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Property management department head roles are often stumbled into by default. Leadership roles are a responsibility that should not be taken lightly and business owners should be seeking to ensure the right person for the job is the one doing it.
If you lined up every department head across the country you will get a wide variety of skill sets and experience. Some will be true people managers and leaders and others will simply be a property manager that has been handed that title after being the longest serving employee.
A great Property Manager is a great property manager, they are not necessarily a great department head or team leader purely based on being a loyal employee. That is not to suggest that a great property manager does not deserve to be your next department head, it is to demonstrate that they need further training and mentoring themselves in order to develop that skill set and be an effective department leader.
So how do you know if your current team member is ready to step up to that next level of leadership?
1. They WANT to have growth and success in their career and show enthusiasm and positivity toward property management
2. They believe in implementing systems and processes and ensuring procedures are followed
3. Strong legislation knowledge, excellent communication and people skills and can confidently and competently manage escalated issues
4. They can nurture new and existing property management talent and provide ongoing training and mentoring to ensure upskilling of all team members
5. They can delegate comfortably
6. Identify, recommend and implement strategies for increased revenue
7. They believe in your vision for the department and are able to positively contribute to that vision by engaging their team in a positive manner
8. They are confident in sharing constructive feedback in an appropriate manner to the team
Some of these things are inherently in the individual to begin with, however you can ensure your new department head is a success in this role by being a leader to them. Whether that is outsourcing further training and development, providing a mentor or working directly on increasing their abilities, it is important to never underestimate the impact (whether positive or negative) a department head can have on your property management division.
Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.
