There is a scene in the movie Field of Dreams when the voice that originally convinces Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) to turn his cornfield into a baseball field now instructs him to “Go the Distance.” Ray was feeling somewhat pleased with himself at this point in the movie having built the field and locating Terrance Mann (James Earl Jones,) but there was still work to be done in order to realize the ultimate vision, and he needed just a little more prodding to get there.
I thought that this was the same situation as I read through both the BOMA 360 certification program life safety components and the recommendations in the National Preparedness Month notice on how property professionals can maximize preparedness.
Both the programs and recommendations are excellent and go a long way toward helping guide property professionals with regard to what they need to have in place in terms of emergency and risk management guidelines, processes, manuals, training, etc. But, owners and manager need to understand that creating and documenting alone does not mean the objectives of risk management and preparedness have been fully met.
In order to “Go the Distance,” professional owners and managers must also:
- Effectively share and make the information available throughout their organization- This means that it cannot exist in manuals on someone’s shelf, or in documents sitting buried on a network drive
- Make the information actionable
- Educate people (employees, tenants, vendors/service providers) on how to implement and ultimately execute on all of the procedures they have put into place. You don’t want to be practicing this stuff during an actual event or emergency
This is extensive process that requires commitment, and often a partner, to help guide you and support your teams. There is little question that effective and well thought-out risk management and preparedness plans are essential components of today’s property management reality, just make sure you Go the Distance so that your efforts deliver the Field of Dreams you’re hoping for.
Related resources you might be interested in:
The U.S Commercial Office market is suffering unprecedented vacancy rates which are expected to hit 18.6% in 2010 – close to the historic high of 19.3% set in 1990. We are facing a “jobless recovery” as employers focus on workforce efficiencies and try to do more with less…or fewer. Arthur Jones, Senior Economist, CBRE Econometric Advisors Jones’ believes that the current decade will be the first during the post-World War II era in which there is net job-loss in the U.S. Ouch!
So how do we combat this decline? With government handouts like those seen in the auto industry with the advent of the “cash for clunkers” program? No…No… Please no…! These short-term, short-sighted fixes are going to extend the decline, not shorten it. We need to invest in the future and with passage of the “Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act” we might see the kind of industrial investment not seen in fifty years.
We need to be proactive. China and India are among the many countries investing heavily in clean-energy technologies that will produce millions of jobs. Instead of rescuing old and dying industries with tax payer dollars here in the US, we need a longer term strategy that invests in new technologies and new business ideas that grow jobs from within. America needs a farm team for jobs and this Act is just the kind of impetus required to put one in place. Vote Yes with a letter to your representative.
The Green Building initiative alone is a terrific example of what this kind of legislation can do for a struggling economy. “McGraw-Hill Construction’s Green Outlook 2009 report “Trends Driving Change” shows that by 2013, the overall green building market (both residential and non-residential) is likely to more than double to $96 billion – $140 billion.” The USGBC guidelines are creating new demands for materials, new infrastructural changes that will lead to new jobs, new construction and a healthier real estate related environment. ”The Center for American Progress and the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found in a September 2008 study that a national green economic recovery program investing $100 billion over 10 years in six infrastructure areas would create 2 million new jobs!” See, Green buildings Crease Green Jobs for a Green Economy. That’s good news for all.
