IHM News, Volume 28, Fall 2006

Volume 28, Fall 2006

ENHANCING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

Community Policing

Inside President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Smoke Free Ontario Act Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 What is Community Policing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 A Rewarding Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Summer Students - A Valuable Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 President’s Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Rules Without Reasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

P r e s i d e n t ’s M e s s a g e

Valuing Diversity of our Graduate Students Upon reviewing the enrolment lists from Humber College and our Distance Education Program it is becoming increasingly evident that our students come from varied roots with a spectrum of backgrounds.

Our greatest assets are the ones that stand on two feet and recognize that diversity is the footprint that will lead to our strengthened membership for the next 20 years to 2026.

Diversity is an exceptional attribute and defends us against cloning. Diversified accredited property managers can better serve a diversified tenant population as they would have specialized insights and knowledge of cultural beliefs and traditions.

The talent pool of a diversified student roster should be promoted at every opportunity by our membership. IHM recruits are the next generation of professional property managers and are key to the on-going viability of IHM I encourage you, when the opportunities arise within your sectors, to seek out IHM graduates and offer opportunities within your organization. It can only be a win-win situation.

The strength of IHM lies in a diversified membership which no longer draws its members from a homogenous workforce.

2006 Board of Directors PRESIDENT:

TREASURER:

Greg Grange, FIHM Director, Housing Division Dept. of Community & Family Services City of Kingston 362 Montreal St., Kingston, ON K7K 3H5 Tel: (613) 546-4291 Ext. 1265 Fax: (613) 546-3004 Email: ggrange@cityofkingston.ca

Harry Popiluk, FIHM Victoria Park Community Homes 155 Queen Street North Hamilton, ON L8R 2V7 Tel: (905) 527-0221 Ext.215 Fax: (905) 527-3181 Email: hpopiluk@vpch.com

DIRECTORS: VICE-PRESIDENT: Deborah Filice, AIHM Co-Chair, Communications Committee Halton Community Housing Corp.

690 Dorval Drive, 7th Floor Oakville, ON L6K 3X9 Tel: (905) 825-6000 Ext. 4414 Fax: (905) 849-3568 Email: deborah.filice@halton.ca

SECRETARY: James Mellor, AIHM Windsor-Essex County Housing Corporation 945 McDougall Street, P.O. Box 1330 Windsor, Ont. N9A 6R3 Tel: (519) 776-4631 Ext. 14 Fax: (519) 776-5510 Email: jmellor@wechc.com

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Lee Campbell, AIHM Co-Chair, Communications Committee Chair, Conference Committee Dept. of Community & Family Services City of Kingston 1471 John Counter Blvd., Suite #100 Kingston, Ont. K7M 8S8 Tel: (613) 546-5591 Ext. 105 Fax: (613) 546-9375 Email: lcampbell@cityofkingston.ca Joan Cranmer, FIHM Chair, Education Committee Victoria Park Community Homes 155 Queen Street North Hamilton, ON L8R 2V7 Tel: (905) 527-0221 Ext. 213 Fax: (905) 632-5554 Email: dcranmer@cogeco.ca

Kevin O’Hara, AIHM Chair, Marketing Committee Regional Municipality of Waterloo Waterloo Region Housing #202–385 Fairway Road South, Kitchener, ON, N2C 2N9 Tel: (519) 575-4800 Fax: (519) 893-8447 Email: kevino@region.waterloo.on.ca David Chambers, AIHM Chair, Membership Committee CityHousing Hamilton 2255 Barton St., East Hamilton ON L8H 7T4 Tel: (905) 523-8496 ext 7897 Fax: (905) 546-2256 Email: dchamber@hamilton.ca Don White, AIHM Chair, Nominations Committee Toronto Housing Manager of Special Initiatives Asset Management 931 Yonge Street – 2nd Floor Toronto, ON M4W 2H2 Tel: (416) 981-4370 Fax: (416) 981-5960 Email: Don.White@torontohousing.ca

Lynn Alexander Candidate Representative Region of Durham Housing Services P.O. Box 623, Whitby, Ont. L1N 6A3 Tel: (905) 666-6222 Fax: (905) 666-6225 Email: Lynn.alexander@region.durham.on.ca

