Property Management Software

Beyond Tasks: People-First Strategies for Closing the Performance Gap

Author: Brittany Benz September 15, 2025

AppFolio recently hosted a webinar where a panel of experts brought their unique experiences in the property management industry to the roundtable. The interactive discussion included a lively Q&A session from webinar attendees that touched on topics most affecting property managers today, including industry-wide shifts, moving away from task-based models, and supporting teams through expected business evolutions.

Keep reading for expert insights from Josh Winch, President of Focus Property Management; Sara Scarborough Graham, Founder and CEO of Six Dots; and Cat Allday, Vice President of Product at AppFolio.

Clarify Success: Create a Foundation for Navigating Any Industry Shift

The property management industry has seen more than its fair share of ups and downs over the last several years. However, with so many external factors falling outside of individual control, today’s biggest challenges are especially difficult for teams to navigate.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of constants that can help anchor teams, even in the most uncertain times. Josh explains:

“I know a couple things will never go out of style: 1) Providing people with jobs they love; 2) Providing residents with houses they’re proud of; 3) Giving back to the community; and 4) Making sure that you are the best-looking property in that community. If you can do all of that, you’ll be successful in any environment and through any change.”

When it comes to handling larger issues outside of their control, Josh and his team have learned to shift their perspective. Instead of getting overwhelmed by obstacles, they look for opportunities that are available instead.

But, in order to best take advantage of new circumstances, property management teams must first have thoroughly defined the metrics that matter, as well as how they make an impact on the bottom line. Here’s how Focus Property Management sets that foundation for themselves:

Clearly communicate what success looks like: If you don’t know exactly what success means for your business in terms of people and processes — or how results will be measured by which KPIs — then your teams won’t know what to work toward.
Make sure teams know their goals and roles: Everyone should understand how their specific role and responsibilities ladder up to and impact the success of the business. Every team member is both an individual and a collaborative contributor when it comes to building your property management business’s reputation.

Remove Roadblocks: Empower Teams To Achieve Real Performance

Property management teams face myriad roadblocks to getting work done on a daily basis. This is especially true when operational efficiency is measured in units of tasks; this approach can trap teams into never-ending cycles of to-dos.

Instead, Cat recommends really taking a look at what drains your team’s time, and finding ways to free them to focus on what matters most — outcomes that drive business forward:

“There are a lot of things team members do simply because automation hasn’t been put into place, or it’s a task that’s just been put on their list. Finding opportunities to remove busywork and tasks that don’t really matter from their day-to-day activities will help them focus on higher-value work.”

In addition, Josh also suggests making business and success insights truly transparent outside of the leadership team. In other words, businesses need to get the right data to the people who need it most, so they can make more informed decisions:

“The mistake people make is that they want to know all the data, and then tell teams all the tasks to do, versus saying, ‘Here’s the data. How do you think we can improve upon these results?’ Ultimately, your team should know the business better than you do. The more real-time visibility they have, the more empowered they are to make decisions.”

Change Management: Making Operational Shifts Stick

Even when teams are ready and prepared to make shifts, putting changes into place — and making sure they stick for the long-term — can be a challenge. As Sara elaborates:

“Change management is so important; you cannot bolt transformation onto an old operating model. Otherwise, change will just feel performative instead of becoming permanent.”

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to transforming the way your teams work, Sara emphasizes reinforcing and gaining alignment across three change management pillars:

Structure: Any new structure must align with a well-thought-out strategy. If org charts, incentive systems, and workflows still reinforce the “old way” of working, progressive change won’t take hold.
Story: The “why” behind the change needs to be explained and echoed by every level of leadership. When team members understand exactly why new processes or tools are coming in, they are more likely to help one with short-term issues in order to accomplish long-term benefits.
Safety: Psychological safety is essential for change management. Normalize learning curves for new systems and take the pressure off teams to be perfect on day one.

More Ways To Create a Value Ecosystem Where Everyone Wins

Want even more insights from Josh, Sara, and Cat? Watch their on-demand webinar to dive deeper into their unique points of view and hear them share their experience with creating value ecosystems where everyone — including businesses, owners, teams, and residents — wins.

Key Takeaways

Clarify Success: Teams must define success, measure results with KPIs, and ensure everyone understands their goals and roles to navigate external challenges.
Remove Roadblocks: Empower teams by eliminating “busywork” through automation and transparent data, allowing them to focus on high-value work.
Change Management: Successful, lasting operational shifts require aligning structure with strategy, clearly communicating the “why” behind changes, and fostering psychological safety.

Brittany Benz

Content Marketing Manager, AppFolio

As a Content Marketing Manager at AppFolio, Brittany is passionate about empowering real estate professionals with engaging and insightful content. She orchestrates the editorial calendar and content production, ensuring every piece delivers value. Drawing on over 12 years of content marketing expertise and a strong creative writing background, Brittany is driven to provide the essential resources that propel the industry to thrive and succeed.