The best property managers are also great leaders. You don’t have to be perfect, but it’s always good to know your strengths and weaknesses. That will help you build a team that complements your strengths, makes up for your weaknesses and enjoys one another’s company. What’s more, these traits don’t simply affect property managers. They’re traits every great leader needs.

1. Stay accountable

When something goes wrong, good property managers hold themselves accountable. They don’t blame their staff or the computer. Instead, they look at what they need to do to solve the problem. The solution could be to offer more training. Every good leader is willing to hold themselves to the same standards they hold others.

2. Honor your commitments

Property management is a people business, so follow-through is important in every aspect of the job. Did you tell a new employee that the business would pay for training or certification? Are your residents expecting a new amenity because you said it was in the works? Did you promise your owners that they would see individualized reports at the end of each month? You’re setting the example for your team, so your commitment to those around you should be unwavering. This is how reputations are built and maintained.

3. Set realistic goals

It’s one thing to think big. It’s another thing to think so big that you never reach your goals. Let’s say you offer employees a quarterly incentive for getting 90% positive reviews on social media. That’s a challenging goal, but it’s not impossible.

But what if your goal is even bigger: 100% satisfaction? Are you a better leader for setting bigger goals? Not necessarily. If just one tenant leaves a negative review, your incentive is shot for the whole quarter.

4. Provide incentives and rewards

If you’re giving people credit for their work, they’re going to feel good. Eventually, however, they’re going to expect a reward. The reward should be based on the employee’s time at your company, as well as their effort and contributions. If an employee doesn’t feel justly rewarded for their work, verbal praise will just feel hollow.

5. Be organized

Proper organization goes beyond keeping your paperwork in order. What about your daily routine? A CRM queue is a smart way to organize your daily workflow without having to sort through a mess of maintenance requests, appointments, payment notices, etc. Look at the software you need to keep your team organized and efficient. It’s out there!

6. Manage your time

You’ve heard this before, but it’s crucial to success: You need to have a daily routine. For instance, you might be the kind of person who likes to ease into the day. That’s a great time to drink your coffee and catch up on yesterday’s emails. If you find that you can’t possibly get to all your emails in a single day, it might be time to delegate that task or bring on someone new to the team, full-time or part-time, depending on the need.

7. Be a forward thinker

Great property managers keep up to date with the latest trends and tech in property management. If you look back at the state of proptech over the last decade, it’s shocking how much has changed. In 2011, a mere 35% of American adults owned a smartphone. In 2021, that figure has increased to 85%. Those who saw the importance of this technology 10 years ago are in a better position to take advantage of it today. Why? They’re more comfortable with the tech, and they’re ahead of the curve when it comes to implementation. Great property managers need to think about what their software does for them today as well as how it can help them in the future.

Final thoughts

Great doesn’t mean perfect. And there’s no one way to be great. Some people become more intense under stress, while others never wear their emotions on their sleeve. You don’t have to be loud or bubbly if it’s not you, nor do you have to give inspiring speeches to boost morale. And you certainly don’t have to run around giving everyone in the office high fives. (But if that’s your thing, by all means!) The most important thing is to embody your truth on the road to excellence. Your team will thrive off your consistent effort to achieve greatness in yourself, to find it in others and to represent it in your business.

Miguel Lopes is the regional sales manager, northeast at Yardi, New York, N.Y.

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