Being a Landlord Can Teach You About Communication
Never underestimate the importance of communication. Healthy communication with your spouse can lead to a healthier, more supportive marriage.
In the workplace, it can lead to stronger collaboration and long-term success. And in your daily interactions, it can help you resolve disputes – and even become more likable.
While it’s possible to learn communication fundamentals from classes, therapy, and lessons taught by other people, I’ve found the best way to perfect your communication skills is through experience. As a landlord managing multiple properties, my communication skills are tested every day – and I’ve learned some essential lessons along the way.
1. Communication is important.
First and foremost, I’ve come face-to-face with the importance of communication. If my ability to listen and be understood slips, or I don’t treat communication as the priority it deserves to be, I face the consequences.
- Tenant satisfaction. Good communication leads to higher tenant satisfaction. Bad communication leads to resentment and volatility in the relationship.
- Tenant retention. Healthy communication habits also lead to higher rates of tenant retention, one of the greatest results of a more stable relationship (because it means more consistent income).
- Conflict resolution. Conflicts inevitably arise when you manage properties, either between you and the tenant or between other parties involved; with better communication, you can resolve those conflicts more readily.
2. Small talk serves a purpose.
Most of us feel some resentment toward small talk. On the surface, it sounds inconsequential and even boring. But it does serve a purpose. It’s a great way to warm up to another person and build familiarity. You can get used to their communication patterns with a non-threatening topic and possibly learn more about them as a person. Don’t underestimate its value.
3. Expectations are everything.
I find that my relationships with tenants depend heavily on the expectations we mutually set. If I say I’m going to fix something in 2 weeks, but it takes 3, they’re apt to be upset. If I say I’m going to fix something in 4 weeks, but it gets done in 3, they’re going to be happy. I can under-promise and over-deliver as a simple way to swing the power of expectations in my favor, but it’s more than that: It’s also about managing my own expectations and gathering information about my tenants’ preconceived expectations.
4. Different people require different approaches.
As a landlord, I’m in contact with a variety of different individuals on a regular basis. I talk to tenants, work with contractors, and decide which property managers to partner with. And I can’t use the same relational strategies for all of them – each requires a somewhat different approach. Knowing who you’re talking to, in terms of personality, goals, and disposition, should make a big difference in how you speak to them.
5. There’s never a reason to be impolite.
From time to time, things get heated. The rent is late. A neighbor complains about noise. I’m not happy all the time. But being upset, or even downright angry, is no excuse to be impolite. Maintaining social niceties will always make my messages easier to accept.
6. Prompt responses can ease tension.
No one can be available 24/7, but I’ve found that a prompt response can go a long way toward building a better working relationship. If I don’t know the answer to the question, answering quickly with something like “I don’t know, but I’ll find out for you” is much better than just avoiding contact for days.
7. It’s important to have multiple channels of communication.
I’ve also discovered just how vital multiple communication channels can be. For long-form discussions and exchanging files, email is fine. But for emergencies, phone calls and text messages are the better way to go. Beyond that, people have different preferences: Some have confidence in their writing ability and lean toward written communication, while others would much rather hash things out orally.
8. Listening is better than talking.
It’s hard to overstate the value of active listening. Hearing what another person has to say will provide you with more information, which you can use to solve problems faster as well as to understand the other party better. It’s also cathartic for the other person; just listening to them often makes the person feel better about a bad situation. If you talk too much and dominate the engagement, it’s more likely going to make you look bad.
9. Honesty breeds trust.
Finally, I’ve learned how much honesty leads to greater trust. If you’re transparent and forthright with your tenants, they’ll come to trust everything you say. Sometimes, it’s hard to be honest – such as when you explain that a repair is going to take longer than you had originally anticipated – but being upfront about the situation goes a long way.
With greater trust comes a better relationship – and more open communication on both sides. It won’t happen overnight. Good communication demands your attention and takes a lot of work. But if you’re familiar with the fundamentals and willing to put some extra effort into it, you can bring more value to all your relationships and experiences.
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This content is brought to you by Larry Alton.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
