MASTERS IN GREEN

GREENAt Arizona State University, candi­dates for the masters of real estate development program are now required to take the LEED ac­creditation exam prior to graduating. "They recog­nize that the built environ­ment of the future needs to be sustainable in all measures," explains R. "Ryc" Nicholas Loope, director of the program. Arizona State is not alone in its environmen­tal push: Bainbridge Graduate Institute near Seattle offers sustainable MBA and executive certificate courses. - Margot Carmichael Lester

Are Women Better Leaders?

A survey on gender and leadership released this summer by the Pew Research Center asked 2,250 U.S. adults to rate men and women on eight leadership traits. In two of the eight qualities?hardworking and ambitious?respondents considered men and women equals. Men prevailed on decisiveness. Female leaders were rated tops for honesty, compassion, creativity, outgoing, and intelligent.
- Margot Carmichael Lester

Next Up

Three tips to better manage millennials.

Photo: Lane Co. CALL THEM MILLENNIALS, Echo Boomers, or Generation Y. They came into the world between 1982 and 1994, and now they're entering the workplace. At the end of the day, industry executives say good management techniques?teamwork, ethics, empowerment?will be successful with any age group, but Gen Y does have its own set of quirks. Here are three pieces of advice from three multifamily leaders on how to empower, motivate, and manage tomorrow's leaders.

Photo: Wermers COMMUNICATE CLEARLY. "They don't appreciate being left out of the loop. The information is a Web search away, anyway; they may say, 'I can Google it, so just tell me.'"; ?Bill Garrett, vice president of associate services, Lane Co., Atlanta

Photo: David Shopper OFFER VARIED TRAINING. "We make sure they get to experience the broad spectrum of skills and activities involved in the building process, from pre-construction through the completed project. We also place them for a few months with a senior manager that has a specific skill set and let them train each other."; ?Jeff Bunker, president, The Wermers Cos., San Diego

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY. "This generation relies on technology to communicate and network. To an older generation, it may seem strange, but someone who is 21 might wonder why you don't have it."; ?Daniel Stravinski, senior vice president of human resources, Berkshire Property Advisors, Boston

Executive Feedback

What's the biggest leader­ship challenge facing your company in 2009?

Photo: Epcom Communities A: The question of where to allocate capital and resources. With construction financing becoming increasingly scarce, many are being forced to shift business plans significantly. Leaders of transaction-oriented companies such as developers will have to force an overall shift in mindset for their organizations, realizing that if they don't, they may not survive.
?Greg Belew, principal, Fifth Square Partners, New York

Photo: Epcom Communities A: There are strong forces beyond our control that can impact the way we do business. Today, we are challenging our associates and partners to stay focused and, at the same, to be agile and flexible. While it's important to celebrate success, it's even more critical to prepare for the next challenge.
?Nanette Overly, vice president of sales and marketing, Epcon Communities, Dublin, Ohio

Photo: Epcom Communities A: To create and implement a vision and business plan with proper assumptions of where debt and equity markets will be over the next three years. Accurate predictions on the availability of credit will become more challenging. [But] as fear subsides, we believe banks and investors will be most comfortable directing their money towards appropriately priced real estate assets in highly concentrated job centers with constrained land availability.
?Jason Kliewer, president, Trumark Cos., Danville, Calif.

Best Sellers

An executive coach and a multifamily exec name their top leadership books.

Phil Holcomb, co-founder of Seattle-based executive coaching firm Extraordinary Learning, suggests:

Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior by David R. Hawk-ins (Hay House, 2002)
Not for the cynic, this book illuminates the time-less struggle between power and force. An eye-opener, way beyond anything you learned in business school.

Primal Leadership?earning to Lead With motional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis & Annie McKee (Harvard Business School ess, 2004)
Strategy, vision, and authority are not enough for leaders in the 21st century. Great leaders know themselves and inspire others on an emotional level.

Eric Wilson, director of construc-tion at U.S. Capital Holdings, based in Plantation, Fla., recommends:

Obvious Adams by Robert Updegraff (Kessinger Publish-ing, 2004)
Most people over-think business solutions. Some-times, the easiest way to solve a problem is right in front of you.

Jack Welch and the GE Way: Management Insights and Leadership Secrets of the Legendary CEO by Robert Slater (McGraw-Hill, 1998)
A recounting of how corporate America works. Business as usual has got to change, and executives need to understand they are the ones to do it.