Throughout life, we encounter countless "life lessons" and "business lessons," gained either from personal experiences or the wisdom of others. Over the years, Chuck and his colleagues created a running list of 144 "Lessons Learned." In this episode, Chuck reflects on how the list began and highlights several of those valuable insights. The Burris’ share how resident visits are a powerful part of building a sense of authentic community, jump starting relationships, and connecting with new residents. It also brings a solid business value to the community in helping increase satisfaction and resident retention. Visits are a win-win-win proposition!
Growing organizations must effectively manage change and embrace innovation to thrive in the future. Melissa Pratt distinguishes between "Change Management" and "Leading Innovation" and provides a clear game plan to achieve success in both areas. Planning events can be exciting, but how do you come up with fresh, creative ideas? The Sefiks share some of their favorite unique community events and the sources of their inspiration.
All leaders have a list of projects on their desks to accomplish and they only have a certain number of hours in a day or week. Kelly “KC” Jones, Chief Operating Officer for Apartment Life, outlines the way that she approaches and teaches “Time & Project Management.” These simple and effective techniques make the leader more effect and efficient in these critical tasks. Apartment Life continues to fill the need for more communities in innovative ways. Chris shares how he is piloting an exciting “virtual” program. It is designed for communities that are waiting as Apartment Life is recruiting for their permanent coordinators. Chris walks property staff through the steps of hosting their own community events.
Two indispensable characteristics of a leader are “Risk Taking” and being a “Lifelong Learner." Doug shares his experience of how taking wise risks is the way to keep moving forward as an organization. The way to move forward personally is to keep learning. Trevor and Carley share their experiences of visiting their neighbors. From sharing a Ramadan meal, to meeting an advertising giant, the Leash’s have seen it all. There is a power of visiting the residents that is hard to match in connecting people to the community.
After 15 years playing as a MLB player and then coaching at the collegiate level, All-star Lance Berkman shares several leadership lessons he learned along the way. Leaders need to know the way, show the way, and go the way. The Vance's remind us that principle of "Love your neighbor as yourself" is not a nice saying. It is a wonderful way to get to know their community and serve them in some amazing ways.
Dr. Debbie shares that by making the subtle shift from “I have to” to “I get to” changes the leaders mindset as they approach their specific tasks. A key in making this adjustment is to align your passion and purpose with your projects. The Allens are veterans of serving Apartment Life by living “Onsite” in communities. They share their new focus of bringing the same great events by using Apartment Life’s “Offsite” model. They share the advantages of both models of building community for residents. The Allens tell how intentionality is the key to receiving the same great results in their new chapter with Apartment Life.
There are seasons in the life of every leader that seem like all things are going smoothly and it is clear sailing. Everything they try seems to work. Then there are other seasons when leaders go through the storm. It is tough going, things are working, and it may seem like it will never end. Keith shares how he delt with some recent storms. Greg and Kellye discuss the planning they do for their long-range vision for events to ensure a variety of “activity-based” events like chili cook-offs, dessert swaps, and painting classes. They also mix in “community building” events like Bingo and trivia nights. A dash of live music is also a favorite in their community. Planning is the key!
Scott Turner, Chief Visionary Officer for JPI, describes how all leaders need to develop the ability to be resilient in the difficulties of life and business. Resilience will help leaders to not only to survive but thrive during the challenging times of life. The Mora sisters go above and beyond trying to build community through showing acts of care and kindness to their residents and staff. From bringing popcorn for a movie night for a sick child, to giving a special gift to make someone feel at home, they find the exact right way to love their residents. Staying intentional is the key.
Carson McDaniel, President of Marble Capital, discusses that decision making is a BIG part of the leadership role. There are many components to the process and dynamics of moving an organization. Delegation, values communication, building culture, and setting goals are some of the pieces the leader needs to consider. The Coles share how that by being diligent to encourage positive online reviews by their residents saved their community. Over 100 residents stated that they were renewing their leasing in part to the Apartment Life program and the Coles! They describe their process of moving the dial on online ratings.
