By Russ Sandlin
As a professional speaker and trainer for over 15 years, it's the question I'm most asked. Everyone wants to capture the magic formula that creates enthusiasm. Unfortunately, there is no fire-up formula and there is no elixir for excitement.
However, it does relate to how you look at situations and your expectations.
I recall a luncheon I attended in Ontario, California. The organizer asked if I would give a presentation on motivation and inspiration. He specifically didn't want the typical "hype'em up talk." What he did want was a meaty program for supervisors. Portable knowledge by which they could effectively motivate their staffs and deal with the challenging market they were currently facing in Southern California.
I pondered the task and came up with four points of focus:
1. Impact employee attitudes long term!
2. Not just HYPE - Help!
3. Tap into your staff's hidden enthusiasm.
4. Maintain your employees mental health.
As a side note, this group consisted of upper-level management including fifty multi-site supervisors, and directors of leasing and management. I have to admit, I was caught by surprise at the outcome of this program. After thousands of seminars and my share of rubber chicken platters, I can usually discern the direction a program is taking within minutes. Boy, was this group different!
The program was to start at 11:00 a.m. I would give a 60-minute overview of the material, and the audience would take notes and devise questions. At 12:00 p.m. we were to break for an hour lunch and then discuss the material within the framework of a question and answer session for about thirty minutes.
I began at 11:00 sharp. I launched right into a discussion on inspiration. I spoke of specific events in my life that have stayed with me and that I use to inspire those I train. During the course of this diatribe I asked the participants if they loved their job. The response was NO? I couldn't believe it. These individuals actually openly admitted they were unhappy with their current work environment. This created quite a hubbub and I suddenly lost total control of the room. Participants were counseling other participants and everyone was popping up with personal stories about how they achieved personal psychological fulfillment from what they did for a living. After about 20 minutes of this chaos, I regained control of the room and it was time for lunch. At this instant I had a brainstorm and unlike any other round table lunch I have every attended, I asked each of the six tables to take the next hour, while eating lunch and discuss two questions:
1. What gives you inspiration?
2. What do you do to inspire your people?
As I mentioned earlier, I attend a lot these luncheons and often see people in our industry interact. I have, however, never been in a room with this much excitement and on-going interaction in the span of an hour. After lunch, I noticed people with four and five full pages of notes.
The bottom line: We hit a real hot button. These folks were ready to bear their souls and get down to brass tacks. This energy gave the meeting its definition and left me with many meaningful techniques about motivation and inspiration. I would like to share the most salient concepts I gleaned from this session:
WE CHOOSE WHAT WE DO
This theme came up over and over again in the conversation. We have a choice. Each of us gets up every day and goes to work because we want to go to work. While many of us are caught up in the day-to-day problems facing us, (and those problems are real) we do have a choice. From that concept there is inspiration. If I really didn't want to do this I wouldn't be here.
PERSONAL APPROVAL IS INSPIRATIONAL
Every individual needs validation. From the grounds-keeper, to the owner, to the resident. We all need to believe that we contribute to the solution. The moments that you take each day to, "Catch your people doing something right," are the most significant contribution you make to the outrageous success of your community or company. People need to be recognized for their accomplishments.
MANAGEMENT MUST STAND BEHIND THEIR PEOPLE
If I truly believe that the people to whom I report trust my judgment and will back me up when I make a decision, then and only then can I feel true empowerment. This concept was discussed at length and the reality is, there are people we can trust and people we need to work with to gain mutual trust. Identifying the difference and publicly proclaiming your trust in the players on your team is an incredible source of motivation for everyone in your organization.
TRAIN PEOPLE TO MEET PROSPECTS' NEEDS
In the area of Total Quality Management, there is the concept of paradigm shifts and changing an individual's reality. A significant component of this area is the goal of the leasing consultant when the prospect walks through the door. Is it simply to rent, rent, rent, get the lease at all cost, don't let anyone out alive, take no prisoners? Strong feelings emerged that our role is much bigger. During our discussion we focused on the other side of that coin. A lot of emphasis was placed on customer satisfaction and meeting the prospect's needs. A truly motivated, super leasing consultant focuses on needs rather than slick closing techniques. This is an area where training plays a significant role and the supervisor sets the tone of the process by example. Corporate offices are sending clear messages about closing percentages and leasing consultants have a difficult time maintaining high levels of self esteem in a poorly defined environment.
PROFIT IS NOT A DIRTY WORD
Just as money motivates employees, profit motivates owners. Since the dramatic change in our industry in 1986, we have found ourselves in a position where, to survive, we must be profitable. I see more and more developers and owners looking for ways to motivate their people with shared income. "If you can make this community profitable, I will share some of that profit with you." This philosophy has manifested itself in bonuses and incentives based specifically on a community's NOI increases. The entire group agreed that this trend will continue. They believed it will be an enormous motivational tool we can use well into the future. Understanding what profit is, and how to use it to inspire great performance will make you a more effective supervisor and leader.
CASH FLOW AFFECTS ATTITUDE
Unfortunately, there are communities that are poorly positioned financially. It was agreed that this is one of the most demoralizing issues facing management teams. The staff wants to do a good job and provide a safe, clean and well-maintained community. This led to the issue of honesty. Tell the staff the real financial picture and make resources available to create the "best" environment possible. The group concurred, in some instances the "problem" can be used to rally the troops around a common goal. Being the best that you can be doesn't always take money. Real people make up the socioeconomic profile that live at your property. It's your responsibility to make it shine with service and pride. Working with what your have, as a team, can be a real source of inspiration and team-building.
GOALS ARE INSPIRATIONAL
This needs no explanation. Everyone in the group agreed the most inspired and highly motivated groups are those that have clearly defined, attainable goals. To effectively motivate your staff, set goals in every area of your operation.
WE ARE PROVIDERS
If you look at Maslow's theory of hierarchy it becomes obvious that our industry provides one of the basic necessities of life. From that alone you can create real commitment on the part of your staff. The result of your efforts satisfies one of the basic needs of life. What you do makes a difference. What an inspirational thought!
Russ Sandlin is the president of The Russ Sandlin Group, a nationally-recognized organization specializing in income-focused training and marketing for residential and commercial property. For more information on Resident Retention or other programs, call 800-535-8858. For additional information about the Russ Sandlin Group, visit us on the web: www.russsandlin.com or e-mail: theboss@russsandlin.com
