Do you feel like you don't have enough time to walk your market readies before move-in's? Do you never enough time to have a team meeting?

Well why not combine the two?! Have your weekly team meetings in a vacant, market-ready apartment. Have each member of the team take a room and do a through inspection. Make it fun, and reward the apartment service team a prize for every room that is perfect!

Contributed by Kristin Lapdog

1.   Don't use the word "take-over"—ever when changing apartment management companies! This implies a hostile environment and immediately puts existing employees on the defensive. Use instead "transition.”

2.   Keep in mind that the transition, regardless of how smoothly it goes, will initially be very stressful for the existing all on-site employees.  Treat them with respect and empathy.

While the reality is that some will not prove a match with your company, they are people—parents, spouses, Little League coaches, Sunday school teachers—just trying to make a living.  And they are probably scared to death. You can rest assured that your interaction is the main topic at their dinner table tonight!

Be sensitive, professional, and kind. And don't make any career promises.

3.   Don't go onsite without a Plan. No one appreciates strangers hanging out, watching them work. You can observe a LOT while doing something productive. Just make sure you aren't overtly staring while pretending to work or making a non-essential phone call. They have eyes and ears.

4.   All Transition Team members' activity must be carefully planned, coordinated, and prioritized before anyone calls or visits the site. Nothing is more frustrating for the onsite employees than a dozen "armies of one" who are convinced their own mission deserves all of the staff's attention.

5.   Keep in mind that conscientious employees will feel that the operation must go on while you're trying to accomplish your "transition" objectives. Don't take it personally if they get up to answer the phone while you're attempting to shed light on how to fill out a form.

6.   When trying to teach your company’s procedures and policies, keep in mind that you have to "sell" the reasons why what you practice makes sense. Show the benefit to them. No one over the age of four responds to "Because I said so."

7. Catch them doing something right. While it may be that your firm was brought in to help improve the operation, no one likes to be constantly criticized. And, unless you have a busload of trained employees outside ready to walk in and assume every position, you need (at least some of) these people. Constant criticism creates terrible morale.

8.   Learn quickly to perform your own area of expertise at that property. Whether it is leasing, doing unit turnovers, or handling a resident's concern, you will make much swifter progress if you can lead by example.

So if the phone rings, and you are trained to handle a leasing call—just do it. And do it well! Actions speak much louder than words. You are demonstrating your company’s philosophies and standards in whatever you do, and you will be amazed at how much more effectively what you do is imitated than what you say is obeyed.

9.   "If you touch it, you own it." Disaster occurs when someone pops in from the "outside," stirs up the operation, and disappears.  Establish continuity and ensure results through constant communication and follow-through.

10.  Keep objectives clear. "Baby steps" are usually okay, as long as there is consistent measurable progress. So always praise the heck out of each "baby step" that is accomplished, and continue to reinforce in a positive manner the benefit of why you do what you do.

Relax! And make it fun!

By Sandy Dumont, The Image Architect

A great-looking wardrobe doesn't necessarily require an expansive budget. In fact, good information and a trained eye for color and line can deliver twice the punch as that of a hefty wallet while ensuring that you leave the house with a million-dollar look every time. If budget's a current consideration, follow these guidelines all the way to the bank:

Buy quality rather than quantity
Without a doubt, quality fabrics fall better, wear better and flatter the figure more. Generally it is the expensive skirts and pants that are made with superb fabrics and cut to enhance a body's shape. Develop a bit of know-how so you can spot them at affordable or discounted prices and begin to build your wardrobe.

Women, start with one great skirt. It is better to have one perfectly fitting skirt in a superb fabric that spans several seasons (lightweight wool, for example) than a dozen ill-fitting skirts in an array of colors.
Black goes with everything, and no one will remember that you wore the same skirt several times in a week if you've worn it with a different jacket and accessory each day. My wardrobe is based on a few black skirts and pants that go with an array of jackets and tops in colors that look good on me.
Some have loops for belts, so they look good with open jackets, while others are slim and beltless to accommodate snug-fitting jackets. Be always on the lookout for linen, wool gabardine and wool crepe designer skirts and pants on sale and in consignment stores.

Men, start with one navy blue suit in wool gabardine, crepe or worsted wool and at least three shirts and three great ties. White shirts go with anything and always look professional. Consider French blue as well-it's "friendly" and professional. Create contrast with your tie. A tie draws attention to a man's face as earring and a necklace do to a woman's.

Accessorize
Well-dressed women always accessorize their garments. Look through fashion magazines and catalogs and go to fashion shows for ideas and inspiration.
Most fashion coordinators have picked up tricks from designers around the world and results come to life on the runway. Earrings are among the most important accessories for women. Choose bold earrings, which frame the face in a polished and fashionable manner. Dainty earrings often look too conservative, even somewhat powerless, and thin hoops and chandelier earrings create distraction. Choose chunky hoops-which are thick in width and lay against the face-or "door knocker" earrings, both of which draw the attention to the face and silently imply "power." In addition, a bold, omega-shaped necklace helps to frame the face. Believe it or not, silver is more flattering to most people's skin tone than gold is.

Belts are also great accessories. Men should always wear one with a suit.
Women should consider it at least some of the time. Choose belts made of leather with distinctive-looking-but not gaudy-buckles.

The smarts
Educate yourself so you can shop intelligently. This will ultimately save you both time and money. Color actually forms the foundation for all garments so find out which colors suit you. One of the biggest mistakes made is trying to achieve harmony by matching the superficial appearance with
colors: blondes in pastels, redheads in rust or orange, etc. Don't be afraid of bold colors, but do stay away from neons and "food colors" (ketchup red with mustard yellow, for example), especially for business. And do think contrast. "Safe" looks that are perfectly matched often end up looking boring, no matter who made them or how much they cost. So rather than teaming a brown suit with tan or beige, wear a cobalt blue, French blue or peacock blue blouse or scarf if you're a woman; wear a French blue shirt and burgundy tie if you're a man.  Jewel tones are generally great on women and in men's ties. Also think magenta, raspberry and royal blue when assembling different outfits.

In addition, know your physique so well that you know how to camouflage every flaw. Ill-fitting clothes and those that accent figure flaws undermine more than your figure. They undermine your credibility. Anyone who really had a million to spend on clothes would make certain every single garment fit like a glove and flattered to the Nth degree, now wouldn't s/he?

The hunt
Shop the sales and check out consignment shops. If you are shopping the sales, it is a good idea to do a bit of homework beforehand. Find the shops that suit your tastes and preferences and peruse their racks every two weeks or so. That way you won't waste time trekking all over town at sale time; you'll go straight to "your" shops. Consignment shops are a great place to find designer clothes at shoestring prices. Every city has at least one consignment shop that carries designer clothes. Check them all out.

Make a list of the things that are missing from your closet and keep it with you. Women, if you don't have a great black skirt and at least one jacket in a bold color to wear with it; and men, if you don't have at least one quality navy blue suit with a couple of quality shirts and ties, put those items on your list. If you have a suit in a "safe" color, add "scarf or blouse in a bold color." Know your best colors and list those, too. Next time you run across a fabulous sale or consignment shop, you will be prepared.

Sandy Dumont, THE Image Architect is an image consultant and professional speaker based in Virginia Beach, with 30 years of international and national experience helping individuals and Fortune 500 companies improve their image. She conducts customized Branding for People™ workshops on a regular basis. For more information, visit www.theimagearchitect.com or email sandy@theimagearchitect.com

"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.