Kevin Dean, founder of the Rockbridge Investment Group, shares the importance of establishing a long-term view of building their company to maximize future success. It is alluring to chase quick wins and paydays that do not ultimately build the solid foundation, culture, and practices that provide lasting results. Liz explains how strategic and fun events allow residents to get to know each other. She shares how an intimate class on "how to make salsa" left everyone with a new skill and new friends in the community.
Zach Haptonstall, CEO & Co-Founder of Rise48 Equity, shares amazing accomplishments at just age 32 and his vulnerability with the insights he shares will surely add value to you. Brody serves two very different apartment communities. He shares the creative events that each group of residents enjoy. Monthly community dinners, a Presidential Pet Election, and a Pool Party with a local business showcase are just a few events that are popular.
Jerry Wilkinson has compiled a list of valuable life lessons from his NAA Hall of Fame career. During this episode, he shares the wisdom he learned on his journey. The Browns unpack their philosophy on selecting the perfect mix of events. They talk through the various sizes of their events and the slightly different goals of each. The Browns cover everything from big “fringe” events, to medium “affinity” groups, and small “nuclear“ gatherings.
Stephen Vecchitto, Founder and CEO of Advenir Living, explains that leadership is not a title, it is a behavior. Successful leaders serve, guide, and give targeted care to those they lead. They also need to be a cheerleader, coach, counselor, and composer. The majority of Apartment Life Coordinators have the privilege of visiting their residents at their apartments. It adds a personal touch when residents move into a community. It helps make them feel seen and welcome to their new home. The Hershey’s share their strategy around visits. It is a strategy that anyone can do with their neighbors.
Jim Monk, President of Clozzits, took a start up from 1 employee to 8000! He learned many valuable lessons through that season. Jim emphasizes that leaders need to be life-long learners. Alanna shares how by showing acts of care with your neighbors in times of need has had a profound impact. The impact was not only on her neighbors, but on her as well. Serving others can often be an amazing blessing in itself.
Ernest shares his personal leadership journey and skill set. He also gives constructive and practical advice for young leaders in any field. Ernest guarantees that these tips will make any leader a success. It has been said often, "People do not care how much you know, until you show how much you care." This is true for Apartment Life Coordinators as well. The Acton's share that showing care and love to their residents and staff are the keys to being able to serve their community well.
Everyone struggles to find work-life balance. John shares his story of how being out of balance affected his family. He also shares tips of regaining his balance. Building a support team to help the coordinators is vital for success. Quincy and Katelyn share what they enjoy putting together. They also give tips on how to select the right team and what functions can be trained to enhance the service.
Henry Cloud said, “As a leader, you always get what you create and what you allow.” Every company has a culture whether they built it or allowed it. Dana explains how to build and measure the culture of a company in a fast-moving environment. Tosha shares how she serves her communities with “intentionality” in everything she does. A simple smile, kind words, or helping to brighten someone’s day has a powerful impact.
Payton Mayes (CEO of JPI) explains how their company implements the values of Patrick Lencioni’s bestselling book, “The Ideal Team Player”. Whether making hiring decisions or building a company culture, Payton shares the importance of these three key character qualities. Apartment Life coordinators are known for their great events. However, the end goal of Apartment Life is not just to host wonderful events. It is to build community for the residents. The Landis’ explain how they use hosting events to build that sense of authentic community.
Every leader needs to be strategic about how they lead and how they grow their leadership. Mark shares numerous qualities that leaders should have developed along their journey. Humility, being genuine, directness, and a willingness to serve clients and staff are a few of them. Having a group who will help you see your blind spots is indispensable. One of the often-overlooked aspects of Apartment Life’s services to communities is resident visits. Crystal discusses the different types of visits they conduct for the community and the why behind them. There is great impact by meeting residents on their turf.
Every person is filled with a degree of leadership potential. For most people it is even more than they realize. Every leader who hires new staff wants to help them grow to become the very best leaders that they were created to be. Kiley shares three principles for you to unlock that potential. Monthly social events are a powerful way Apartment Life teams build community for residents. Andre describes how finding and utilizing local vendors is the key to connecting the residents to the community outside the boundary of their property. If residents love their neighborhood, it increases the chances of them staying on their property.