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You won't find a better gift for yourself or your Leasing Team this year than this amazing planning and tracking tool designed especially for Leasing Professionals to track and improve their productivity! More than just a really great daily calendar with plenty of room for recording appointments, this power-packed portfolio also includes worksheets for recording and tracking your overall, long-term career goals; your immediate weekly goals; managing your daily schedule; recording your daily number of calls and calls converted to shows, and number of shows and shows converted to leases; and it's packed with Tami's best leasing tips to help you improve your skill set along the way! Get one NOW for yourself or for every member of your leasing team and start making the most of every leasing day! Give a tool that keeps on giving every day of 2011-and not just to your Leasing Professionals, but to the success of your company and communities, too!This book is 224 pages and can be customized with your company logo when ordering 15 or more books. Contact Multifamilypro.com for details!

Team-Building and Traffic Generation x2
Our goal at Newport and Concord Village is to cross-train all our staff, increase qualified traffic, encourage return visits, and improve our closing ratios. In addition, by cross-training, we will be able to improve the market-ready condition of our vacant apartments and decrease the response time to our maintenance requests. Our team members include the Newport and Concord Village... Read More

Increase Renewals 10%
Offer your residents an incentive to renew their leases early. This can be, and has been, done during an open house, or you can set aside a special month, like February or March, for the renewal incentive. This is how it works: Advertise to your residents through your newsletter, emails and notices that you are offering a special rental increase if they sign their leases early... Read More

12 Ways to Increase Performance Anytime
With soft markets and shrinking budgets, the focus on retaining Residents and saving money is at an all-time high. Since our Service Team members are the key to achieving this goal, here's 12 ways to make it happen! 1. Why most people don't perform as expected: My basic premise is that 98% of all Employees REALLY WANT to do a good job (when you find you have hired one of the other 2%...  Read More

Unique December Promotional Ideas
Operation Santa Paws Month; Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruits Month; Safe Toys and Gifts Month; Tomato and Winter Squash Month; National Hand-washing Awareness Week; Gluten-Free Baking Week 19-25: a local baker can offer some wonderful tips and recipes; National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day Dec. 16: no explanation needed on this one but lots of PR opportunities... Read More

Raise Rents, But Offer an Early Lease Discount
None of us want to pay more money for the apartment or house we are renting. Most of us have trouble increasing our customers' prices when we ask for a new renewal commitment. One of the things I've learned is that perception is reality. So the key to raising the rents while keeping resident retention high is to help your residents perceive that they are getting a bargain... Read More

The Case Against "Business Casual"
"Employees who don't dress appropriately cap out a ceiling on their careers really quick," says professor Dennis Tootelian of California State University, Sacramento. According to the study done by Tootelian, nearly two-thirds of Americans have felt inappropriately dressed at a business or a social function; and more than two-thirds are uncertain about the differences among business attire, business casual... Read More

How To Quiet the Twitter Noise
Twitter is my news stream. I use it to get the best news and information from people that I trust and admire. I barely even use my Google Reader anymore because I carry my Twitter with me everywhere I go. As you find more and more interesting and valuable people to follow, you're going to find it difficult to keep track of all of the tweets you receive. You're going to need something to help you manage all of the noise... Read More

Register for Brainstorming 2011 Before January 1 and SAVE!!!
Registration is now open at http://brainstorming.multifamilypro.com/2010-sessions/register-now/. We're offering an UNHEARD OF special Super Early Attendee rate of ONLY $395 for paid registrations before December 30, 2010!!!  Hurry and reserve your seat now for our next event, September 13-16 at the Renaissance Glendale in Phoenix! It's the best Holiday gift you can possibly give yourself.  We'll see you there! Read More

"Employees who don't dress appropriately cap out a ceiling on their careers really quick," says professor Dennis Tootelian of California State University, Sacramento. According to the study done by Tootelian, nearly two-thirds of Americans have felt inappropriately dressed at a business or a social function; and more than two-thirds are uncertain about the differences among business attire, business casual and casual dress in the workplace.

The biggest fashion problem for workers today is the concept of "business casual," according to Tootelian. Nearly one in three reports that it is harder to know what is acceptable to wear to the office today than it was 10 years ago. Business casual is also difficult to define for 47% of the population.

It's no wonder the term "business casual" creates confusion, because the term is an oxymoron. You are either dressed for business or you're dressed for casual activities, and one has nothing to do with the other. Ultimately, you are dressed for your own comfort or dressed to impress clients.  And clients get it. You literally hurl an insult at a client when you don't dress professionally, because it shouts "My comfort is more important than impressing you."

Not surprisingly, Tootelian found that younger participants in his study had a different, more casual, perception of what constitutes business attire.
"For them, the concept of a coat and a tie isn't even on their radar screen," he said. This study was done just before the current recession. In these shaky financial times, the attitude of young employees may very well have to change if they want to get hired.

