Corporate Cut the Tabs! -My Take on the Interview with Captain Sullenberger

If any of you missed out on The Daily Show with John Stewart the other day, the interview with Captain Chesley Sullenberger is below.  First of all, our hats go off to this amazing person who showed such poise and saved so many lives.  There were two particular points from his interview that struck home with me.  Much thanks to my wife Renee, who totally rocks, for pointing them out to me.

For my multifamily colleagues and really for all of us in business, here they are. 

1.       Corporations need to invest in training and

2.       Put the Tabs Back!!!!!!!

The interview is only about 7 minutes long, so please watch and then see my comments below.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Chesley Sullenberger
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

How many of you thought how completely lame and ridiculous it was for an airline to mess with an emergency handbook!!  As the Captain stated, “I think it would make the system better if we put the tabs back.”  Corporate somehow came to a conclusion that to cut costs, it would be a good idea to take the tabs out!!

This is just an amazing example of where some corporate officials have their heads.  Unfortunately this line of thinking continues across the corporate world and seems to have leaked into the multifamily industry.  It continues to sadden me to hear of major layoffs as a result of the perception that this is the only way to cut costs.   These employees are the ones who have been trying to get their voices heard and who have consistently tried to present to their corporate heads cost saving solutions in order to help their company succeed.  But they feel like my illustration up at the top-gagged and tied up.  And the corporate solution- “Let’s cut back on the tabs.”

This post may be of little consolation to those who are stunned and hurt over what has happened to you.  You are thinking to yourself—“After all the years I have devoted myself to my job and I just got treated like a Tab!!!”  I was a victim of that once as well and I am sorry for what you are going through.

Thank goodness for the Captain’s training.  It saved lives that day.  In the multifamily industry, you cannot go without a training program.  When it counts the most, the training you provide for your staff may save you from a Fair Housing or Sexual Harassment disaster.  Do you keep wondering why your marketing dollars are not bringing the return you hoped for?  The training you provide for your leasing, maintenance and management team will change that.

This message may never reach the people who really need to hear it, but you are reading this now and remember to take this with you as you progress in your multifamily professional career.

P.S. please take a moment and comment.  Thank you.

Written by Jonathan Saar who was inspired by his wonderful wife for this post.

The Training Factor

Is Email a Form of Communication?

Email etiquette is something that is extremely important in the professional world.  We have been trained on proper spelling, not using acronyms, using proper grammar and of course making sure we do not blab on and on over a subject that can be wrapped up in a few short sentences.

Email has become one of the fastest ways to send a message to a colleague, employer, and clients.  Text messaging is now becoming just as popular to send out quick bursts of information.  So back to my question: Is Email a Form of Communication?

Let’s analyze that question with some other examples.  If you are standing in front of a person who is asking you a question and you do not respond to them, are you communicating? The answer is NO.  If you are on the phone with someone who is sharing information with you and you say nothing in reply, is that communication?  The answer is NO.

The only way to truly define basic communication is when 2 or more parties in any given setting are actually exchanging words in some fashion.  So, is email a form of communication?  It can be only if you have the manners to actually reply back.  Otherwise you are no different than the person cited in the examples above.  How would you describe the person not responding in our two examples?  I will let you answer that in the comment section below.

For some odd reason “some” in this professional world have begun to view email as a “If I feel like responding” or “This email from this person is just not that important to me”.  Now before you get all ruffled, I am not talking about spammers or those companies who buy lead lists and shoot out a blast email with their latest product or service they are selling.  I am referring to all individuals who send you a message that has your name in it with some information and questions perhaps and then closes with their signature.  Can someone answer me as to why those emails would not be responded to?

Here is an image we can all relate to, 20 years ago, your parents are standing beside you and someone is talking to you.  You do not say anything in reply and what did your folks do to you next?

We have a lot to do each day, but setting an example in communication is paramount.  Some email responses may need some time and others may simply need a “No thank you” or “I have that covered”.  Whatever the case may be email is communication and when professionals do not respond, I wonder what you would call them?

Written by Jonathan Saar—The Training Factor

Hello!!!!! Anyone in There????

The above title can be a common expression when dealing with our fellow team members.  Our ability to communicate and to be communicated to is a major determining factor in our leadership skills.  The complete slowdown and or failure in the business process are usually attributed to a complete breakdown of communication between various departments.  Then the frustration, anxiety, uncertainty and many other negative emotions are the soup du jour.  How would you feel if these emotions are what described your communication business process?  Maybe it’s time for a second look at your communication policies.

