Book 1 - Appraisal Institute of Canada

Professional AffairsTaking ownership –why you matterBy Grant Uba, AACI, P. App, Chair, Professional Affairs Coordinating CommitteeAs an appraiser, you rarely have thechance for a do over. The result ofevery assignment has the potential toend up as a professional practice complaint or ina court of law. You may use a limiting conditionto reserve the right to correct errors, or to correctyour report should new information come tolight or the hypothetical conditions change, butrarely does this arise. To be the best reasonableappraiser that you can be and deliver excellentservice requires your commitment to you. Yourattitude towards your personal commitment toyour own training and education is your key toconsistency in your appraisal practice.Beyond anything the Appraisal Instituteof Canada (AIC) can do to develop and delivertraining, and to advise you on business practicematters, it is this commitment that gives youpermission to truly call yourself a professional.In the last issue of Canadian PropertyValuation, President Young spoke to you abouttaking pride in our designations and in the AIC,and provided examples of where this can beseen every day. In addition, there is the standardyou hold every day that builds the valuationprofession that, for the most part, is invisible tothe Institute and to your peers. It is you at thefront lines building relationships with your clientsand providing professional appraisal servicesthat define the value of your services. As yougrow and are successful, so too is the valuationprofession elevated in the eyes of the user, i.e.,the consumer of your services.A personal commitment to education is aboutstaying abreast of new developments in theindustry. For example, have you ever consideredthe impact of climate change on your appraisalpractice? At first, you may find this amusing –how does global warming affect my business –“Your attitude towards your personal commitmentto your own training and education is your key toconsistency in your appraisal practice.”but, think about changes the lending communityhas made to stay competitive by offeringgreen mortgages or the introduction of greentechnologies in the home and workspace. UBCnow offers two CPD courses on green valuationthat are not just timely, but intended to provideyou with additional skills with which you canpromote yourself.As a professional, earning your designationgets you on your way to appraisal practice,however, it will be your attitude towardslife-long learning that will set the differencebetween being successful and being leftbehind. I encourage you to give some thoughtto the creation of a personal education planthat balances formal education, experience,mentorship, and, yes, the development of thenext generation of appraisers. The expertiseyou have and new skills you develop to besuccessful can and should be shared. Sharedlearning confirms successful ideas and practicesand challenges old ones.At the same time, volunteering at thenational and affiliated association level affordsthe very best opportunities to give back to yourassociation and to work with your peers fromacross the country.The Institute understands this and has madea concerted effort to focus the professionalpractice process on education at the firstinstance. My simple message today is thatyou need to take ownership in your education,because it matters to you.Professional AffairsCoordinating CommitteeGrant Uba, AACI, P. App, – ChairBrian Varner, AACI, P. App –Chair Standards CommitteeDarrell Thorvaldson, AACI, P. App –Co-Chair Investigating CommitteeSheldon Rajesky, AACI, P. App –Co-Chair Investigating CommitteeLeonard Lee, AACI, P. App –Chair Appeal CommitteeJohn Ingram, AACI, P. App –Chair Adjudicating CommitteeTo contact this committee email:professionalaffairs@aicanada.ca22Canadian Property Valuation Volume 54 | book 1 | 2010 Évaluation Immobilière au Canadaclick here to return to table of contents