EMPATHY GOES A LONG WAY AT WORK TOO

CH PRINCIPLE #14: Walk-In Others' Shoes​

" You cannot understand someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes."

This is a well known quote (author unknown). You have probably said or heard it a time or two in your life. Its emphasis is on the importance of empathy and how we can make efforts to understand each others' world.  Know their challenges and frustrations.  See the world from their perspective.  The better you understand, the more effectively you can anticipate and meet their needs. This principle is applied to the Crummack Huseby teams, but it can be applied within any industry and even your personal life.

Being able to empathize means to be capable of identifying and understanding another person's feelings, without experiencing them for yourself at that particular moment. It is the ability to experience the world from another person's perspective; to walk in their shoes, to view life from their living conditions and to feel what it feels like to be that person.

Our customers call, email or stop by our office because they need help from us. The problems vary, and at any time it could be about a violation letter they receive, a fine on their account, or a lien on a past due account...and they are probably very upset. I can relate to this personally because many years ago I received a series of violation letters from the management company. In my opinion, they were nuisance letters over a bucket or other small items being left on the side of my house for short periods of time. It was humiliating to me to receive the letters, and it was very frustrating that the management company or board was "nit-picking" violations (sound familiar?). I corrected the issues but never contacted the management company office (SHAME ON ME). 

I am reminded of this feeling every time I talk to a homeowner that is upset.  I try to understand by actively listening, repeating the problem(s) back, and then I offer solutions to take care of the issue.  The answer does not always have to be, " we will have to refer that to the board of directors for review and decision..." Be creative and find a way to help, if you can.

We can also try to be more empathetic toward each other in the office. We all have good days and days that prove to be more challenging than others. How can we help each other out? I can think of many of our Fundamentals that would apply here, but knowing and understanding a co-worker's challenges and frustrations, and then anticipating needs (offering to help), could turn a challenging day around for someone.

We all have the power to truly feel another person's struggles if we only take the time and thought to do so.

ABOUT CRUMMACK HUSEBY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.

Orange County, California, based Crummack Huseby Property Management, Inc., manages many diverse HOA’s and master planned communities in Southern California. They have added value to communities by working with HOAs, homebuilders, and land developers through their collaborative and customized approach. Crummack Huseby’s personalized philosophy to community management has allowed them to successfully discover and develop one-of-a-kind programs for new and existing communities.  They offer professional business planning, governance, community management, financial only management, planning, and forecasting services for community associations. They also have been recognized as One of the Best Places to Work by the Orange County Business Journal in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Founders Sandy Huseby and Margo Crummack each have more than 30 years of experience in Common Interest Development (CDI) management. Crummack Huseby Property Management obtained an AAMC® Accreditation status which highlights their focus and commitment to deliver total customer satisfaction.  If you would like to learn more about Crummack Huseby Property Management Inc., they look forward to learning about your community and understanding your needs and how they can best support your community. For more information - Start a Conversation, email info@ch-pm.com, or call 949-367-9431.