Here is an example of a typical corporate situation.  Your superior assigns you a project wanting to see a specific outcome in order to enhance a particular business process.  You research, brainstorm, rough draft and then bring the project to a final proposal.  You present the information to your superior but that is the last you ever hear of it.  No next steps, no implementation date---nothing!  What happened?  You may never know.  Reason why this took place—no communication.

This is one little teeny tiny example that barely scratches the surface of where breakdowns in communication can hurt the daily process.  So what can practically be done?  Maybe the title of this blog should be the theme of your next communication training meeting. 

Some other symptoms of bad communication would be finger pointing, lack of follow through, no clear direction for next project and the list goes on.  Those are the symptoms, how about attacking the disease.  Lack of policy is the disease.  The communication policy needs to include everyone.  It does little good for a policy to affect only certain departments but never applied by the leaders of the company.  One word for that—FAILURE.

You want to start saving money and make your company a happy and productive place to work—this is my tip of the day: Open your two ears and do a lot more listening and do half the talking.  That's what my Mom would always say to me.  What does your communication policy sound like?  I hope it's not like the one demonstrated in our video below.  Enjoy the laugh.

Written by Jonathan Saar:  The Training Factor

More Bang for Your Buck

This was an absolutely hilarious training video in my opinion, but then again I am often told my sense of humor is quite dry.  From a business point of view, this video has such a great analogy.  Keeping this all in good humor of course, but can you honestly imagine this poor guy making it to the Olympics with this existing program he is using?  It may be cheap, it may look like what the real Olympic training programs are, but the bottom line is that it is NOT!

There seem to be quite few companies offering multifamily training programs out there.  They promise the world, they say they can offer it for half the price of other systems which is probably absolutely the truth.  I guess the moral and professional dilemma is the decision to choose what training is best for your multifamily team.  What kind of bang do you want for your buck?  Maybe it depends on how bad you want the gold medal for your team.

Written by Jonathan Saar The Training Factor

New Media Atlanta Summary-Choose Your Direction

Last Friday September 25^th, I had the opportunity to attend “New Media Atlanta” at the Georgia Tech Research Institute.  Chris Brogan was the keynote speaker and was surrounded by other speakers who had their own take, message, and experience to share with this audience.

The scene was quite intriguing.  The room where the conference was held was extra high tech.  Quite comfortable for everyone and a place to plug in your laptop, make some notes and enjoy the presentations.  The environment was totally the perfect breeding ground for the social media enthusiasts who were ready with their twitter accounts to share this information with the world.  On that day alone, 3719 tweets were recorded based on statistics from http://wthashtag.com/Nmatl

Trying to wrap up the key points from that day in a few paragraphs will be a challenge, but here I go.  Basically there is not a one size fits all standard of Social Media.  Every company has a different product, service, and customer that need to be engaged properly.  It does you little good to have 30,000 followers on Twitter and 950 fans of your Facebook page, when you have absolutely no dollars to show for it.  Social Media is just another aspect of any other marketing plan. You do not just jump in with both feet; you need to carefully study and measure to make sure your methods are providing the best effect. 

This really starts by “listening”.  Do you know what your customers or residents want?  Do you know what they are saying about you?  Do you have a message that will engage them, so that they want to come back and hear more?  These are just a few questions that are necessary when formulating a plan to add Social Media to your existing structure.  FYI-Horizon Realty made the list of examples of what not to do when using Social Media.  I don’t think we need to go down that road again.

One statement that stuck with me from Chris Brogan’s presentation was this; ask people “How much do I suck?”  In other words, be ready to take the good with the bad.  Social Media has made the world completely transparent.

The multifamily industry is starting to break into this frontier.  Some are trying it out on their own, and some are using experienced and skilled consultants.  Social Media can you show your dedication to Fair Housing Laws.  It demonstrates your commitment to customer service and resident retention.  The main point is to accurately measure your path.  Use strategic reporting to carefully chart your progress.  If after a business quarter passes by and you do not see the results, do not toss the plan into the garbage.  Tweak it and keep moving forward.  Social Media is not a fad, it is here to stay.

Written by Jonathan Saar The Training Factor

Stay the Course

Those three words have inspired thousands of individuals for centuries now.  It’s interesting to reflect on the definition.  Wikipedia makes these statements. 

"Stay the course" is a phrase used in the context of a war or battle meaning to pursue a goal regardless of any obstacles or criticism.