IHM OFFICE: Lynn Morrovat Administrator 2175 Sheppard Ave. East, Suite 310 Toronto, Ontario M2J 1W8 Tel: (416) 493-7382 Ext. 254 Fax: (416) 491-1670 Email: ihm@taylorenterprises.com Josee Lefebvre Administrative Assistant 2175 Sheppard Ave. East, Suite 310 Toronto, Ontario M2J 1W8 Tel: (416) 493-7382 Ext. 255 Fax: (416) 491-1670 Email: ihm@taylorenterprises.com

IHM News

Legislation Update

Smoke Free Ontario Act Update By: Jennifer Barrett Health Promoter, Heart Health and Cancer Prevention Halton Region Health Department

and electronic air filters may remove some smoke particles from the air but will not make it safe. The only way to eliminate second-hand smoke from indoor air is to get rid of it completely, hence the rationale for this new legislation.

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he Smoke-Free Ontario Act took effect on May 31, 2006. Under the Act, smoking is banned in all enclosed public places and workplaces, including restaurants, bars, sports arenas, entertainment venues, and all common areas of apartment buildings and condominiums. For property managers and landlords, the Smoke-Free Ontario Act carries specific responsibilities and obligations.

With regard to signage, official Ministry of Health Promotion No Smoking signs must be posted in all entrances, exits and other appropriate locations. These signs can be obtained by contacting your local public health unit. In addition, ashtrays must be removed from all common areas. Examples of common areas in apartments and condominiums are lobbies, elevators, stairwells, hallways, parking garages, laundry facilities, exercise facilities, and party or entertainment rooms.

Further, the property manager or landlord is responsible for ensuring that residents are aware that smoking is prohibited in common areas. Awareness about the Smoke-Free Ontario Act can be promoted through posting of informational fact sheets in common areas or through direct distribution to each resident.

Finally, it is the duty of the property manager or landlord to ensure that no one smokes in common areas of residences. Thus, if a resident is seen smoking in a common area, the property manager or landlord must ask them to put it out or leave the common area

Fall 2006

immediately. Local public health units are responsible for carrying out inspections and investigating complaints to enforce the Act. There is no maximum corporate fine listed for contravention of this section of the Act, meaning the fine amount is left up to a judge. An individual could be subject to a maximum fine of $5,000.

The new Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which is one of the most comprehensive in North America, will help to protect Ontarians from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Second-hand smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, 50 of which are known cancer-causing agents. Each year in Ontario, exposure to secondhand smoke causes approximately 425 deaths.

Exposure to second-hand smoke also contributes to numerous other diseases and conditions including heart disease, stroke and lung cancer.

Although the Act does not place any restrictions on smoking in residents’ own personal units, property managers and landlords should take all measures necessary to limit drifting second-hand smoke. Drifting second-hand smoke is tobacco smoke that drifts or seeps into a residential unit from other sources.

Some of these sources may include smoke from cracks and gaps surrounding sinks, countertops, windows, doors, floors, ceilings, or through the ventilation system. Information about drifting second-hand smoke and multi-unit dwellings is available from the NonSmokers’ Rights Association and the Smoking and Health Action Foundation Backgrounder Report at: http://nsra-adnf.ca/cms/file/pdf/ Drifting_SHS_Backgrounder_updated_Ju ly_20_2006.pdf For more information about the SmokeFree Ontario Act, please contact your local public health unit or call the Ministry of Health Promotion INFOline at 1-866-396-1760, TTY 1-800-3875559. â–

Studies have shown that there are no known safe levels of exposure to second-hand smoke. Increased ventilation

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Feature

What is Community Policing?

By Natalie Fortin

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o find out what Community Policing is all about we need to have a look at a quote from the early 1800s. Sir Robert Peel of England Police once said “The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interest of Community welfare and existence”.

This phrase still holds true with Ottawa Police. It is very important for the police and the public to build a strong relationship/partnership to help make our community safer. Ottawa Police have several Community Policing Centres located all across Ottawa. These centres are founded by Police and Community members hoping to make a difference within our city. Volunteers help run these centres and without them it would be difficult to keep them open.

Members of the public are welcome to drop in and take part in any of the 5 following core programs that the Police Service endorses: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

Home Security Inspection Child Print Program Business Crime Prevention Program Operation Identification Neighbourhood Watch

Each of these programs involves the Community and empowers them to become involved in the neighbourhoods in which they work and live. To make the partnership between Police and the Community more effective, there must be a level of activity between the two.

