 |
|
|
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
Reading Room Articles
When we were growing up our parents said things to us that left a lifelong impression. If you have children of your own, or even if you've been responsible for a child for only a day, you probably caught yourself - whether you wanted to or not -- repeating the words or actions that your own parents or caregivers used when caring for you. Why is this? The vast majority of us never received formal training on how to be a parent or caregiver, so we draw on our own experiences and the examples of those who were responsible for us. The same scenario holds true in our industry when a leasing Professional or Assistant Manager is promoted to a Manager. Because we haven't had any formal training in management, we tend to reenact the attitudes and behaviors of our own past supervisors, mentors, or associates. It's important to note that I'm not talking as much about how we perform the basic functions of our jobs here - including tasks like budgeting, payroll, and implementing company and community policy. These are the things we very often learn and duplicate faithfully and effectively because of the training that we receive. All to often in our industry, people get promoted because they can duplicate these well-trained procedures, but don't have any idea on how to be a "good manager". I am certain you've heard it said of someone that he or she "got promoted before they were ready". When you hear that, it probably means that there's a shortfall in that person's attitude and management style, in spite of the fact that he or she has met all of the educational requirements for the position. Can you remember your first day in your last position? Can you remember your favorite and least favorite manager? Most of us can, even decades later! Why do you think this is so? You can probably remember clearly, because so much was at stake. You wanted to prove to others and to yourself that you could handle things. You wanted to make the absolute most of your new opportunity and be accepted by your team members and peers. With so much riding on that crucial first impression, it's no wonder that most new Managers are nervous and often overcompensate. Sometimes that overcompensation is counterproductive because we're so intensely focused on making a good showing that we make needless job-oriented mistakes, offend coworkers, or wind up generating the kind of "flash in the pan" or "eager beaver" image that can follow even a good Manager for the rest of their career! The best Mangers set off at a slower, more even pace. They are not as concerned about where they are at in the beginning as where they will be in the next thirty days. They know that it takes time to learn new tasks, build solid relationships, and ultimately create a team environment. They recognize that it is their responsibility to fit into the existing environment first. Only then will they be in a position to make improvements and contribute positively on a higher level. The point is that our first day as a new manger is so critical to our future that we can't afford to take chances. As a new Manger it is important to: • Demonstrate a sincere willingness to learn and adjust. Don't go in and start bossing people around and changing the way they are used to doing things before you have a complete understanding of why things are being done the way that they are. Otherwise, your team will resent you and your position. • Set the tone for positive relationships. Don't wait for others to be nice to you. Extend your own hand in professional friendship from the very beginning. • Communicate an open, positive attitude in all that you say and do. Smile and offer gestures of goodwill, and enjoy a good laugh when appropriate. In other words, make your first day a success regardless of the difficulties you may face. REMEMBER WE CAN'T LEARN UNTIL WE LISTEN! Effective listening is the key to success in any working environment. Good listening is especially important during your first few days as a new a Manager. You will be receiving new information on organizational policies and procedures, as well as becoming familiar with the responsibilities of others (what they do, how and when they do it, what specific challenges your team members and the community itself are experiencing if any, etc.). If we fail to listen and absorb this crucial new information from the very start, we run the risk of making the wrong decisions, especially early on, when our decision-making skills are most crucial to our continued success. It pays to listen, and those payoffs will be both immediate and extending into the longer term of our careers. BE A COMFORTABLE PERSON TO MEET As a stranger to your new position, it is only natural that you will be studied and reacted to. You will attract attention because you constitute a change in the community environment. Whether you transmit a favorable image or not depends primarily upon your friendliness and grooming. To communicate friendliness, you need to be a comfortable person to meet. This means you avoid behaviors that might communicate that you feel "above" those you are joining. It's important to relax, smile, and convey your willingness to be a team member creating unnecessary waves. It is also important to communicate a positive visual image by paying attention to your appearance (without overdoing it). As I'm certain you will have learned long before you reach the point of being promoted to Manager, paying a little extra attention to details like pressed and lint-free clothing, polished shoes, neatly groomed hair and nails, and fresh breath will go a long way toward sharpening your professional appearance. Appearance is important, but a positive attitude in meeting new coworkers says just as much as the way that you look physically! The moment they sense that you have a sincere desire to join their group (and you are willing to make their jobs easier in the process) you will be well on your way to cooperation and acceptance. REMEMBERING NAMES As a new Manger, you will meet many people your first few days on the job. Some of us have a gift for remembering names and faces, but for many of us, trying to absorb all of this critical information at once will lead to confusion and possible embarrassment. The best bet may be to learn a few new names each day. Most people find it a big help to write the name of each person they meet in a pocket notebook. This will allow you to get the full name and the correct spelling. Most importantly, the notebook serves as a reliable reference tool that you use to recall the meeting, remember the face, and practice saying the name a few times, all of which are excellent ways to learn and remember the new person's identity. If keeping a notebook isn't for you, you may find success in practicing these five steps for remembering names and faces:
