Embrace the Power of Change!

Sometimes I am asked- what is the most difficult issue that most property managers struggle with?

The answer I give every time is that most are unwilling to accept change and take on board fresh and new ideas.

Change does not come naturally!

Change is something that does not come naturally to most people. Growing up we are dragged through constant change in our bodies and hormones. We go through high school, college, get married, buy a house, have kids. Change can be forced upon us.

Each one of these changes brings with it the fear of the unknown, stress, a reluctance to sometimes step forward and face the challenge that is coming toward us at a hundred miles an hour.

We tend to naturally lean to the familiar, get comfortable in what we know. And what we know does not stress us. Our comfort zones become our little kingdoms where we dwell and abide, and we fortify it from any invaders armed with ‘dangerous’ ideas of change!

I may present a property manager with some new ideas and thoughts from the ‘left field’. Ideas picked up at a property management conference, powerful thoughts from a book, or new concepts with what other property management leaders are doing. Sadly, I usually get the same predictable response, ‘that won’t work here because…’ ‘That’s the way I have always done it, why do we need to change it!’

It becomes clear that this attitude will not allow the person to grow to a new level, because they have firmly placed an ‘invisible lid’ on their potential. Every negative response is really indicating the very reason why they won’t grow!

Some people are set like cement!

Sometimes I can convince the person to change, and sell the ideas and get them on board. Sometimes the person is set like cement and will never change!