Spring—a time of new possibilities

Cheryl Gray, CPM, IREM President

We’re entering the spring season, a time where dormant plant and animal life wakes up from hibernation and begins to regenerate, and we’re surrounded by invigorating growth. The property management world is never dormant—we were getting ready for spring since at least last autumn. Still, the energy brought on by the season’s renewal can inspire us, too. What’s going on in our practices that could use some new life, a refresh, a kick-start?

What about the people who work for us, our staff and contractors? They’re actually doing a great job, but maybe there’s something to be done to motivate them even more, or even just to support the fine work they’re already doing. And while we often jump right to monetary rewards as the answer, for many people, it’s often not money that makes the difference. In the Talent Management column on P 30, several IREM members share approaches that have worked for them to keep workers happy and engaged throughout the year. Perhaps you’ll find some new ideas there to try out in your own office.

You could be inspired by the revitalization of Nature that takes place in spring, which could lead you to think about the sustainability strategy of your portfolio. You have all kinds of ideas about how to take advantage of new technologies to reduce your environmental footprint, but their being new and perhaps untested could also make them financially risky. So you’re reluctant to give them a try. Sustainability is an area I have an extra personal connection with for several reasons; one of note is thanks to a person who’s been both an industry professional and a passionate protector of the environment—the mother of the lovely girls with me in the photo above, my daughter, Elaina. Through a fund bearing her name that was established by the IREM Foundation using seed money from my husband, Rick, and I, you may be able to reduce some of the risk that keeps you from trying a new sustainability approach. The article on P 34 will fill you in on Elaina’s story, the fund and how it could support your sustainability initiatives.

And speaking of technology, there’s always something new to check out in the technology arena—new skills and products to either create better business processes, upgrade existing ones or take on tasks to free up your time for other activities that need your attention. If you’re looking for ways to invigorate your business with the latest advancements in property technology, please join me at Realcomm, the annual conference that focuses on innovations in proptech. As we did last year, IREM will be collaborating with Realcomm on a special Property Manager Technology & Innovation Forum pre-conference event at Realcomm on June 2 in Miami. I look forward to learning with you and sharing best practices at this event—as technology continues to impact and inspire how we approach real estate management at the dawn of the new decade and beyond.

Cheryl Gray, CPM
IREM President