PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY THINK WORKS, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T

Ever stand at the conclusion of the problem, finally at an acceptable and amicable solution, long after rummaging around, seeking out and uncovering the all the facts, and wonder how did we ever get this afar the mark? What system broke down or do we need, and what check and balance failed us or do we need to implement? How could each of the various levels of people passed over this without questioning, how could the Maintenance Supervisor walked past this day in and day out and not keyed in on the issue, and how could the Property Manager actually approved the invoices and paid for the work. All relative questions, yet when interrogated for answers, each surviving party, assuming there are survivors of the aftermath, have a pat answer that fits “Their Perception".

You may already know that our behavior creates results. What you may not know is that those results, which affect the choices made, occur at different levels of awareness and that the results can take many subtle forms. Be aware that you may be blind to the impact of this. When we fail, be it Maintenance personal, Property Managers or Owners, to recognize that the best we can hope for, void clear and concise procedures, that are written down, user friendly and easy to maneuver through with real checks and balances, is to understand and manage “Their Perception”, and they, Maintenance, Property Managers and all your other staff are “Doing What Works”, even when “Doing What Works” my not serve the grandest or consistent outcome.

Can you afford the time, money and all other resources expended and required to manage all of the various player’s perceptions in an effort to gain some palpable control over their process of “Doing What Works. Perhaps a better way may be to elect to Understand, Solve and Prevent the problems by having a very clear and conscious process.

 Policy’s and Procedures that are written down, user friendly and easy to maneuver through. Procedures that have real checks and balances. Much has been written about the entire Quality craze. The Auto industry legends of the Total Quality Control such as Edward Deming and Phil Crosby ultimately started with one procedure at a time. The whole ISO Certification process is really nothing more than an extremely detailed set of procedures of what and how to do something, that is checked at each point prior to proceeding. And, the entire Team Concept is all an attempt to get everyone aligned. Yet only a handful of the most successful property management companies have adapted these strategies. Then there is the whole other issue of employee moral, as all each employee really wants is to do a good job each day, but when we consciously or unconsciously force them to proceed with tasks where they are adopting “Their Perception of Doing What Works” you may well be a firefighter most of the time.

 As a small, medium or large property management company you can no longer afford to be absent clear and concise procedures, that are written down, user friendly and easy to maneuver through. Procedures that have real checks and balances.