By Maureen Johnson, HR Director (South Bend, IN)

Holladay has approximately 116 partnerships for the buildings, land or projects that we own, operate and manage. We celebrate the opening of new projects with fanfare. Then afterward, there are meetings set up, anywhere from weekly, monthly or quarterly to review these projects to see how they are operating. If a project isn’t working out, our managers commit themselves to figuring out why it isn’t working, what went wrong in the project and what can be learned from these mistakes. This is what takes place and needs to take place to make sure the partnership is profitable.

Now, I want to take a look at a special partnership, one on which the foundation of this company has been built. That is the partnership between our managers and our employees — what I call our 10,000,000 dollar partnership, but it really is a partnership that is priceless. Since I’m in the HR field, my business is the people business. I wanted to talk about this kind of partnership because this is the one with which I’m most familiar. I also believe this is the most important partnership of the many that we have here at Holladay. So, let me pose a question: Do we take as much interest in the success of our employees as we do in the success of our projects?

The definition of a partnership is a relationship between individuals that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal — our mutual goal is making Holladay the most successful real estate firm company-wide. And to be able to do that takes a strong partnership with managers and the employees they supervise.

First, I want to start with supervisors and ask them some questions, and I want them to answer honestly:

1. Are you giving your employees respect?
2. Are you acknowledging the achievements of your employees in front of them and others?
3. Are you giving them feedback, direction and support?
4. Are you speaking to them in a way that is not degrading or insulting?

If so, congratulations!  If not, there is some work that needs to be done to make this a million dollar partnership.

Employees, let me ask you some questions:

1. Are you giving your manager respect?
2. Are you acknowledging your supervisor’s achievements in front of your fellow employees?
3. Are you going to them directly when you need direction and support and not around them?
4. Are you speaking to them or about them in a way that is not degrading or insulting?

Also, if you’re doing this, congratulations!  If not, there is some work that needs to be done on your part as well.

See, in a partnership, both parties must be willing to work together in order for it to work. And we want Holladay to be around for a long, long, time and to be known as one of the best real estate development firms in the country. Wouldn’t you agree? So, let’s continue to work together on this “priceless” partnership!