What' the toughest professional challenge you've overcome on the job since you've been in this industry?

Hey Multi Fam!!

What' the toughest professional challenge you've overcome on the job since you've been in this industry?

Fire. Any fire, but especially with a whole building of displaced residents.
Lesser so...management/owner changes are very stressful!

Ryan Shiveley that IS tough!! How did your team communicate as you were trying to move the displaced families?
Was there internal conflict or did you all easily/intuitively come together?

our staff is very close and always strive to carry as much weight for the team as possible. VERY blessed in that way.
As far as communication with residents we did our best to OVERcommunicate. As PM I dedicated almost an entire week while the office was open to handling residents, contractors, fire investigators, insurance reps and also soliciting donations from local churches/businesses while tracking and documenting the distribution of all donations. I then would stay for 3 or 4 hours when the office closed to perform my daily duties. It was a lot of work and long hours and extreme stress levels but we ended up getting positive online reviews from 6 of the 10 displaced apartments!

When you've got a bunch of apartments to rent and upper management IMMEDIATELY believes that it's your lack of performance and NOT the ebb and flow of the market.

Tony Leon facing this now. It’s really defeating I know. I’m sorry

Ruby that was when I worked for large corporations. Now I work for an owner-managed property and they’re super amazing!!!

Tony Leon that’s so refreshing to hear! I’m happy for you

Ruby call the surrounding properties. If you’re slow and have a lot of availability they do too! We’re having a cripplingly slow period in my area. Everyone is going through it!

Tony Leon, I might be one of those owners. But those that have worked for me know that I know and understand market cycles. So how we beat the cycles? You know that dry patch is coming? Gear up! Push the hell out of renewals, early renewals and referrals. Market the hell out of the property 90 days prior... Manage expirations with unique lease terms. Beat the market, don’t let it beat you...
With that said, when the steel mill next-door with 7694 employees closes its doors, you’re just screwed.

Tony Leon preaching to the choir. I love my job and I love my management company and the owners but in our market it’s an oversupply and not enough demand and we continue to see new communities being built in my market.

Coming back after 12 years

Bitting my younger without drawing blood

Watching great companies fall prey to pressures for short term gains over long term sustainability. Establishing the right culture and identifying your "why" as an individual, team and company means everything.

It was saying "no". I have finally realized it's ok to not be able to do something or maybe finding a yes that will work for both. You and I know that this seemed like the impossible ????
The other was getting defeated or you give 110 percent and told it's not enough. I had to remind myself that I am AMAZING manager and my knowledge is God given. I am where I am today because of him and no one else can make me feel differently.
And I MISS TO YOU!!!

Ageism

Not telling people to go fuck themselves on a daily basis

Other females in this Industry. So many jealous, hateful bitter women. ????

Being the new manager of a property with other ling term employees. Its hard to question someone that has been there 20 years & gets defensive whenever asked questions like how are the applicants coming along, when are they moving in, etc. Just regular non threatening questions. We get along great until she feels like I'm stepping on her toes. My regional exects weekly reports so i have to know the answers.

Sherry Phillips been there. Attitude when asked anything. I feel like telling them guess what...I’m allowed to ask you about your work!

Allison Taylor, i know. I need a change fast. Its getting harder. I'm not sure how to deal with it.

Sherry Phillips I just literally told them don’t get mad or defensive when I ask you about something. It’s my job to make sure you are doing yours.

I wouldn't need them to answer any questions. I know the answers or can get them from the computer or pulling files. The easiest 7 jobs I've ever had lol.

Staffing

Outsurviving a terrible boss in the same company. Someone who consistently berated employees and acted in an unprofessional manner.

Yvon Ignasiak I'm going thru this myself. I should have left about 4 times now but I'm not gonna let them win. I'm staying, they can go.

She got replaced by my fav boss who is still my current one. The company president is pretty chill too so that's how I was able to stick it out past the one bad cog.

Alcoholics anonymous

Budget writing...I'm not sure if anyone technically overcomes it.

Nepotism. I saw the demise of a great environment due to an inexperienced, horrible son.

Cecelia Fowler Bolognia I am in a current situation with nepotism and it is the worst experience ever. I have the owner working out of my office and I have his daughter as my leasing agent. It is so tough. Hardest thing ever.

Fire displacing 25 households 3 weeks before Christmas. No one hurt, thank goodness, but no one could return to their apartment due to asbestos issues. It took almost a year to get thru everything. Many years ago, but most emotionally exhausting job duty I’ve ever experienced.

Insubordination. Undermining, lying and utter lack of respect.

Having semi-catastrophic physical problems on a property that occur so infrequently that you aren’t sure how to fix it. And you can’t tell if your solution worked until it happens again. It’s like waiting for the axe to fall all the time and creates a constant low level of anxiety.

This year I celebrated the 40th anniversary of being hired as a leasing agent. I believe the toughest professional challenge is dealing with implementation. One year just for grins I asked every training and marketing director that hired me to send me a copy of the implementation plan they used to roll out their last initiative. I wanted to see how they had supported the plan with clear objectives, KIP, guidelines, resources, costs, training, tasks with deadlines, incentives and rewards. Not one person could send me a real implementation plan. I struggle with the serious miscommunication of our goals and plans between the executive level and the site team. A once a year meeting to share goals is setting you and your team up for failure. Also, the expectation that I could come in and create positive lasting change in one day is unrealistic. My solution is to have clients select then"test" real ideas before my program. I give them extra free consulting hours to implement my ideas in advance with one of their teams. Then at my program I roll out an implementation plan that is proven to line up with their programs, policies, software and culture. Implementing at a test site to establish proven success and then share it across the board is the way the truth and the light by which I am guided every day. Actually, I have to get off Facebook. I have two test sites that need me right now. Real progress required a tested, proven and working implementation plan!

Confidence to have the hard conversations with residents & staff. Learning to find balance between empathy, sympathy, and honesty. Holding boundaries while still being respectful & not taking things so damn personally! The last 3 years I’ve really felt good about where I am with all if this & how much stronger but clearer I have become.