Thursday 23 October 2014

Hot Potato Hot Potato


Are you passing the baton or throwing a hot potato?

Remember the game “hot potato” when we were kids?  That game which involved a circle of people tossing a small beanbag or tennis ball to each other while music played?  The player who is holding the “hot potato when the music stops, is out!”

Many tasks, issues, queries and complaints fly across our desks every day that need to be addressed. Often we may not be the correct person to address or solve these tasks and issues, and I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of throwing a hot potato onto that person. And when that music stops, they are left holding the hot potato.  Perhaps we’ve been the person left holding the hot potato - the unresolved issue or angry client.

It’s time to stop throwing a hot potato to your team mates and start to look at how you can turn property management into a super efficient baton pass.  Remember the relay team that train for hours to ensure the timing, speed, release and capture all run seamlessly for a perfect handover? 

We need to bring the baton pass into property management, helping our team mates, managers and even clients by taking responsibility to ensure that all of the information and intelligence is handed over to the correct person, quickly, efficiently and seamlessly. 

By taking responsibility and spending a few extra moments to capture and relay more information (ensuring we’ve done all we can from our end), we can actually save time for ourselves and the other person.  This way they won’t have to come back to you asking the questions, or spend time picking up the pieces later, in turn saving ourselves some stress along the way.  Not to mention saving potentially the client having to re-explain themselves over and over again. 

I challenge you to ask yourselves this week as tasks and issues are handed over and allocated across your team and even to your clients, are you throwing a hot potato or passing a baton! 

If you missed last weeks 'To Do List', simply click here for a copy!

Hermione Gardiner

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