Start Before You're Ready: The Secret to CRE Leadership

Nov 8

If you wait until you're ready, you're already behind.

In commercial real estate, the illusion of "readiness" is one of the most expensive lies we tell ourselves.

We wait to launch a new system until the old one fails. We wait to promote a team member until they're fully polished. We wait to pitch a new idea until every detail is perfect.

But in this industry, leadership favors the ones who move early, not the ones who move when it's safe. By the time you're comfortable, you're already behind.

This isn't recklessness, it's strategic speed. And in today's market, with the economy positioned for growth and generational opportunities emerging, early movers are claiming the high ground while others are still planning.

The Cost of Waiting

Delaying action doesn't just slow momentum, it compounds costs and erodes competitive position.

While you're "still evaluating," preventive maintenance gets delayed and repair costs triple. Tenants leave because no one acted on their feedback from six months ago. Underperforming vendors stay on contract because no one made the hard call.

Market timing costs are even steeper. While you're perfecting your strategy, another leader is already working on that office building. While you're fine-tuning your digital infrastructure plan, tenants are choosing properties with systems already in place.

Perfection creates paralysis. The best CRE leaders move with speed and clarity, even when conditions are uncertain.

Examples

Property Management: Manager A delays implementing a new vendor onboarding SOP. They're "still reviewing options." Manager B builds a simple version in one afternoon and tests it at a single site. Six months later: Manager B has a proven system portfolio-wide. Manager A is still "working on it."

Lease Negotiations: Developer A waits for "market clarity" before pursuing that mixed-use opportunity. Developer B structures a flexible deal with contingencies and locks in the site. When the market shifts favorably, who's positioned to capitalize?

Team Development: Principal A delays promoting that promising associate until they're "fully ready." Principal B promotes early with clear support structures. Result: Principal B retains top talent while Principal A watches them leave for competitors.

Smart Speed

Use the 70/30 Rule with strategic guardrails:

70% confidence is enough to act, but not blindly. Maintain these non-negotiables:

Financial exposure limits: Set clear boundaries on risk exposure for any early move
Stakeholder communication: Keep key players informed, even when moving fast
Exit strategies: Always have a Plan B before you execute Plan A

The remaining 30% is where leadership is forged through iteration and real-world feedback.

Action Culture

For Your Team: Create decision-making clarity by establishing "decision rights", who can act without approval up to what threshold. A property manager shouldn't need three signatures for a required repair, and your leasing team shouldn't need board approval for standard tenant improvements.

For Yourself: Document your reasoning for fast decisions. Not for others to judge, but to improve your own pattern recognition. Track what worked, what didn't, and why.

Market Advantage

Right now, "start before ready" isn't just good leadership, it's competitive necessity. Organizations that move decisively on positioning, technology adoption, and talent development are creating separation from the field.

The economic recovery is creating opportunities in adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, and tenant experience enhancement. These windows don't stay open long.

Action Framework

1. Identify Your Delay Zone Pick one area where you're stuck, a tenant issue you're avoiding, a vendor decision you're putting off, a process you know needs overhaul, or a team member ready for more responsibility.

2. Set Your Guardrails Before you move, establish your risk limits, communication plan, and exit strategy. This prevents costly mistakes.

3. Use This Prompt Paste into any LLM or Cre Pro on ChatGPT: "Act like a strategic property manager. I want to take action on [insert delay]. Build me a 3-step plan I can execute this week with clear risk mitigation, even if conditions aren't perfect."

4. Make One 15-Minute Move Write the draft. Call the vendor. Message your team. Submit the work order. Schedule the meeting. Build the prompt.

5. Set 30-Day Check-In Calendar a review to measure results and adjust course. Early action means early feedback.

It's not about the perfect step, it's about starting with intention. Too many professionals are focused on how busy they look and not how productive they are.

Examples

Office Market Recovery: Don't wait for "market clarity" to improve tenant experience. Start with pilot programs now, measure what works and what doesn't.

Adaptive Reuse Opportunities: While others are studying feasibility, structure deals with contingencies that let you move when ready.

Technology Adoption: Implement basic systems now and upgrade later, rather than waiting for the "perfect" solution. Learning what may not work is just as important as learning what will.

Talent Development: Promote promising team members with support structures rather than waiting for "complete readiness."