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
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 . . .
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