GREAT MANAGERS ARE "IN-CHARGE" PEOPLE As leaders, we must utilize our sources of power in sensitive but effective ways. When we assume our role as a manager-leader, we have three sources of power from which to draw from:
ADOPT A STRONGER IMAGE It is important that a new manager learns to communicate a "take-charge" image. She or he must let everyone know (co-workers and superiors) that things are under control-that decisions are being made and that the role of manager is comfortable one for them. All of this must be carried out without creating an impression that the new position has gone to the individual's head. It must be a natural transition. Why is a stronger image necessary? Among other reasons, your employees want you to be a leader. They will produce more if they know they are part of a cohesive group with established standards. In contrast, a weak manager will cause employees to be confused and counterproductive. How do you communicate a stronger image? • Improve your appearance. Don't overdo it, but look the part. Dress for success. • Be decisive. Make decisions with confidence borne of knowing your job and understanding the facts at hand. • Set a faster tempo. Move about with more energy. Become a model of productivity. • Handle mistakes calmly. When things go wrong, collect the facts and develop a solution. Show your inner strength. • Balance your authority with a sense of humor. Tell a good joke or share a humorous story when the situation is appropriate for one. Laugh in all the right places. Help everyone have a little fun. • Demonstrate your ability to communicate with superiors, and your willingness to share the glory. Employees will feel more secure and will be more productive when they know you're able to both represent them to your superiors and willing to convey their strengths and accomplishments up the chain of command. • Be a positive person. Stay in touch with members of your team in a positive manner. Keep in mind that their positive attitudes are dependent upon yours. TAKE A POSITIVE APPROACH Attitude is the physical ("observable") manifestation of the way that you approach things mentally. If you wrap your brain around things in a positive and enthusiastic way, you'll communicate to those around you that you welcome the challenges and responsibilities of leadership, and everyone will enjoy working with you. If you are tentative or insecure, employees and supervisors may interpret your attitude as negative, and you may receive less cooperation as a direct result. You have control over your attitude, which means that you're able to change it if you don't like what it says about you. Remember, as a manager, everyone will be watching you. No matter what you think you may be doing to hide it, your attitude will always come through… for better or worse. As you rise to the challenges of being a Manager it is often a good idea to model your behavior after a successful supervisor whom you respect. You will discover that highly successful supervisors have much in common. POSITIVE ATTITUDES BOOST PRODUCTIVITY Nothing improves relationships with and among the people that you supervise better than a consistently positive attitude on your part. Your attitude sets the pace and the tone in your team. Your tardiness or apathy will be become theirs. Your complaints will lower morale. Everything you do and every position you take will be reflected in the attitudes of your employees. Remember, actions speak louder than words. It's possible for a negative attitude to speak so loudly that your employees won't be able to hear what you actually speak with your mouth. The more harmonious an environment is, the higher its productivity will be. Employees will achieve more, with better quality and fewer mistakes. When people are relaxed and happy, they concentrate better and come closer to reaching their potential. A happy and productive atmosphere is traceable to the attitudes of those who create it. Even a resident or future resident can tell when a work environment is comfortable, efficient, and productive by noticing the attitudes of employees. There is more energy. Employees are more tolerant of each other. Work is viewed more as a challenge than a series of boring tasks. But beware: A single negative attitude can sour a harmonious atmosphere. The point, is that your positive attitude is not only priceless to you-it is also greatly valued by others! AT THE END OF THE DAY… That's a lot of positive punch to pack into the first day on the job, but I'm confident that you can do it. Why? Because you'll be bringing with you not only your own experiences, but also the influence of great Managers who have shared their knowledge and expertise by example. If after reading this, you move forward with only one thought in mind, let it be that attitude is everything. From the way that you approach your new position to the way that you exercise your newfound authority, do it positively, confidently, and with a mind that's open to learning, and your first day as a Manager will be as successful as your last day as one - the day you're promoted to facing even bigger and better challenges! 
As Chief Imagination Officer of The Sales & Marketing Magic Companies, Tami Siewruk shares more than 20 years of experience in multifamily housing, encompassing leasing, marketing, management, training, authoring, consulting, developing, and Brainstorming! For more information on Tami's newsletter, Sales & Marketing Magic for Apartment Managers; the latest Tools & Forms Catalogue; The Annual Multifamily Housing Brainstorming Sessions™; or to receive Tami's top ideas, FREE, via e-mail, please call 727-784-9469 or visit www.SMMOnline.com. |
|
|
|
|
Site Map | Feedback | Help | RENTNET Terms of Use and Privacy Policy © Copyright Homestore.com, Inc., 1997-2002. All rights reserved.  Equal Housing Opportunity. |