By empowering your communities you create a positive change. We must listen to our communities and act upon their concerns.

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The Ottawa Police believe in working closely with the youth in our communities. It has been the experience of our Police Force that young people who are occupied with something - be it sports, drama or reading - and who are proud of their accomplishments in these endeavours are less likely to find themselves in compromising situations. By providing these opportunities to youth and giving them some leadership skills, youth of today are more likely to accomplish their goals and to succeed in life.

The Ottawa Police have created a new program called “Youth on the Move” in response to the City’s concern with youth and crime. This is a summerbased program that works to close the gap between youth and the police and is

made up of volunteers and police working with today’s youth.

Youth workers attend parks throughout the city and engage the youth in conversation, sports and games. Police will participate in basketball and baseball games with the youth. This is not an enforcement project but a way to try and build relationships with the youth and to help the community and the Police understand their needs.

IHM News

Feature

The Ottawa Police have also become involved with the Police Athletic League run by the Boys and Girls Club. Under this program, officers have the opportunity to play basketball several times a week with the youth in the community.

For many years Ottawa Police have been involved with Youth at Risk groups such as Operation Go Home, Youth Services Bureau as well as the varied social services programs offered through the downtown core and Vanier.

Ottawa Police have gone further to promote community policing by having officers patrol City streets on foot and bicycles. Throughout the summer, officers visit the parks, local businesses and walk the streets to engage in conversations with children, youth, teens, seniors – members of our community.

While youth crime is a concern for both the Police and the community, Ottawa Police are also battling street drugs, prostitution and drug houses. Not only are the police encouraged about the positive partnerships being formed within the community, but also with other outside contacts such as property managers, security firms, Fire Departments, Health Units and Property Standards. The partnership between all agencies has been a success in reducing the drug activity on our streets.

In another attempt to instil Community Policing, Ottawa Police have introduced Neighbourhood Officers. Their mandate is to identify district problems and

Not only are the police encouraged about the positive partnerships being formed within the community, but also with other outside contacts such as property managers, security firms, Fire Departments, Health Units and Property Standards. issues and effectively resolve them in conjunction with identified stakeholders using problem solving techniques. One of the main duties of Neighbourhood Officers is to develop and maintain relationships in the Community. They address community concern, quality of life issues and enforce Municipal Bylaws and Provincial and Federal legislation.

Neighbourhood officers also take a proactive role by working alongside Property Managers to make simple changes or adjustments to housing properties such as adding better lighting, trimming trees/shrubs and fixing broken fences. Simple changes through environmental design go a long way

CALLING ALL PROPERTY MANAGERS … with stories to share!

Fall 2006

towards crime prevention. Information regarding a community problem such as a known drug house and other illegal activity filters through to the Neighbourhood Officers either directly or by way of City Councillors.

Neighbourhood Officers monitor problem areas and enforce all statutes such as Trespass to Property Act and will issue Provincial Offences Notices (tickets) and make arrests when warranted.

If the problem persists and criminal activity is still present, Neighbourhood Officers will collaborate with the outside agencies to try and resolve the issue.

Successful community policing comes down to forming partnerships between police, community residents and other interested agencies and individuals which forms a strong link to help overcome the problems a community is faced with on a daily basis.

Keeping in mind the phrase “The Police are the Public and the Public are the Police” the Ottawa Police Force strives to continue to have a positive, productive and safe Community.

Natalie Fortin is a constable with The Ottawa City Police. She has been with the Police Services for 8 years and has been a Neighbourhood Officer for the past two years. ■

We know that a Property Manager’s job can be both challenging and interesting. How often have you come into work with your day all planned in your head, only to have something unexpected come along …

We are looking for some stories to share with your colleagues in the Property Management field. If you have an interesting story that you would be willing to author, please contact the Newsletter Committee…

Lee Campbell at lcampbell@cityofkingston.ca or Deborah Filice at deborah.filice@halton.ca

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Education

A Rewarding Opportunity

By Stefanie Hall miniscule, but nevertheless important, responsibilities. In my opinion, this is just one of the many ways that an entire office can benefit, if only in a small way, from employing a summer student.

Stefanie (in the front row on the left) with her ‘co-workers’ at the Social Housing Registry of Ottawa.

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must admit that being a university student definitely has its perks.

