Far too many years ago, in college business courses, I learned the three skills necessary for good management. Somehow they stuck with me and I have come back or referred to them many times. They are:
- Technical – Understanding and use of techniques, knowledge and tools of a specific industry.
- Human – Ability to work effectively with and through people.
- Conceptual – Seeing the business as a whole and understanding how each part interacts with the other parts.
While every small office is different in size and scope, these three skills have seen me successfully through the industries I have participated in and remain relevant today.
As Haedrich & Company, Inc., office manager, my duties may run from making sure we don’t run out of copy paper or changing light bulbs, from paying bills and human resource issues, to accurate and timely financial statements with detailed financial accounting specific to the commercial real estate industry. Over the years, I have been privileged to manage commercial buildings for clients, including leasing and risk management.
I have utilized real estate and financial technical knowledge; worked within the company and with building owners’ and tenants of properties requiring effective human skills; made suggestions and decisions to move the company forward conceptually, virtually all of my duties have required some aspect of the three skills for good management.
While larger businesses have specific departments to handle one aspect of a company, i.e. a human resources department, and managers have multiple employees, a small office requires its people to have knowledge of many aspects of a business without necessarily focusing on just one. In this small business there is always something new to apply the three management skills to.
Here at Haedrich & Company we work as a team. Each team member brings skills necessary for good management to the office. Along with collective years of knowledge and experience in the commercial real estate market, including property management, this team effort equips our company with the capability of providing superior customer service to our clients.
About Karen Ehrlich
Karen came to Haedrich & Co., Inc. with an extensive, successful career in accounting, business management and human resources. Her experience includes the construction, medical and publishing fields. Karen is responsible for the accounting operations and completes multiple, monthly financial statements and information in a timely, accurate and efficient manner. Karen is a licensed real estate salesperson. Her proven strengths in ethics, creativity, leadership, judgment, decision making and communication skills make her a great support member for our staff.