My 95-year-old father moved in with me last year. Believe it or not, his daily routine is to ride his low-profile bike to the public school, do a few laps around their track, which also surrounds the football field, and then bike home.
Over the past year, he’s become a regular at the track, so much so that he has become casual friends with the head coach who’s also the athletic director. And I might add, Dad loves football. Just like most Texans, he takes football seriously so by being at the track, he gets to take in the team’s practices on a regular basis.
This school in particular is not well-funded, unlike the private boys prep school also in our neighborhood. So a few weeks ago, he decided to give a small donation to the school’s athletic department. We soon discovered that a small donation can make a huge difference.
One night after dinner, we swung by the high school to see if the team was still practicing. It was around 8:00 p.m., and the team was doing various drills in small groups for offense, defense, and special teams. When the head coach, Rudy Powe, recognized us pulling alongside the field, he stopped practice and gathered the team together in the center of the field for a moment. And then they started walking straight toward us.
Rudy was first to pass through the small opening in the fence. He was followed by 60+ sweaty, high schoolers, all weathered by the late summer heat. My dad stepped out of the car in time for Rudy’s big smile and hearty hand shake.
Then, the magic happened.
One by one, for twenty incredible minutes, each member of the W.T. White Longhorns came over to my father, introduced himself as they shook hands and told Dad what year they were in, what position they played, and thanked him for his donation.
I was so moved. I snapped a few pics and took a short video to capture the impromptu demonstration. My dad asked me if I knew anything about this. I admitted I had no earthly idea.
Then, it struck me to go to the teammates so I could thank them for thanking my dad.
That coach taught his team the value of gratitude––to be grateful for what others do for them. There wasn’t an insincere young man in the group. They acted grateful for what Dad had done.
Additionally, I was grateful for the coach and for the example he gave his team. I was thankful for the effort the team made to thank my dad. Then my gratitude for my dad, whose always been my hero, bubbled to the surface. He was my head coach at one time during my pre-high school years. And he led us to an undefeated season as his swan song during his final year of coaching.
So how does this relate to smart property managers? Well, if we step back and look upon our roles as an outsider might, it looks pretty cool.
We oversee the entire operation of (in many cases) a multi-million dollar asset, have a team who works together for a common goal, interact with occupants, municipalities, attorneys, accountants, and consultants who help get the desired outcomes, all from, in many cases, fairly cushy offices.
We’ve got a lot to be thankful for. If it weren’t for our tenants (irate or otherwise), there would be no need for us. If it weren’t for all the problems to solve, there would be no need for us. If it weren’t for the projects to oversee, the value to maintain, and the risks to mitigate, there would be no need for us.
In all cases, every day we step onto our property, we should be thankful. Like the head coach who showed his team how to demonstrate gratitude, we have the very same opportunity each and every day.
We can thank our team for their exceptional contribution.
We can thank our tenants for their input and continued tenancy.
We can thank our vendors for the effort they give day in and day out.
We can thank our clients for the opportunity to serve and make a difference for them.
We can, and we should. But do we?
We all have much to be thankful for. Expressing gratitude isn’t something you do after getting something. It’s a part of who you can be, if you’re mindful.
I know I’ve got much to be thankful for. I think I’ll thank my dad again when I get home tonight for being who he is and setting such a wonderful example of how to be in the world.
Thank you for reading.
