BOARD PERSPECTIVE
BY TAMERA GREENE , AAMD OWNER DIRECTOR
Navigating The Great Pivot In 2022
I know many of us for the last 2 years have been in a mental fog . What we used to know in the past years that worked is no longer the “ Norm ”. By the way what is the new norm ?
Our industry has been on the fast track and cutting edge of pivoting into the new world order during and coming out of the pandemic .
The decisions we make today are different than how we arrived at decisions a year ago .
• Following CDC and WHO guidelines as it relates to our mental and health safety for ourselves , our families , and co-workers . Have we ever heard of those acronyms ? Our generation has never seen or even heard of a 100-year pandemic and how serious our lives would be affected by something we have never experienced or even fathom seeing over 800K lives lost in our country .
• To Vax or Not to Vax- Who knew getting a vaccination would become such a polarizing political topic in the nation would be divided and my beliefs would be on display for judgment ?
• Self- Guided- Virtual Tours- We have trained our onsite teams to stand and greet our prospects and deliver stellar customer service to our residents . Now , we have smart locks , office teams have been condensed or are hybrid working environments to ensure our team members have work life balance . Future residents toured on their own and leased site unseen .
• 6 Feet and Social Distancing- We used to hug upon greeting people or shake hands on finalizing a deal . Human touch and contact are a part of our personal sense of belonging and development .
• Mask Mandate- For the last year we have only seen the top part of our heads and hoping our eyes were enough identification to separate us from the masses .
• TEAMS or ZOOM Meetings- Who knew our way of conducting business would take on a new life of its own when we are locked into these little boxes on our computer screens like the Brady Bunch . We were professional on top and all pajama and sweats on the bottom . Leases , Meetings , and properties were bought and sold without skipping a beat .
• Eviction Moratorium- Who knew jobs would be lost at such a high rate or residents taking advantage of the system and not pay rent due to non-eviction laws ? Landlords still had to pay their mortgages and keep the lights on even if we received the rent or not .
Our industry has come along way and we have implemented sophisticated technology to catapult our businesses into the next century . We have seen record rent growth over the last year and the cranes are still a apart of our landscaped skyline despite supply chain demands , delayed building permits and labor shortage .
I say all of this because in the last 2 years , I have learned to be nimble , flexible , and resilient . I am sure we have all learned in this industry that the answer I tell you today may change tomorrow based on the current climate we are in . Past solutions may not work today or in the future .
Our industry has not been immune to facing the impact of social unrest throughout our country .
The question that confronts us all is do we have a responsibility or obligation to be a part of this solution ?
For me , I feel a responsibility and obligation . What that looks like is being open to difficult conversations regarding this subject matter and being involved with the diversity & inclusion efforts within our industry .
Our world , our Country and We are not the same . At the end of the day …. we must PIVOT .
Tamera is regional property manager at Thompson Thrift Residential .
6 | TRENDS JANUARY 2022 www . aamdhq . org