Although I’m now old enough, and (in my opinion), educated enough to make important life decisions on my own, technically, I haven’t officially entered the real world so, therefore, I shouldn’t be required to take on those real-world tasks. Not quite yet. For these years of my academic life, my job description should strictly consist of going to the beach, partying with my friends, and simply relaxing…right?

Wrong.

Although this may be the way that many people perceive the lifestyle of most students, the truth is these are the most important years of our lives in terms of gaining valuable work experience that can be employed in future endeavors.

Taking advantage of any promising employment opportunities that come our way is a great way to start.

In the summer of 2005 I was fortunate enough to be offered a position as a summer student at the Social Housing Registry of Ottawa, an organization which provides a service that I did not

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even know existed. Not only was it my first formal office job, but the tasks that I was called upon to complete were significant to the organization, allowing me….no, forcing me to become much more responsible. Although I began my placement at The Registry completing seemingly monotonous duties such as filing and folding forms, it wasn’t long until I was thrown into the office rotation: returning phone calls, live answer on the phones, and serving applicants on the front line.

Knowing that the work I was completing was an essential part of how things were carried out in the office was one of the most rewarding aspects of being a summer student at The Registry.

Through this contribution I gained self confidence and began to realize the importance of teamwork and communication when working in this kind of environment. Although at first I was constantly harassing and asking my coworkers questions and advice when completing various activities, I realized that many of them appreciated reviewing the tasks themselves, as it gave them an opportunity to brush up on some

Working as a summer student at The Social Housing Registry allowed me to interact closely with a clientele that I had never encountered before. My previous employment experiences, which consisted of retail as well as the food industry, involved me serving customers who, for the most part, were interested in or had the option or opportunity to purchase a particular product or service that we offered.

Maintaining the waiting list for social housing in the city of Ottawa, however, is quite a different job. Most of the applicants that I dealt with were in our office because it was an absolute necessity. In the beginning I found it extremely frustrating to hear stories about the difficulties and hardships that applicants or their families were facing and not be able to offer them an immediate solution for their problems. The daily interaction with this type of clientele was definitely one of the most difficult yet enlightening parts of my placement at The Registry because, although it may sound like a cliché, it has really brought a sense of reality into my life.

Many of my friends, much like myself before my placement at The Registry, are completely oblivious to the overwhelming number of people facing difficult situations such as homelessness or domestic abuse. Communicating with applicants, many of whom were struggling financially, has also brought out some selfish motivation in me to further my education and work experience to, hopefully, enhance my employment

IHM News

Education opportunities in the future so I don’t find myself in a similar situation.

My fellow employees with whom I had the opportunity to work at my placement definitely made the experience even more amazing, not to mention extremely satisfying.

As I mentioned previously, although the job was emotionally straining at times, the atmosphere in the office was always positive with life always kept in perspective. They were always approachable, patient and encouraging, which made my experience very enjoyable. Social activities such as pot-luck lunches were organized, which is a great way to develop teamwork and get to know one another on a more personal level.

My position at The Registry has opened my eyes to a field of employment and experience that I was completely unfamiliar with in my previous summer jobs. It seems as though most university graduates I have encountered have had significant difficulty trying to obtain a well-paying job, let alone a job in their particular field of study. I’ve heard stories from my peers that most employers only look for individuals who have had “real-world” experience, such as an office or industry-related job, rather than those whose resumes consist of retail or restaurant jobs, no matter what the education level.

Organizations such as The Registry that offer job opportunities to students through programs such as summer jobs, co-op or internships allow students to gain this “experience” that employers are apparently seeking. I have also discovered that there is the potential for growth and job mobility within this type of organization as an individual’s career progresses if they are willing to work hard and take the necessary training and courses.

Overall, my experience at The Social Housing Registry of Ottawa has been extremely rewarding and fulfilling. I have learned so much – from organizational and communication skills to expanding my knowledge of housing and various social services. I would encourage any college or university students who are interested in gaining real life experiences to look into programs that many organizations have to offer whether through co-op or a summer student position. I would also encourage employers, if possible, to offer college or university students an opportunity to be part of your organization because, from my personal experience, it can prove to be mutually beneficial from both a professional and educational standpoint.

