Critical Conversations Made Simple Solve Your Pressing Problems NOW!

Diane WindinglandFor the Houston Apartment AssociationMay 14, 2015

Everything is great, right?

• Rents up 5.2% in first quarter

• Houston is #7 out of 79 metro areas

• Exploding job growth

• More wanting to rent rather than buy

The Multi-Family Industry is

Not-So-

Houston, we have a problem!

Critical Conversations

• Office Staff

• Maintenance

• Suppliers

• Management

• Residents

Critical Conversations

Critical Conversations Made Simple

Pre-Emptive: Manage Expectations

Happiness = Reality - Expectations--Tom Magliozzi

Pre-Emptive: Manage Expectations

Property Management is Easy But People Management is CrazyStephanie Graves and Julie Marie Irvin

Grumpy happens . . .

The First Step in a Critical Conversation is to realize that there are different perspectives

It can be a matter of perspective . . .

The E Test

AllKnowledge

Diane’s Mickey Mouse Theory

AllKnowledge

WhatYou Know

AllKnowledge

WhatYou Know

WhatThey Know

AllKnowledge

YourInterp.

WhatYou Know

OtherPerson’s Interp.

WhatThey Know

WhatI Knew

MyInterp.

AllKnowledge

WhatI Knew

MyInterp.

WhatMIL Knew

MIL’sInterp.

AllKnowledge

LEAP into Critical Conversations

•Listen

•Empathize

•Agree

•Partner

Listen• Listen w/o defending• Reflect back

• Paraphrase• Summarize• Clarify“So, what I hear you saying is . . .”

• Open Body Language

Listening is not just waiting for your turn to talk

Empathize• Trade places, mentally• Acknowledge feelings• Share similar story• Caring expression

Empathize: Listen from Your Heart

Agree• On Common Ground• On the Problem

Agree— “Yes, and . . .”

Partner• Not “You vs. Me”• “We vs. the Problem”

LEAP into Critical Conversations

•Listen

•Empathize

•Agree

•Partner

Partner Solutions: LEAP• Mgmt vs. Staff• Staff vs. Resident• Mgmt vs. Maintenance• Other . . .

Critical Conversations Made Simple