Younger employees are much like small children who have been permitted to indulge themselves with sweets, soft drinks and other things that may not be good for them in terms of healthy bodies. We would all agree that parents who let their children eat what they want are not dong them a favor. By the same token, indulgent companies who institute a "business casual" policy because employees demand it may not being doing their staff a favor. That's because the way you dress affects many things, including your success in life. It defines who you are not only to others, but also to the person in the mirror when you leave the house each morning. Casual attire suggests a casual attitude; professional attire says, "I'm serous about who I am and what I do."

Business casual research was done by other universities, and one study chronicled in The Journal of American Academy of Business reports that the more formal the reported dress policy, the more likely employees are to report a higher level of conscientiousness.  Employees who prefer a more formal dress policy report a higher level of time commitment, conscientiousness and job satisfaction.

In a study by research psychologist Jeffry L. Magee, it was shown that when employees were polled, they reported that they were happier with a casual dress policy. It is seen as an employee perk.  However, management noted increased absenteeism and tardiness among employees once the casual dress policy began. It is generally agreed that over the long haul, productivity decreases. One research psychologist noted, "Continually relaxed dress leads to relaxed manners, relaxed morals and relaxed productivity."  He also noted that relaxed dress led to an increase in litigation.

Yet another study tried "Casual Monday" and "Casual Wednesday" in an effort to determine if productivity went down 30% on Fridays because of casual attire or because employees were simply "winding down" in anticipation of the weekend. Turns out that productivity went down 30% on any day of the week where casual attire was permitted.

The way you look and dress announces the outcome others can expect from you.
It could also impact your company's bottom line. When you dress to impress, you could safeguard your job.

About the author
Image consultant Sandy Dumont, THE Image Architect, is a speaker and workshop presenter who works throughout the US and in Europe. She is also the author of several books and boxed sets on the subject of image. More information at her website:  www.theimagearchitect.com.

On the list of things that are done for all the wrong reasons in organizations, performance reviews would have to rank near the top. They end up being “check the boxes” exercises that have little influence on performance because they take place after the fact. The typical performance review is the equivalent of landing an airplane and asking, “Now, where are we?” It’s a little late in the game for that question.

One of the worst things about reviews is the use of numerical values to rate performance. You have probably met more than one manager who refuses to give the highest rating to anyone using the excuse, “I don’t believe in giving perfect scores.” Recently an employee of a major corporation related the bizarre example of this attitude he experienced in his most recent performance review. After the end of the evaluation, his manager said, “Nobody scores that high!” He then proceeded to lower the employee’s scores.

If the scale is 1-5 and no one ever gets a 5 then that means you’re a lousy manager. Why can’t the people who report to you ever hit the mark? What’s sad is that the boss who is afraid to acknowledge someone has met or exceeded expectations never quite understands why people quit trying to meet or exceed expectations. If you never give a 5 (or even a 4) when it’s deserved you create a culture where 3 becomes your standard of excellence. Mediocrity is not only acceptable, it’s as good as it gets.

On the flip side is the failure to let someone know that they’re just not getting the job done. Too many bosses are so fearful of conflict or hurting people’s feelings that they will ignore bad behavior and poor performance even when it’s detrimental to the organization. Once people understand that no one will ever call their hand when they fail to meet expectations, the tail starts wagging the dog. Guess what happens when a supervisor gives a 3 or a 4 when the employee deserves to be shown the door? Pretty soon you end up with a group of employees that makes The Three Stooges look competent.

The annual review is not going to go away, but the real performance review should be taking place in real-time every day. Good or bad performance needs to be recognized immediately and consistently. The manager’s role should be like that of a flight instructor. The employee’s role is like that of a student. The instructor and student fly side-by-side.

Clearly Define Expectations.

First, there needs to be a flight plan with clearly defined expectations. To establish the plan, the manager should ask the employee to complete a list of expectations of the job from the employee’s perspective. This should include what he believes the responsibilities are and what authority he possesses. The manager should do the same from the manager’s perspective. Then, a discussion needs to take place to reconcile the two lists until both are in agreement. The manager also needs to learn what the employee believes he needs from the manager to successfully do his job.

Measure Behavior, Values, and Skills.

In addition to establishing these expectations, assessments should be completed to measure behavior, values and skills required for the job. Then corresponding assessments should be completed by the employee to see how they compare. This establishes a benchmark that helps the employee to understand his strengths and helps the manager understand how to capitalize on his strengths. It also identifies areas which need strengthening. It’s important to remember that the employee has to be a good behavioral fit for the job. No amount of coaching can remake someone into something he is not.

Communicate Constantly and Consistently.