Stefanie Hall is 22 years old, and is currently attending her fourth year at the University of Ottawa, where she is studying Communication. While attending university, she is continuing to work part-time at The Registry. ■

Fall 2006

Humber Spring/Summer Course Completions – July 2006 Property & Building Administration Auguste, Kevin K. Baba, Veron Baxhaku, Dritan Brandabur, Corina Brtka, Sandra Coroian, Alin Craciun, Florin Cutrona, Nina E. Djukic, Ruzica Ilie, Adrian O. Karpukova, Valentina Kotov, Yuriy Kretschmann, Astrid Maruscsak, Marius I. Meltsin, Oleg Mollah, Ahm Ziaul Nishta, Valentyna Pental, Mariusz Pribicevic, Behka Qylafi, Luiza Rawat, Niloufer (Nishma) Roopchand, Ronald Sankiewicz, Adam P. Shakaj, Majlinda Shtembari, Ajlinda Spafford, James Tomsa, Octavian Vasile, Gabriel N. Wang, Tieji Wu, Ping (Wendy)

Human Relations For Property Managers Adeoba, Adegbenro B. Au, Peter Caloian, Cristi L. Carter, Caline Cutrona, Nina E. De Barrientos, Maira Djukic, Ruzica Karpukova, Valentina Liao, Michael

Markovic, Vladimir Meltsin, Oleg Merritt, George Pental, Mariusz Rawat, Niloufer (Nis Roopchand, Ronald Wilder, Naomi Zaharia, Dora

Building Maintenance For Property Managers Bains, Kuldip Caliujnii, Iurie Caloian, Cristi L. Carter, Caline De Barrientos, Maira Dini, Majlinda Djukic, Ruzica Feather, Kimberley Gamage, Dona Khan, Rana Liao, Michael Lyakhter, Mike Meltsin, Oleg Miller, Josh B. Muhammed, Nurul I. Ndreca, Bardhok Nishta, Valentyna Nondo, Nhlanhla Pavlov, Pavel Pental, Mariusz Perkovic, John Puka, Vitore Qylafi, Luiza Risco, Viorel Toole, Elizabeth (Vicki) Vrgovic, Dina Wang, Zhilei

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Education

Summer Students – A Valuable Resource

By Lee Campbell, AIHM City of Kingston

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kind of look forward to the end of summer – I love the fall colours, Indian Summer... and I do like routine... but one thing I don’t look forward to is THE SUMMER STUDENTS LEAVING US!!!!

I think that one of the most rewarding experiences in a career is to be a mentor. I have had the pleasure of working with summer students and co-op placements students many times throughout my career and have been their mentor.

These students are amazing – given some training and responsibility – they have proven to be invaluable in enabling staff to take summer vacation with some peace of mind.

I have received great feedback and commendations from students and it makes you realize just how much of an impact we can have on students’ lives and possibly in their career decisions. I am proud to say that I have given references for some of the students I have supervised and they have been successful in job competitions and have gone on to have rewarding and meaningful careers themselves. Some of them have come back to me afterwards to thank me for the opportunities afforded them.

I still hear from students who I supervised over ten years ago. One of my students from this year sent me the following note: “Thank you for a great summer. This has been an experience that I will definitely not forget. This is the first job where I felt like I have learnt something about the real world. Thank you for this opportunity to share four months with a great group of ladies. Even though sometimes I get headaches from

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the vast amount of different situations, you have always been patient with me. Hope we will keep in touch.”

Lee with the two summer students from 2006 – Julie and I have to say that this note Shirley. Shirley is the author of the thank you note. really made my day! This particular student actually bought us gifts….what a sweetie!

If you currently do not hire summer stuBeing a baby boomer, and having dents — please think seriously about worked more than 30 years, I started this next year. I think you’ll be glad you my career when we used typewriters did. The payback is multi-faceted. Our and erasers. Along came the IBM students have often said that they have “Selectric” correcting typewriter which learned so much at our placements and was the greatest, then those word that they appreciate being in an office processors with a little bit of memory. I setting, working 8:00 am to 4:00 pm with remember when computers were first weekends off – pretty good compared to introduced, we wondered if we still some of the other spots they could have needed to be careful about making mis- worked. The fact that they are learning takes, because that correcting ribbon for so much says a lot about the training. typewriters was so expensive. My own I’m really fortunate to have some great kids still laugh about watching me learn trainers on staff. Training is not an easy how to navigate with a mouse. Today’s job and requires a lot of patience and generation has grown up with comput- organization. Be prepared for lots of ers – give them any projects that need questions. And remember, we were all any advanced computer work and they in that spot at one time in our lives. As produce quality results! a matter of fact, it is good for us to be asked these questions. Sometimes it The most important suggestion I have makes us re-think why we are doing for anyone new at this summer student something and review our processes. game is train, train, train. Like so many When students are assisting with vacathings in life, taking the time to train tion relief, it helps us to keep in touch properly is a little pain for a lot of gain! with tasks that we may not be responsible for but should be familiar with and Which brings me to another positive this also helps us to appreciate the value aspect of this practice and that is the of our co-workers and understand the chance it gives junior staff to train and complexity of their work. supervise, a skill that they may not always be given the opportunity to Now what about that succession planhone. This will inevitably give them ning that we are always talking about? something else to add to their resume Who knows we may have some budand also the chance to see if training and ding Property Managers out there who supervision is something they enjoy. don’t even know our industry exists.

