Leading By Example

Houston Apartment Association Vice President at Large, Tracie Yoder, shares a timeless approach to leadership.

By TRACIE YODER, Barvin

Energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Anytime you can increase trust, confidence, accountability and purpose, you are also going to see an increase in productivity and loyalty in your associates, which can spread through the entire organization.

When I started in this industry 32 years ago as a part-time leasing associate, I never thought it would take me where I am today. I never thought I could be so passionate about this industry and the responsibility of providing homes to so many residents, whether it be a short-term or long-term situation.

We have this amazing responsibility to provide a nice, clean, living environment to apartment renters, while providing a level of customer service that, in the minds of our associates and residents, can have a huge, long-term impact.

In the different positions I have held, I have learned a lot over the last three decades. I have had the extreme privilege of working with so many amazing companies and leaders along this journey. As in any industry, we are all influenced by those who lead us, those who we lead, and even colleagues who may or may not work within our specific organization.

One of the most important things I have learned in my career is that leading by example is certainly a timeless approach to leadership, despite the vast advancement in technology and the way our industry and the needs of our associates, residents and clients may evolve.

My definition of leading by example is guiding others through your behaviors and inspiring them to achieve a common goal.

As a leader, your team is looking to you for inspiration, encouragement and direction. Leaders must be able to exemplify the behaviors they want to see their teams emulate.

When you lead by example, you provide a path for others that aligns everyone to common goals and a shared purpose. Naturally, whether they are aware of it or not, leaders are always leading by example. A true leader, though, inspires people to feel like they can do the best they can for the company. When you lead by example, you can accomplish that for your team and create a positive company culture full of important components such as trust, confidence, accountability and purpose.

Energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Anytime you can increase trust, confidence, accountability and purpose, you are also going to see an increase in productivity and loyalty in your associates, which can spread through the entire organization.

If you want to gain trust and confidence of your associates, you must set an example for them. But not only do you have to set the example, your actions must be consistent. There are many ways to lead by example and the many attributes of leaders who lead by example possess. Here are a few examples:

Core Components of Leadership:

Honesty and Transparency – Being honest and transparent with your associates are some of the most important things you can do for them. Why? Because it builds trust. If you cannot be honest and transparent with your associates, they will lose trust in you. An open workplace makes your associates feel supported and cared for by the company. It’s much easier to work efficiently when you feel supported. Trust that is broken is almost impossible to regain. Be honest, be transparent, do what you say you’re going to do and follow through on your promises.

Having Respect for Others – We should never forget the golden rule. Treat others as you would want to be treated. This will apply to how you treat literally every position within your organization. It is also important that you are cognizant of your team member’s feelings and even their own personal challenges. Always support them instead of tearing them down. Although you will always have to have tough conversations with your team, you can always do it with respect for the associate.

Thoughtful Decision Making – Not every decision you make as a leader will be perfect or popular, however, being thoughtful and listening to your associates for their feedback will go far. It will help them understand how you came to your decision(s) and because their feedback was considered, they will more likely support and respect the decisions you make. You must be careful not to be defensive when receiving negative feedback when it is given. If you’re building a true team and cultivating a strong culture that includes honesty and transparency, everyone on your team must respect differences in opinion. Everyone on your team will bring a unique perspective.

Consistency – As a leader, it is vital that we are consistent when leading by example. Although our industry can have challenging days, it’s during challenging situations that our associates look to us for guidance the most. Consistency and poise in how you react to adverse situations and conversations are very important. You always want to demonstrate to your team that you will not turn away from challenges that may seem too tough.

There are so many ways to effectively lead by example and these are just a few. The core philosophy of leading by example is actually quite simple. Never take people for granted, as people are our most important asset in this industry. Give your associates the attention and consideration they deserve, and never, ever, expect anyone on your team to do something that you would not do yourself, regardless of your position. As a leader, you are always being watched, so it is important to remember, actions certainly speak louder than words.

Tracie Yoder is the senior vice president of operations for Barvin. She is also a 2021 vice president at large for the Houston Apartment Association. Prior to joining Barvin, Tracie held operations leadership roles for Avenue5, US Residential and Greystar, just to name a few, where she specialized in predevelopment and lease-ups. Tracie has served on the HAA board of directors since 2012.