Now, that there is a flight plan in place it is the manager’s responsibility to provide a system and process for constant and consistent communication. He has to coach the employee, not just evaluate his performance to keep the plane on course. In my first job out of college, my sales manager called me every Monday morning. His questions included: What’s going on? How are you doing? What can I help you with? This provided him with what he needed to know to help me do my job. It provided me with the help I needed do my job.

Provide Specific Feedback.

When employees meet or exceed expectations they should be told they are on course. This needs to be specific. There is nothing in the world that will inspire you more to keep doing a great job than to hear from the boss that you are doing a great job. The only exception is when those words are either insincere or untrue.

When employees fail to meet expectations they need to be told they are off course. Again, this needs to be specific. If you don’t hear what you need to improve on the only assumption to be made is that you doing what you should be doing — or your boss doesn’t care what you do. I know of a case where employees describe their manager as a wonderful person but do not think he is a good manager. They like him but dislike working for him because he gives them no direction. They feel like they are flying blind. This creates a high level of anxiety for the employees and the manager.

Choose Your Direction.

Employees need and want direction. How and when it is done is what makes the difference — for the employee, for the boss and for the organization. Like flying a plane, reviewing performance should be a matter of constant course adjustments. If you wait until the end of the flight to make adjustments to the course you will always be disappointed with where you land. Worse yet, someone else will probably be sifting through the wreckage to figure out why the plane crashed.

About the Author:  Jim Whitt is an unapologetic people provoker. For more than 20 years as a speaker, consultant and author Jim has provoked people and organizations to reach their full potential. He is cofounder of Purpose Unlimited which is in the business of transforming lives, leaders and organizations through the power of purpose. To find out more about his speaking and consulting please visit www.PurposeUnlimited.com or call 918-494-0009.

Make Your Community a Stop on the Tour Route

"If you're marketing to families, why not host field trips to your community from the local schools. This can be an educational opportunity for children to see how a community runs. Have your head service technician explain maintenance. Let the grounds people show off their work and explain their positions. Your office staff can talk about job skills and career opportunities ..." Read More

A Tiny Apartment Transforms Into 24 Rooms

"Our good friend and top Brainstorming Facilitator, Tina Cavaco, sent us this AMAZING link! In Hong Kong, because of the space, apartments are small and expensive. Gary Chang, an architect, decided to design a 344 sq. ft. apartment to be able to change into 24 different designs, all by just sliding panels and walls. He calls this the 'Domestic Transformer." ... Watch The Video Here

Social Media Success for Apartment Communities

"I have a few thoughts to share on the topic of social media today, and I should tell you up front that I intend this post to provoke conversation, and I hope you'll participate! You all know how passionate I am about the need to begin using social media now, because I truly do believe it will play a major role in not only our relationship/retention efforts, but also our marketing strategies. I also happen to believe that its value..." Read More

The Power of Place

"If you've had doubts location-based social networking services were going to really catch on, you should know that Foursquare whizzed past the one-million member mark back in April and just passed 1.8 million; and raked in $20 million in venture funding just a couple of weeks ago. That buzzing sound you hear is the Power of Place, about to go mainstream." Read More

Build the Model Organization of the Future

"Before you invest time and money in traditional strategic planning consider this - only 5-10% of strategic plans are ever implemented. The reason most organizations engage in strategic planning is to reduce anxiety. It's like taking a couple of aspirin for a headache. In this case the headache is the future. The aspirin is a couple of days locked in a room putting checkmarks in the appropriate boxes." ... Read More

Partnerships That Work

"I created and facilitated a one-day workshop called 'Partnerships That Work.' This class was designed for Apartment Community Managers and their Assistants and focused on synergy, teamwork, and delegation. Our challenge and reason for needing such a workshop was that Assistants either felt as though they were not being trusted with enough to do while other felt as though the Manager was dumping ..." Read More

Better Training Through Skill Gap Analysis

"One of the best things you can do to improve your team's training plan is to add Skill Gap Analysis. This step helps the trainer to identify gaps in performance and areas for added training and development.The first step in conducting a thorough Skill Gap Analysis is to create a picture of what ideal performance looks like. This step-called Competency Profiling-takes a look at the attitudes ..." Read More

Five Multifamily Training Ideas

"The Idea - As part of our new manager training we have implemented a Manager Mentor Program. After each new manager comes in for a day of training on company policy and procedures, we select a Resident Manager from the Property Manager's portfolio to provide another eight hours of training at their community or at the new managers community. Both managers are provided with an Agenda ...." Read More

Form An Alliance at Brainstorming 2010: Reality Check!

It's not your typical seminar, conference, or workshop. Unlike any other national Multifamily event, only Brainstorming connects you to the vast power of many individuals working together with one goal: to solve your toughest challenges! You'll receive thousands of ideas worth millions to your company, communities, and career, guaranteed to repay your investment and more! Register for Brainstorming Now!

July Door Hanger Special

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