PERSPECTIVES
BY ADAM BERGER, AAMD ECONXCHANGE CHAIR
Leading a Rewarding Team Culture Free of Burnout
We’ ve heard a lot about the world of operations becoming increasingly complex. Whether it be legislative changes, increased pressure from ownership clients, staffing challenges or expense control … I think it’ s safe to say we’ re all feeling it! So how do we effectively lead our teams in a manner that both optimizes performance and prevents those late nights and weekend workdays that eventually leads to burn out?
I’ m not sure anyone has found the super-secret cheat code to relieve their teams of the pressure and stress that comes with managing multi-million dollar buildings and portfolios.
Our onsite and regional leaders are in their positions because of the ability to produce high quality results, essentially proving excellence in their prior roles. It is important to find a balanced approach between driving performance and ensuring that the daily wins are both addressed and celebrated with assertiveness and care.
Consider three suggestions I’ ve found to be important in growing and developing a team culture that could ease the burden of burnout later on:
• 1 To maintain performance, aim to foster a culture where deputization isn’ t a sign of weakness, but rather a strategic tool that empowers the team. In fact, empowering your team to make decisions— within clear guidelines— helps them develop their leadership skills while also providing relief from the pressure that often leads to burnout.
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Additionally, recognize the emotional toll that our teams endure. It’ s easy to become so focused on numbers— whether that’ s occupancy, rent collections, or managing maintenance backlogs— that we forget about the human side of the work. Empathy and open communication become just as critical as any metric. Leaders who check in with their teams, ask about challenges beyond just work, and offer support reap the benefits of building trust and improving morale. An engaged and heard team is far more likely to go above and beyond in the face of adversity.
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Finally, be intentional when scheduling meetings and setting expectations around availability. The frequency and timing of these interactions set the tone for the entire organization. Be mindful of sending late-night or weekend messages, as these can inadvertently promote a culture of burnout. Instead, focus on prioritizing tasks that truly move the needle. Being busy for the sake of busyness only leads to exhaustion – true leadership is about efficiency, not activity.….
This ability to " get the job done " is crucial, but as leaders, we must recognize that our role evolves as our teams grow. At a certain point, high-performing leaders face the challenge of transitioning from individual contributors to managers who help others achieve the same level of success. It’ s imperative to understand how to delegate and let go of the work you have accomplished in order to get to where you are today.
Adam Berger is Senior Vice President at Avenue5 Residential
4 | TRENDS AUGUST 2025 www. aamdhq. org