Being graced with the responsibility of leadership can simultaneously be exciting and intimidating. You may be confronted with difficult scenarios where many people may be turning to you for answers or depending on you to know how to handle tough situations. You have to communicate with staff and residents, integrate your tech staff, ensure tenants are satisfied, comply with state and company regulations, ensure the community is safe, and that's just a few.

In these cases, when stress is high or comradery may feel low, it is important to know how to encourage your team and yourself to maintain efficient leadership in the workplace. Here are our top tips for you to reflect on when developing effective leadership!

1. Stand confident in your decision-making

When in a leadership position, your team wants to trust that you are ready to take tasks on head first. This can best be accomplished by having confidence that your decisions are what's best for the team objective.

Not only that, being decisive enhances your efficiency and inspires team members to stand confident in your guidance to the best outcome. Understand that you may not always be the "good guy" to your residents, prospects, and team. However, by standing next to your decisions, it will gain you the respect and authority needed to manage day-to-day interactions. 

2. Set an example of your own expectations

We have all been there, and nothing is more disappointing than having a leader or boss who can't meet their expectations. When you are a leader, it is crucial to set an example of your own expectations. This not only fosters respect between one another but also displays your own sense of responsibility and the variety of your attitude toward accomplishing the team's goals.

Some of the most common aspects to set expectations include:

• Lease Terms and Rent
• Maintenance and Repairs
• Amenities and Common Areas
• Quite Hours and Noise Policies
• Pet Policies
• Parking
• Security
• Communication
• Emergency Procedures
• Renewal/Move Out
• Fair Housing

3. Encourage open communication

Communication is always considered the number one thing when it comes to establishing a strong relationship, no matter what kind of relationship it may be. Being authentic in your interactions and truly listening to what your team has to say is beneficial to the team and your self-reflection as a leader. Encourage different opinions and use them to your advantage. Allowing open communication can foster new ideas and promote new solutions.

Cultivating a positive relationship with your team is the best way to exemplify your dedication to both your team and the team's goals. Being personable with one another is the best way to build trust, respect, and humility within the workplace. This will not only further your own effectiveness as a leader but also encourage the overall comradery of your team to work together. 

4. Tackle Conflict Resolution

 Conflict is uncomfortable but should never be avoided. Tackle conflict resolution head-on. Addressing tenant or prospect complaints, concerns, and conflicts promptly and effectively is essential for maintaining a positive living environment and a good reputation for the property. Addressing concerns promptly allows for positive word of mouth and, often, positive online reviews for your community.

Conflict is often inevitable within a team — it's normal and even considered healthy. Address conflict internally, head-on, and objectively. Work with your teams to come up with a compromise that works for everyone. It may not be the easiest or even the most fun thing to do, but it is essential for growth as a team in the long run.

5. Always continue to learn

The only way to continuously improve your leadership efficiency is to continue to learn. Be open to learning new methods or techniques, admit when you make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, and seek out new ways to effectively work towards your team objectives.

Take feedback and recognize what you can continue to improve. When your team sees that you are open to improvement, they will more likely take the same approach when you provide feedback to them.

Some common areas you can look at to help you learn what's going well include evaluating reporting, communicating with your team, and consulting a mentor you trust. Figure out how your reporting can lead to actionable insights. Take a look at the tools you are using and what can be improved to help your team do their job more efficiently. Communicate with your team often and ask them what's working best for them. Figure out what areas can be improved and problem-solve together. Of course, having a mentor you trust can be effective because they have an outside lens to what is happening. They may be able to speak candidly with you about what areas of improvement are most important.

Leadership isn't always easy, but it can be extremely rewarding. Taking these leadership skills for multifamily into account, your team and communities will continue to flourish and grow. Standing confident in your leadership will allow you to gain the respect of your peers, team, prospects, and residents. Not only that but knowing your expectations for yourself and those around you will help you maintain structure and strong relationships. Encouraging communication will allow you to have a finger on the pulse of what's going on in your community internally and externally. Tackling conflict resolution head-on will help create a stable environment for those around you. Lastly, continuing the learning process will allow you to grow in ways you never thought possible. Learn more about how to grow as a leader and avoid burnout in your day to day.