Let's be real—this industry is changing fast. Like really fast. 

AI leasing bots, automated maintenance requests, centralized operations, self-guided tours… all great, but also a reminder that the game is shifting. And if you're not careful, you might wake up one day and realize that someone else got the promotion you were hoping for. 

So, how do you make sure that doesn't happen? The answer isn't in playing it safe or following the same old corporate playbook. It's in making yourself absolutely essential. 

Here's how:

1. Don't Just Tackle Tasks-Solve Problems

I chat with a lot of high-level leaders (c-suite, executives, owners) and the people they notice on their teams are the ones that think like owners and not employees. Those are the ones that get their careers fast-tracked. Don't wait to be told what to do. Tackle issues before they become problems. Look for the waste and ineffiencies. Handle that angry resident BEFORE he goes on Yelp and blasts you!

2. Focus On Relationships, Not Just Numbers

I know. I know. The industry is obsessed with numbers. Numbers are crucial, but so many people forget that success still comes down to people.  If your relationships with customers and residents feel purely transactional, they'll be out of your community the first chance they get. Same thing is true if you lead people. 

The ones that companies promote are the ones that know how to connect with people.  Be the person who pauses to smile at people, remembers names, keeps promises, makes amends when needed, and actually cares. As I say in my communication trainings, "If you want to win in life you must win with people." The world is far more automated and impersonal today. Leverage the power of human connection as YOUR competitive advantage. 

3. Embrace Change, But Don't Lose Yourself In Them

The huge mistake people make when things are changing is they either resist the change, or they allow the change to change them.

Look, you need to adapt to what's changing. You need to accept that things are changing (even if you don't like it!) If you don't adapt and accept, you will be left behind. 

BUT ... in the process of adapting and accepting, don't give up your unique competitive advantage ... YOU. Your experience, your wisdom, your attitude, your ability to roll with the punches, and find the way forward, all with a smile on your face. 

4. Be an Untamed Leader

The people who are promoted aren't the ones playing it safe. They're the ones who take action even when they're not 100% sure it'll work. They suggest new ideas. They speak up in meetings. They also radically  pay attention to what's really happening. 

They are what I call "untamed leaders." The ones willing to get out of the "corporate cage" and make things happen. 

If you play it safe, you may avoid taking the "hits" that risk-takers do. But, you may also be waiting a long, long time for someone to notice you, and to make the difference you were meant to make. 

Last thoughts...

You want to get noticed?

Stop doing what everyone else is doing. I know that it's easy to get lost in the weeds of market surveys, cap rates, spreadsheets, audits, reports and residents. (Did I mention the residents???) But here's the truth: Your most valuable asset isn't the property (department, region, territory) you manage—it's the person you are and the leader you choose to be.

If you want to get noticed in your career, it's going to take courage, authenticity, and a willingness to evolve. You'll need to build relationships, embrace change, keep learning, and take bold actions—whether or not anyone else does.

Lastly, walk worthy of who you truly are. You will be tempted to compromise your integrity, principles, and values to "get ahead." And on some level you may start to believe that it will be worth it. It's not. You will never regret choosing to walk worthy of the calling to which you have been called. 

I'll see you at the top!