I recently delivered the first keynote address (The Psychology of Customer Service) at the FOCUS Conference 2018 in Los Angeles, which was presented by Satisfacts Research and Apartment Ratings. As I looked out at the audience I was amazed at how many familiar faces I saw, from all around the country! I had people I knew from Florida, Colorado, Texas and of course, right here in California that I consider friends.
Rommel Anacan giving the keynote presentation at FOCUS Conference 2018. (Picture courtesy of Satisfacts Research)
What struck me is how small this very large industry really is!
That is why industry events are always so much fun because it can often feel like one big reunion at times-especially for those of us that have aligned with this industry for many years. Multifamily housing professionals do make up a family!
This can also be one of the biggest drawbacks of the industry-that it is so “small” even though it is very large. If you develop a poor reputation in one area of the country, that reputation might follow you to the other side of the country, especially since the hiring manager might know your former supervisor or someone in your previous company. Believe me, we talk, exchange notes on people, places and things!
I often share a story of my relationship with Lori Snider-who is now the Head of Learning and Experience at RedPeak in Colorado (and a well-known industry speaker). I met Lori as a new associate for RedPeak and she was brought in to do our new hire sales training. I always joke with her that I’m glad that I was nice to her in my training class because years later when I began my own company, Lori has been a huge cheerleader for me and has even sent clients my way.
Little would I have known back then that my two-day training class with Lori Snider would have been a “big deal” for me. It just seemed like another training class-and I had been to many training classes by that point in my career! Yet, the long term effect of being positive in my class is still felt today!
What does this mean for you? You’ve heard it said time and time again, but it bears repeating if you want to succeed in this industry you must focus on building relationships and remember that multifamily is a family. This can work for you or against you. The choice is yours!
Here are some tips to help it work for you:
- You must be aware of your impact on other people! What is your effect on others? Do they want to spend more time with you when they’re with you, or are they racing to get out the door? Do they feel like they can share open and honestly with you, or do people “clam up” and share nothing for fear that you’ll reveal it inappropriately to the world? Are people screaming on the inside “SHUT UP!!” because you dominate all meetings, or are they screaming “SAY SOMETHING!” because you always remain quiet?
- Don’t burn bridges! I almost didn’t include this because it sounds so cliche, but it’s an important statement to make. Even if you’re unhappy in your current situation I encourage you to stay as professional as you can and leave “the right away.” Don’t just leave for lunch and not come back. Don’t resign over text message five minutes before the start of your shift. Don’t go on social media and vent about your former idiot ex-boss! I’ve seen this bite people really bad over and over again.
- Build relationships with people within and outside of your company: Take advantage of networking opportunities, mixers, socials, trade shows and conferences to expand your network of people. One of my supervisors was hired for a regional manager position because of a relationship she cultivated with an executive during apartment association events!
