There are many issues I am passionate about, and there are issues I am really passionate about and attitude is one of them!
I am astounded at the number of experienced property managers out there who have a few years under their belt and have a bad attitude! Attitude is such a crucial factor that must be right for anyone to actually perform their duties competently!
Anyone who has attended any of my training sessions has no doubt about where I stand on the issue of the importance of attitude. I usually describe the power of attitude with this illustration:
A Shipping Analogy
Imagine a large container ship. These types of vessels are enormous, and they carry containers of just about anything! However on the back of the ship, below the water line is this comparatively tiny piece of metal called a rudder. The rudder is so small and seemingly so insignificant, and yet it has total power to designate in which direction the ship will go. Pointing in the wrong direction, the ship will flounder onto rocks and cause serious damage, if not sink. This small rudder has a lot of power regarding the ship’s performance!
Let’s change the formula slightly! Add some shipping containers hauling upmarket or expensive goods like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus and Rolls Royce luxury cars. Quality merchandise is now on the ship. You might be tempted to think that the quality goods may now help to dictate the direction of the ship, however, we all know that despite the quality of goods, the ship is still solely directed by that same little rudder! If it points the wrong way, the ship AND the cars can be sent to the bottom of the ocean!
That rudder is a great illustration of our attitudes. It doesn’t matter how many years of experience we have, or what type of training we have, if our attitudes are bad we are headed for the rocks – no matter how good we think we are!
What a bad attitude looks like!
Let’s look at what a bad attitude does, and how we can see it in ourselves and others in our department:
– A person with a bad attitude sees no reason why they should improve how they perform (even if they are doing a bad job!)
– A person with a bad attitude brings the rest of the team down with negative comments and undermining of morale.
– A person with a bad attitude is very quick to put down any new ideas for change.
– A person with a bad attitude sees no need for training.
– A person with a bad attitude will most likely not follow procedures, resulting in damage and negligence.
A bad attitude must be avoided!
I have been involved with recruiting new property managers and I know that if I am interviewing a person with property management experience but who demonstrates a bad attitude, they must be avoided! It is better to employ a person with a great attitude and attributes with no experience and train them up from scratch!
I have been challenged several times by property managers in my training sessions who have many years of experience but who have been very negative regarding new concepts, even if the current way they are operating is unprofessional and negligent!
Another trainer I know says they should go to the nearest funeral home and wait because that’s all they are good for with a persistent bad attitude! I believe that they should be put out to pasture as people with a consistent bad attitude are really no good for anything when other people are involved!
Though it is very hard to change this type of person, I have worked with a property manager who completely changed their attitude from bad to excellent to become one of the best property managers in their state, taking out two top awards from their real estate network and real estate institute. Therefore it is possible!
Why change a bad attitude?
Changing from a bad attitude requires soul searching and realising what damage is being caused by having the wrong attitude. Having a great attitude achieves the following:
– It allows you to clearly see and recognise new opportunities for growth and efficiency.
– People want to be around a person with a positive attitude. It is very contagious!
– It allows you to be teachable and able to be trained well.
– It makes you into a valued employee and team member that any boss would want to retain in their company.
The unbelievable thing is that at any given moment we have the power to choose our attitude. It is like dialling into a certain radio frequency, as John McGrath puts it. You choose the channel you wish to operate on!
Choosing the right frequency is a great choice! Dial into it every day!
Be the best you that you can be!
