Developing Onsite Talent for Leadership Roles
Here are three tips to develop raw talent into successful managers and team members.
Carroll VanHook-Weaver
Finding talent in the multifamily and student housing industry is always a challenge because, let’s face it, this field is not for everyone or the thin skinned. When you find those diamonds in the rough you want to develop, train and hold onto them for dear life because we cannot operate without the vital support of on-site managers.
Below are three tips I have used over the past 10 years in student housing to actively develop managers and onsite team members. Utilizing these simple guidelines will help your team members enjoy coming to work every day and know they are supported by executive leadership. When successfully implemented, these tips will plant seeds of good habits when your employees move into an upper leadership role.
Tip #1: Empowerment and Involvement. Managers are the experts of their properties. They know what goes on every day. They see the struggles and needs for their properties. The quickest way for a manager to lose trust or motivation is to keep them out of the loop of anything changing at their property. While some things are required to keep confidential, it is so important to involve managers on leasing calls, budget reviews, capital improvements, LIF’s, and simple communication of what the needs are at their property on a regular basis. I have worked with managers that haven’t heard from their leadership team in months, or find out a special was approved they didn’t request, or that leadership ordered a lot of swag that ate up their promo budget when they didn’t need more marketing collateral. They lose trust and don’t feel empowered to do their jobs; thus, they will go where they are appreciated and trusted.
