed it. What I smile about to this day is that the other guy didn’t.
That Guy
He was that guy in Michael’s song that worried about me saying something weird or not putting my sunblock on before I went outside.
My lead for him and for you – playing in the rain is worth getting wet! Do it often Do it tomorrow.
Make this year your #gameon year – exclamation points included (for those that rest on the proper use of such endings – a life based on emotion and expressing is it liberating)!
Your encouraging and granting you permission to speak freely multifamily maniac,
M
Tell Me – What Do You Day-Dream About?
What is it?
What jazzes you?
What captures your imagination?
What do you talk to yourself about in the car on the way to work?
What do you get lost in?
What do you keep coming back to?
What is your Moleskin full of?
What do you wish for?
What do you hope for?
What are you doing about it….
M
Multifamily Monday: Introduce the Rest of the Team
My challenge on this Multifamily Monday. Get your service team involved in the program.
Unsung Hero
We could all debate back and forth over the fact(s) that if it were not for the service teams we would not have apartments to lease. And, if we did not have people leasing apartments we would not have any to turn. Can we all agree that both are important to the operation. And, both carry equal weight as it relates to keeping the teams moving along.
That being said, I must lean on the side of service this morning. A couple of reason(s): Air Conditioners, Air Conditioners, Air Conditioners. As we continue to endure the heat wave that has gripped and squeezed this country over the past three weeks, our service teams never slow down. They never quit. No matter the task, they go about getting it done. My hat is off to them.
Make them Part of the Program
If any one of your service team members is in or around your leasing office when you are visiting with a resident – take the time to introduce them to each other. If you are touring someone and you see the porter or service techs – take the time to introduce them. Edify them publicly. Speak in sound bites about what they mean to the day-to-day business. Manufacture events that honor the service teams.
You could have a service team function at the site whereby you invite the residents to celebrate them. Sure, you can expect some grumpy people but surely we all understand by now – they are just are just part of it.
Today is that day – take five minutes to give out some atta-boys, some public pats on the back, some, we value what you do and a good old-fashioned – thank you.
Your believing in the whole team approach to property management multifamily maniac,
M
Pic Props to Zeus Media