IHM News

P r e s i d e n t ’s C o m m e n t a r y

Providing a taste of the environment may be all that it takes to pique their interest… and the next step may be IHM electives!

Now, there is one aspect of this whole thing that I don’t particularly like and that is the hiring process. Every year I feel bad because there are just so many great kids who need jobs and who want to work and we can only hire so many.

I wish I could give them all (or most) a job…maybe you could help out and hire one or two?

I encourage all employers to tap into this valuable resource. If you do not have sufficient funds in your budget to pay for a student – find some. For about $10/hour you are helping a student with their career planning, providing muchneeded funding for ongoing studies and getting some quality work too! You will feel energized and rewarded by the experience yourself. There is something about an eager and motivated student looking for work to do that forces us to get to some of that stuff that got buried on our desks. In our office we keep a running “wish list” all year and when the students arrive, we give them these projects. It is a win-win situation.

So as the summer draws to a close we say goodbye with sadness to our summer students who have brightened our workplace for the past few months.

They also tell me that they are sad to be leaving, however, looking forward to getting back to their friends. A good life lesson on what they have in store for them. I remember my own children anticipating the end of summer placements with sadness. I’m going to miss our students. No more stories about punk rock and piercings and reality shows, not to mention doing all of the filing – right away! See what I mean – it is a learning experience for both sides.

In true baby boomer fashion, I’d like to say, these kids are really neat!

Lee Campbell is the Manager of the Customer Service Unit, Department of Community & Family Services, City of Kingston ■

Fall 2006

Delegate ! Delegate !

Delegate !

Greg Grange, B.A., F.I.H.M. President

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f you don’t learn to successfully delegate you will burn out fast.

As property managers you must juggle so many varied demands: your boss, your board, your tenants and your contractors.

I think a major cause of reluctance to delegate is insecurity. As property managers you are accountable for the action of your property management staff and you may not want to delegate and take the chance.

Big Mistake !!

Your staff should be competent. What if they are not ? Well, I guess you know the answer to that ! So not only make your staff feel important, but also make them important.

You can’t do it all, so chunk it out and pass it on.

Once empowered, your staff will feel better and they will perform better.

Better performance results in greater satisfaction. This will filter through to tenant satisfaction.

Take the risk, let your staff make decisions. They will make mistakes but so do we. Our strength lies in learning from our mistakes as well as the mistakes of others.

Establish clear goals and let staff know the importance of what is being developed and what they will be accountable for. Remaining sensitive is key to motivating in delegation.

Provide training if needed and establish a fair and open way to monitor. Don’t overkill the monitoring. Supervision should be kept to a minimum. Trust is fundamental to delegation. It will help alleviate the stress of decision making in your daily jobs. ■

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Feature

Rules without Reasons Peter deJager

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n a recent client discussion, a manager was bemoaning the inability of staff to think for themselves. He’s the owner of a landscaping company and his employees enter the backyards of a number of clients each day. Many of these clients own dogs and there’s an important rule all his employees must follow. “If you open a gate, close it.” So important he has it, and a handful of other rules, printed on a little card.

Now that rule is simple enough, it’s not complicated. All employees will nod their heads when asked if they understand it. The situation which caused this manager to tear his hair out was a recent visit to some of his clients during the day, where he found several of the gates wide open and dogs roaming the streets.

When he queried his employees, they responded that the gates were open when they arrived and since they didn’t open them, they didn’t have to close them.

