“The only constant in life is change.” That’s not my quote but there are few quotes more appropriate for today’s times. The reality is that “change”—no matter how uncomfortable—is what drives all of us. It is what drives our lives and our industry. Being successful requires us to positively respond to that change.
As I write this, our world is in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. If we didn’t know before, we certainly know now how interconnected and interdependent we are throughout the world. I send my heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all who have been so deeply affected by this crisis and my thank you to all who have been so instrumental in helping those who have suffered or struggled through all these changes.
SIOR has had to respond to change as well. Our delivery of value to our members is no longer dependent on face-to-face relationship-building and informational events. This shift started with the cancellation of TransAct 360 in Indian Wells, one of the most difficult decisions in the history of SIOR, as well as postponing or cancelling numerous chapter and regional events, including the rescheduling of our 3rd SIOR International European Conference in Dublin. Change has required us to quickly pivot to online delivery of content and value.
The reality is, SIOR was already shifting focus more strongly to digital before this crisis, and now exponentially so. Likewise, our members have pivoted to online value as well. Whether it’s via SIOR Central; the numerous, vibrant member group communities; or online panels, speeches, or webinars, SIORs are finding ways to stay connected, stay informed, share advice, network, and deepen connections in new ways.
The recently created SIOR CARE program provides a vehicle for our communities to reach out to SIOR members for assistance needed for facilities advice and services. The response to this initiative continues and SIOR and our members are providing these services on and ongoing basis.
SIOR is also continuing to develop a variety of content sources and outlets to ensure news and resources are easily and efficiently disseminated, helping our members enhance their business and stay updated as much as possible. You’ll find content specific to supporting you and your business through this time and beyond on our SIOR Pulse blog, here in SIOR Report, and on the SIOR website.
This edition of the SIOR Report is quite timely in that we look at unique ways technology can change the role of remote working and can impact your “coworkers.” In this “Your Next Coworker” issue, we take a look at the variety of ways our world at the office—or these days, your home office—are evolving. I’m particularly excited about “Bottoms-Up Management” which looks at the value of having younger mentors offering insights to seasoned brokers.
The fact is, our world has changed—not temporarily, but permanently. Many of the changes will require our clients and you—the CRE professionals—to change. We want you to know that SIOR understands this and is evolving in order to meet your needs. While we look forward to events like CREate 360 in Boston this fall, we continue to develop our online services to deliver you value, for those times we can’t meet.
Thank you to our staff, our leaders, our partners, our sponsors, and our exhibitors for all your work and support. Thank you—our members—for your spirit, your energy, and your leadership of our industry. We all know, “The only constant in life is change.” Change has its challenges…but change is necessary because change always make us better.
Sincerely,
Mark Duclos, SIOR
SIOR Global President
duclos@sentrycommercial.com