Similar to "cut and run", a pejorative phrase used to describe cowardly withdrawal from battle, "stay the course" allegedly originated as a nautical metaphor on maintaining a constant, unaltering course while navigating.

How do these three words inspire you?  What are your business challenges?

Here’s a theoretical list.

1. Marketing plan-Is it the right one for me? How long should I stick to it?
2. Competition-What size fish am I in my pond?  What do I do about the bigger fish?
3. Budgets-Do I spend the money, or do I cut back?  Do I invest or do I ride this economy out?
4. Training-Do I really need it?  Can I live without it?  Will the cheap version be as effective as the higher quality version?
5. Occupancy percentages-What really works for resident retention?  Do I use social media or not?

For many multifamily companies its budget time and new fiscal year decisions are being made.  Your leadership training now comes into play with crucial decisions that will affect your company, your team, and yourself.

Now think of our three words.  “STAY THE COURSE”.  In the nautical context, can you envision the captain of the ship who is trying to encourage and convince his entire crew that they will survive the storm?  The course is front of him is uncertain.  It’s hard to see with all the waves pounding against his ship.  Water is flying everywhere.  His crew is being tossed around.  The 1^st mate and lieutenants continue to delegate orders so that the ship will not sink.  The captain cannot see clearly what is in front of him, but he has his instruments to tell him where he is going.  His compass has never let him down.  His maps and charts have been accurately created.  His calculations are correct.  He knows that the direction he is taking his crew is true.  He stands at his captain’s wheel and confidently yells out to the crew, “STAY THE COURSE”.

Within our multifamily companies we have our instruments that do not let us down.  We have specific ones to deal with Marketing, Competition, Budgets, Training, and Occupancies.  We have instruments that have stood the test of time and we are discovering new ones that deal with the more current conditions and times we live in.  The message is clear for us.  If we act as leaders within our company, have you ever thought of those three words?

Post written by Jonathan Saar from The Training Factor

You Must Choose, But Choose Wisely

Decision makers have such a huge responsibility.  Whether or not we are on the property management side or the vendor side, everyday there are decisions to be made. It could be new employees, products, services, events, you name it, there are numerous items on a given business day that need to be addressed.

One of my favorite movies, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” had such an interesting scene towards the end that gave us all something to compare to.  The scenario: What do I base my decisions on?  The Grail Knight in the tomb used that expression, “You must choose, But Choose Wisely”.   We all remember what Walter Donovan did right away.  His superficial reasoning was that the most beautiful chalice had to be the correct vessel.  However he really did not know his history well nor did he do the proper research in order to come to a correct decision.  He just went with what looked best and what seemed to be the easiest choice and we know what happened to him, it kind of got yucky from that point on.  However Indiana Jones knew his history and had studied well which enabled him to ‘choose wisely’.  The action hero once again saves the day.

So what is the application for our industry?  We are confronted daily with 2 paths to take on any given decision.  One appears to be the intriguing and easy choice.  It looks pretty, it has a lot of show, and it glistens with promises and makes you think that if you choose this way it is going to make you a hero, that you will be so highly esteemed for the decision you made.  Where will this path lead?  The other path does not outwardly appear like much.  There is not glitz, no glamour, no outrageous promises, but you have done your research on this path.  You have investigated thoroughly.  You have educated yourself enough to know that even though the glitz is not there, you will not be misled by superficial reasoning.  You will know by your research that this path and decision is the best because you have examined it thoroughly and you want your team to benefit the most.  As the Grail Knight would say, “You have chosen wisely.”

Of course we are not talking about life or death decisions here, but the same principles apply.  Let’s continue to make our industry stand strong because of the professionalism that its foundation is based on.  Don’t get sucked in by a high pitched sales presentation or a resume with pretty borders and big words.  Don’t get caught in the snare of someone who says they will undercut a proposal no matter what, just to get a sale.  Be careful about the events and resident retention concepts you bring to your communities.  Our decisions should not be about short term glamour, but long term prosperity.

I am so interested in hearing from you on some of the challenging decisions you face and what steps you take to make sure you are making the best choice for you and your multifamily company.

Just for fun check out the old Diet Coke Choose Wisely commercial below.
Written by Jonathan Saar-Director of Marketing The Training Factor
For more information on The Training Factor visit our site http://www.thetrainingfactor.com

Perfomance Evaluation and Analysis Feature

We are pleased to announce a new feature that has recently been added to our Training University! We are constantly improving our product for your benefit. You have told us of your need to marry employee training with employee performance evaluations. Whether those evaluations are in the form of Supervisor/Manager evaluations or secret shopper experiences, you needed a way to disseminate those evaluations to your employees and to train them in the areas where they may need extra help. You spoke and we listened!!

