Van der Heyden of JLL: Step into stride and work well together

Name: Deborah van der Heyden Title: Managing Director Company Name: JLL Follow my company on Twitter @JLLNewYork Follow my company on LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/jll What year did you start your career in commercial real estate: 1989 What recent project or transaction are you most proud of? Bulova's relocation from Queens to Manhattan represented a significant statement for the company and its brand. The new management team is very focused on creating a dynamic, collaborative work environment, and attracting new design and marketing talent, so the relocation was a key element to realizing their vision. We explored many types of locations that offered various levels of branding and proximity to key clients, but the Empire State Building's repositioning and its special amenities really appealed to the company's own transition. What recent honor, achievement or recognition has meant the most to you and why? This was the first year that JLL dedicated an additional window of time for our young professionals at our national sales conference, and I was asked to run the training session. I have launched a personal initiative, "The Purple Sandbox," focused on encouraging gender collaboration in the workplace. Our pink girls and blue boys aren't groomed "to play well in the (purple) sandbox" because much of the organized activities for children are gender segregated. I respect the value of Boy and Girl Scouts, fraternities and sororities, and team sports, but we also need to expose our children to collaborating across genders. Today, we graduate young people into the workforce from this background and expect them to step into stride and work well together. Working with our newest generation of professionals gives me an opportunity to invite them into The Purple Sandbox. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why? From my first year in the business, I have admired Mary Ann Tighe. She is the real deal, smart, professional and full of substance. What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you? The biggest challenge for a senior broker running a team at a major firm is to make time for each of your associates, in and around doing the work that only you can do. I schedule time each week with each of my associates to discuss business prospects and initiatives, and make sure deals are moving forward. What is the best advice you have received and who was it from? In launching a new team, our Regional COO, Steve Schlegel, suggested I identify a "strong No. 2" who could manage clients when I was traveling or had business conflicts. In a client-focused business like tenant representation, I believe in the importance of a deep bench, so that resounded with me. List 3 women that you would like to have drinks / dinner with and where would you go? I would like to have dinner with Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. A dynamic family! What is your favorite quote? "All is well, all will be well, all goes as well as possible." — Voltaire What did you want to be when you grew up? A lawyer...now I am buried in leases!