It is tempting to cast aspersions on the IQ of his staff, but when asked if he ever explained why the gates must be closed, the manager responded “No… the reason is obvious!” Perhaps he’s right, but it was obviously not obvious to his staff. Nobody deliberately puts household pets at risk.

If this example is too simplistic, then consider a more elevated scenario. On a flight to Toronto, I witnessed another error in judgment caused by the imposition of rules without reasons. A passenger was sitting in a seat which would not lock into the upright position. Now, since the stated rule for landing is that all seats must be upright (and tray tables stowed) the flight attendant had no

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choice but to move the passenger to another seat. Since the seat directly behind the passenger was empty, the passenger was moved one seat backwards.

Now if you’re asking yourself what the problem was, then you’ve just fallen victim to the consequences of rules without reasons. Seats must be upright when landing so that if there’s a bump (socially acceptable euphemism for “crash”) then passengers won’t be thrust forward to collide with a reclined seat pointing directly at their fragile heads.

In reality, the rule is not “passengers must be sitting in upright seats”, but instead it is “passengers must not be sitting behind a reclined seat”. By moving the passenger one seat back, the flight attendant moved the passenger from a “safe” seat and placed them into a “dangerous” one.

Reasons are what we use to make sense of the world. There’s nothing new here.

Listen to a child as they grow up and you’ll be besieged with “Why is…?”, “Why does…?”, “Why are…?” and a thousand other variations of the instinctual plea to understand. Our staff and, for that matter ourselves and our managers, have not lost that need to understand why things are the way they are.

Once we know the why of something, especially a rule, then we can extend that rule to cover situations not yet written down on a little card. We’re also more accommodating when rules create a restriction or imposition on our actions.

There’s another reason to know the reasons behind all rules. Knowing why a rule was put in place allows us to monitor the continuing appropriateness of

the rule. Think of it as a way to reduce the growth of bureaucratic rules, rules which exist only because that’s what we did before, and therefore that’s what we’ll do again.

There’s one more old example of rules without reasons, which I’ve always found amusing and informative. There was a family where when the wife cooked a roast she always cut off two inches from each end. When asked why, she responded “That’s what my mom taught me to do.” When they asked the question of her mom, the response was the same, “That’s what my mom taught me to do.” And when they asked the Grandmother, now 96 years old, why she used to cut the ends off the roast she replied, “I only had a small pan and that was the only way to get the roast into it!”

When we impose rules without reasons, we create situations where people have no choice but to follow them to the letter.

It’s not a matter of them ignoring the ‘spirit of the rule’, it’s that they aren’t aware of what the spirit was meant to be.

© 2005 Peter de Jager – Peter is interested in all things related to Management, but especially Change Management. He is a provocative Speaker, Writer and Consultant. His primary focus is on how we manage change, technology and the future. In addition to speaking at conferences worldwide, he’s also written monthly columns for CIO Magazine and Computerworld Canada. His goal is always to question what we think is so, and in so doing perhaps open up new opportunities. Contact him by email at: Pdejager@technobility.com ■

Member News

IHM Membership News!

IHM is pleased to update members with the following important information regarding the upcoming 2007 membership renewals:

Fees Membership fees for the coming follows: Retired Members . . . . . .

Candidate Members . . . .

Affiliate Members . . . . . .

Accredited Members . . .

Fellow Members . . . . . .

Corporate Members . . . .

year will remain unchanged and are as . . . . . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

. . . . . .

$ 66.00 $142.00 $160.00 $189.00 $223.00 $307.00

Website Exciting new website updates are planned for 2007 – including a Member’s only section with an online membership directory and newsletter archives.

Watch for further information coming soon!

New Benefits IHM is pleased to announce a new Select Rewards Program with “The Brick”.

All renewing IHM members will receive a benefits card entitling them to their choice of Home Furnishings, Appliances and Electronics at Builder/Contract prices, upon renewal for the 2007 year. Certain conditions do apply and the offer is available by appointment only.

We’ll be there! …

2006 ONPHA Conference & Trade Show November 19 - 21, 2006 Visit the IHM Booth in the Trade show area Sheraton Centre, Toronto, Ontario

2006 PM Expo November 29 - December 1, 2006 Metro Convention Centre Toronto, Ontario Watch for details of the IHM seminar at PM Expo - coming soon on our website at www.ihm-canada.com

Wise Words There is nothing so potent as the silent influence of a good example.