Introducing the Performance Evaluation and Analysis feature. This feature will allow you to upload all of your employee evaluations to your employee’s transcript page. Your employee will be able to see their evaluation, see and/or hear their secret shop, and receive training based on their performance analysis!

Best of all, this feature is available now and at no extra cost to our valued clients!!

We will shortly be unveiling reports to complement this new feature as well!

If you are interested in learning more about this feature and get an overview of how to use it effectively, please call Mechelle or Renée at 770-514-7773 or email us to schedule a mutually convenient time!

Thanks again for your feedback that helps us make The Training Factor the most comprehensive Learning Management System in the multifamily industry.

http://www.thetrainingfactor.com 

Blue 32--Blue 32--Ready, Set Hutt Hutt

Football season is now in full swing. Time to take the passion of the game and use it to your advantage with your residents and with your team. Statistically speaking, football continues to grow in popularity with many different demographics. It is no longer just a guys game, but the amount of women who tune into NCAA on Saturday and the NFL on Sunday is steadily growing.

So with such an ingrained passion with so many people, what can you do to use this to retain residents and gain loyalty with your multifamily team? How about dress up Fridays? Let your staff show up with their favorite team jersey. The result? Instant conversation starter when the residents come in!

The stuffy office atmosphere is gone and opportunities for fun and engaging conversations now have a breeding ground.

Now what about direct resident retention? Pretty well I am sure you know your resident's birthday, anniversary, graduation day etc. What about their favorite football team? Interesting fact to chat about on the community blog and get the residents involved in a little friendly rivalry.

How about a fan dress up contest? Or maybe a Saturday tailgate party? Options are probably endless when those wheels start spinning upstairs.

Bottom line-- have some fun with your multifamily team and with the residents. Show them both how much you value and appreciate who they are and their own particular passion for such a great weekend pastime.

If this is something you have already tried before, please share. I would love to hear how it worked for your community.

Visit our website http://www.thetrainingfactor.com

Training--Huhh!! Why??

Good morning everyone and happy Friday!!!

Morning thoughts have been reflecting on the different types of multifamily professionals I have met. The most intriguing for sure were the ones that when I asked questions about their training program, they said--Huhh! Why? They looked at me as if to say-"We hired them because they know the position, why should we as a company have to go any further?"

I really need your input on this statement. Here is what I have humbly noticed thus far. Please notice that this may not be the only variable on this next statement, however it is an important factor. Those companies who did not believe in training have been laying off like crazy. In contrast those companies who have a strong training program are hiring and even buying up new additions to their portfolio.

My message--Maybe your response to why you are laying off or why your NOI does not look good at all should be--Huh!! Why!!

Open the mind, examine the possibilities, get involved with the social aspect of the multifamily industry so that you can learn from others. Be humble.

Please share your thoughts-thanks folks- Have a fabulous weekend.

Are Complaints Growing or Lowering?

Now that the Horizon situation seems to be passing for the moment, I thought it prudent to point something out that I have been monitoring. It seems that this twitter complaint has inspired others to really get on board. I use twilert to monitor certain keywords that people use and to see in what context they are using them. Of course I have our company name and I regularly do random tests to see if my tweet turns up in my morning email report on that key word.

I also have a keyword report on “property management”. Since the well published situation that happened not to long ago, I am noticing this trend of complaining continuing. This is just with that particular expression alone. In the tweets I noticed they named the management company within their post. One company I knew and I let them know right away which they were grateful for. The others unfortunately I did not know who they were and felt sad that a customer complaint was going to go unheard.

My other thought was, how many tweeters are not using the expression “property management”, but are just naming the company name. When I tried to see a twitter presence on the companies that were named in the complaints, I could find none.

What lessons do you think need to be learned here????

On the hand, I felt quite privileged last night to monitor a property management company have an entire business meeting via twitter. Mike Whaling from @30Lines made this great comment last night to them, “Want transparency? Very interesting to watch @AlbertMBerriz & the McKinley team openly talk about their biz plans on Twitter. “

I was amazed myself to see a team embrace technology with people who are using it to its fullest potential and are using it to engage and connect with their residents.

Is this message getting out there?