CORE Jan 2019 (1)-compressed

T H E L I G H T
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 : C O R E
I N T H I S I S S U E :
CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION
LEARNING YOUR
EMPLOYEES
TEAM UNITY
COMMUNICATION
INTERPERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
This month's magazine is all about your CORE. The Management
Leadership Program (CORE) is designed to give Managers and Supervisors
resources to build their teams, optimize performance, and generate consistency.
This program is based on the following six standards: Leadership, Team Unity,
Customer Satisfaction, Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, and
Empowering Others. Once each competency is put into action, it will impact you,
your team, and your property!

Customer Satisfaction
No company has achieved success by treating their customers poorly. A challenge for many
leaders is not making a distinction between internal and external customers. And, those who
do often, have a different set of rules they apply to each group. Below is a list of
5 Shared Expectations for both internal and external customers:
Both the internal and external customers share these key expectations. Achieving exceptional customer
service begins with being consistent in your treatment of internal and external customers. Customer
Satisfaction won't become a reality if it is not a focus of your leadership. Below are 4 questions to ask
yourself to ensure exceptional Customer Satisfaction is your focus:
1. Am I exceeding the expectations of our residents in satisfying their community apartment needs?
2. Am I sensitive, timely, patient and exhibit a professional attitude as I address the needs or
concerns of our residents and prospects?
3. Can I deliver my commitments and keep the resident or prospect informed by giving
progress updates?
4. Am I consistently looking for ways to enhance the business relationship with GSC customers?
Anything less than putting the customer first will ultimately make GSC last.

Learning Your Employees
Great managers know how to connect. They know how to aid in solving conflicts or
disagreements with their team members. Below are 9 strategies to help connect with your team,
resolve disagreements and learn from your employees:
STRATEGIES TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS
1. Take Time to find out what your team members
need, value, and aspire to be. You should be
engaging with team members on a consistent basis.
2. Your Attitude Impacts The Atmosphere. With a
positive demeanor, you'll be seen as more
approachable and friendly.
3. Be An Intentional Listener. Stop what you're
doing and show that you value what is being said.
4. Give Honest And Sincere Appreciation.
Timely feedback and praise shows employees
that they are valued. It also builds your business
relationship.
5. Monologues Vs. Dialogues. Have dialogues
not monologues. Dialogues are considerate,
authentic, secure and interested in meeting
needs.
WIN IN DISAGREEMENTS
1. Try To Avoid Arguments By
Understanding the other person's point of view
and end the root of the disagreement. Is it worth
damaging the relationship?
2. Admit Faults Quickly. You should know by
now when to apologize for mistakes.
3. Give Credit, Not Everything Is About You.
Great team members share in the
victories. Eliminate selfishness. They are aware
that it takes a collaborative effort.
4. Don’t Criticize, Condemn, or Complain! In
moments of disagreement, refrain from negative
comments. Give yourself time to think and be
selective with your words. People
won't "unhear" your words, nor can you take back
words that have been spoken.

Learning Your Employees
An exercise to use at your next team meeting:
Instructions: On a piece of paper, have your team list all coworkers and allow space for them to
answer each statement/question listed below. Upon completion, review the answers and verify if
they answered correctly. This exercise is intended to see how much they really know each other.
The goal is to gain understanding as well as appreciation for one another.
What's their favorite color? When's this person's birthday? What show or book do they enjoy?
What's their music preference? Name something they like. Name something they dislike.
Does this person own a dog? How long have they worked for GSC? What's their spouse's name?
4 Areas That Hinder The Team From Winning:
Personality Styles
Credibility
Emotions
Lack Of Communication And Clarity

To win and
influence people,
one must show
compassion,
empathy, and
have the needs of
others above
their own.
Patrick Barwise
(Author)

Team Unity
Team Unity is the process of people joining together in effort, skill and desire to reach their goal. All
teams go through challenges. It’s how we respond, cooperate, and collaborate with one another
during those difficult times that distinguishes a good team from a bad one. Below are 5 principles
all good teams share:
1. They trust one another; honesty
must be present.
2. They engage in professional
and respectful dialogue around any
conflict that may hinder the team's
well-being.
3. They commit to decisions and
ask for feedback or suggestions
among their peers.
4. They hold one another accountable, rally around solving issues, and speak in terms of what is
right versus what is wrong.
5. They focus on the achievement as a collective result. (when one succeeds the team succeeds)
"The long-term success of a team depends upon
how it deals with failure."
Every failure should be viewed as a growth opportunity and a way to prevent
the failure from reoccurring. Below are some common causes of team failure:
Unresolved Roles/Responsibilities: Teams are unclear, lack sense of
accountability, and may not complete their task.
Lack Of Trust: Do not trust each other or their team leader. They may undermine
the team's efforts, withhold/doubt information, and prevent projects from moving
forward.
Lack Of Support: The team does not have the support from their manager and
often cannot achieve their goals.
Lack Of Communication: If the environment does not allow teams to openly
share their ideas or thoughts, members won't be able to make informed
decisions.
Deadlock: Teams need to find common ground when they are split on an issue.
Allow time to reach a compromise. Remember, winning is the ultimate goal.

Communication
How we listen, what we say, and how we say
it directly impacts a customer’s decision to buy or
continue using our services. The same holds true
for our internal customers. They receive or
reject what you're selling (a.k.a. your vision) based
on your communication. Your message to your
customers and your team members should be
clear, effective, and precise.
Although verbal output can be turned off, nonverbal cannot. Even silence speaks. No matter how much you try,
you can't avoid communication. In any event, words or silence all have a message value. They influence others
and you cannot not respond to these communications. Below are 8 nonverbal communications:
1. Facial Expression
2. Gestures
3. Tone, Mood, and Pitch
4. Body Language and Posture
5. Proximity
6. Eye Gaze
7. Touch
8. Appearance (Color, Clothing, Hair, etc.)
Be timely with effective feedback (positive or constructive). Provide the information as close to the event as
possible. Check to make sure the individual understood what you said by asking questions and observing
changes in their behavior. A common mistake is for you to feel that your words are the focus in the
conversation. Equally as important, is the way you project your tone, proximity, and body language.
Interpersonal Relationships
"You have to get people to be as results-driven and passionate as you are, only then will you be ten times
more successful" (Fitzgerald). Your primary goal as a leader is to ignite your employees' passion for their
work, and to mobilize them to meet challenges. Challenge your employees to grow by implementing the
following interpersonal relationships strategies:
MINDFULNESS
True leaders seek to live in full consciousness of themselves and others. When you
are mindful, it helps you make the right choices about how and/or when to respond
to people and situations.
HOPE
Develop a vision for your team and articulate it to them. Once you set achievable
goals, you must believe that you can obtain them and celebrate small successes.
COMPASSION
Leaders are selfless and compassionate. Their heart is for their team to succeed
and grow. When this happens, teams work harder, develop ownership and
shows growth in character.

Coach's Corner
If your actions inspire others
To DREAM more,
To LEARN more,
To DO more,
And BECOME more,
YOU ARE A LEADER.
-John Quincy Adams
Reading available through
Further
GSC Training Department!
the
Our book of the month is Resonant Leadership. In this book, Richard Boyatzis and
Annie McKee go into detail about transforming your emotions and the emotions of
others, which will in turn drive success. You can learn how to ignite passion into
your team's work as well as improve your own performance. Request your copy of
the book by emailing dmeeler@gscapts.com to get yours today.

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