–James Kent

Mark Your Calendars Now! The 2007 IHM Annual Educational Conference will take place

April 17-20, 2007 at the Holiday Inn, Peterborough Watch for exciting program and registration information coming soon to the IHM website www.ihm-canada.com

Your job gives you authority.

Your behaviour gives you respect.

–Irwin Federman

What you pay attention to is what you will see more of.

–David Cooperrider

There is strength in the differences between us and comfort where we overlap.

–Ani Difranco

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Distance Learning The four compulsory courses are available through the distance learning alternative. Elective courses are widely available from all Ontario community colleges and universities and are, therefore, not currently offered through the Institute’s distance learning program.

To enroll in the program, complete the application form below and mail it, along with your payment, to the Institute’s office. You will receive your instructional materials within a couple of weeks.

With distance education, you can learn largely at your own pace, with a deadline of six months to complete each individual course. You will be assigned a distance learning instructor to whom you are required to submit chapter reviews, case studies and a final exam. You will be notified by mail of your final grade. Then, you’re ready to move on to the next subject!

In this way, you can complete your certificate program and, if you meet the experience requirements, qualify for accreditation and become entitled to use the Institute’s designation, A.I.H.M. The Institute’s certificate program consists of four compulsory courses and two electives. For each course, students are expected to submit chapter reviews and assignments and pass a final examination. The compulsory courses are: 1.

2.

Property and Building Administration This course is designed to provide insight into the functions of management in the administration of large buildings and complexes. Topics will include the Tenant Protection Act, lease negotiation, rent geared to income, breach of contract procedures, collection procedures, insurance and liability, management information systems, building start-up and take over and marketing/advertising of rental units.

Building Maintenance for Property Managers.

The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of maintenance management services, for those involved in the property management sector or a related field. It will give a general overview of management systems, such as the principles of residential construction, building science(s), specification writing, management’s responsibility for the management of life safety systems, contract management, and the impact of the Construction Lien Act.

Electives To request consideration or an exemption for an elective, please provide details with your request. Items required: a course outline, proof of completion, proof of mark or transcript (if applicable) and information as to the length of time that the course runs.

Courses to be considered must be a minimum of 35 hours in duration. Two or more courses may be combined to count as one elective.

Distance Learning Application Form / Manual Order form IHM Members

Non-Members

Course Fee (Includes Manual)

Manual Only*

Course Fee (Includes Manual)

Manual Only*

“Human Relations for Property Managers”

❍ $350.00

❍ $120.00

❍ $500.00

❍ $120.00

“Property & Building Administration”

❍ $350.00

❍ $120.00

❍ $500.00

❍ $120.00

“Strategic & Financial Planning for Property Managers”

❍ $375.00

❍ $120.00

❍ $525.00

❍ $120.00

“Building Maintenance for Property Managers”

❍ $375.00

❍ $150.00

❍ $525.00

❍ $150.00

–

❍ $450.00

–

❍ $450.00

Manual Title

Set of 4 manuals (1 of each title) Name Position Company Business Address City

Prov

Postal Code

Prov

Postal Code

Bus Phone E-mail Address Residence Address

3.

4.

Strategic and Financial Planning for Property Managers This course is designed to provide a complete review of the accounting process and principles, the managerial use of accounting and financial statements and their analysis, and budget preparation procedures for property managers. In addition, the techniques and approaches for establishing and organizing objectives and implementing strategies will be discussed.

Human Relations for Property Managers Property Managers must develop the analytical and behavioural skills related to supervision of employees. In addition, they must also interact with tenants, owners, sub-contractors and the general public. Topics will include decision making, leadership, delegation, team building, motivation, counselling and coaching, evaluation, discipline, personnel procedures, recruitment, public relations, client/tenant services, owner/ board liaison and business ethics.

City Residence Phone E-mail Address Please use my

❍ Business

❍ Home

❍ Cheque enclosed for $ ❍ Visa

❍ Mastercard

❍ American Express

Card # Expiry Date

/

.

Signature

Please make cheque payable to: Institute of Housing Management 2175 Sheppard Ave. E., Suite 310, Toronto, ON M2J 1W8

INSTITUTE OF HOUSING MANAGEMENT 2175 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 310, Toronto, Ontario M2J 1W8 Telephone: (416) 493-7382 Fax: (416) 491-1670 E-mail: ihm@taylorenterprises.com

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address

Website: ihm-canada.com

IHM News