Take in and seek out as much training and education in people management. Being successful will depend on people leadership and mgmt skills and not necessarily your knowledge and skill of actual property mgmt.
Learn finance and accounting. Go to YouTube and search for property management financial courses. Grace hill used to have a good basic webinar called property mgmt financials or something like that.
Learn excel.
Learn to delegate. Make sure each person knows their role and expectations and timeframes/ deadlines. Help them come up with a routine schedule that works.
Always be looking ahead. What is due at end of week, later in month, how does today affect next month and two months out etc
Get out of the office every day. Walk property, buildings, halls, closed mgmt spaces (elec rooms storage etc)
Ask your regional/portfolio mgr what are the top goals and objectives you and your staff can strive for. ( its not always about highest income) also ask that person how/ what is best way to communicate. Find the line where they want you to make decisions yourself and where/ when They want you to loop them in for decision making.
Agree with so many things that Megan Goodmundson said. In addition:
When the manager is off, take care of resident issues as they arise to ensure the property continues to run smoothly so the ball isn't dropped and they don't have to come back to a desk full of problems. Make notes to let the manager know.
Take on a project or look for problems within your community and come up with a plan to resolve. Volunteer to get bids, send letters, put in maintenance requests etc. Offer to update the SDS book, help maintenance organize the shop, walk riser rooms.
Look for ways to increase Occupancy, save NTVs, walk make-readies and spiff show units, set leasing goals for the team (follow up, renewals, leases) and help keep the team motivated during the week with emails, small celebrations, team meetings.
In TX we have the Redbook, read it.