Tyrell Murray's Growth at Cushman & Wakefield: Career Insights Part Two

Laura: How would you describe the main responsibilities of your current job?

Tyrell Murray: With the changing generations in the workforce, leading and managing a team now is different than in the past. Early in my career I had a passion to grow and was self-motivated. I had a hunger and a fire to succeed. I’ve found that employees now are looking for a workplace where they feel appreciated, cared for and valued first, so my work isn’t just about client relationships, operations and maintaining the success of my properties – it also includes being a cheerleader, teacher, counselor, fire fighter, and more.

Laura: Going into your background, are there any skills or experience that you found are especially helpful in your current job?

Tyrell Murray: Yes, most evidently. While I was a manager, I was attending school to finish my Bachelor’s degree in Business Operations & Business Management, and then I went on to complete a MBA in Executive Leadership and Operations. Having that educational background coupled with the technical skills makes you a great operator. You don’t need a degree to work in this industry, but if you have one, it helps you understand how what you're learning and dealing with ties into business from the financial aspect, risk management, human resources, marketing, and so on. Having the experience coupled with the education also helps me with my confidence.

And then last year, I went to earn my CAM [Certified Apartment Manager] certification. After being in the industry for 20 years I thought I knew everything, but that class helped me realign back to the basics. Sometimes the basics are more effective than relying too much on technology and automation. We forget that the human experience is the reason why this industry is so successful today.

The CAM certification challenged me because I had to fully understand things, especially the financial part – things like cap rate, and I was tested on my knowledge. I think of myself as a financial guru but had to brush up on some things. My mentor Kim Senior taught me these things, but if you're not applying them every day, you forget.

Laura: Is there any particular training or education that somebody needs to have for your role?

Tyrell Murray: Experience is the best teacher for this role. There are some states that require a real estate certification, but Georgia does not.

Laura: What advice do you have for someone who wants to work in a role like yours or who is starting out their career journey?

Tyrell Murray: Set realistic expectations and be patient, and it's not going to happen overnight. Be humble. I was good at a lot of things, but there were still things that I needed to develop before I went into the Regional Manager role. If I didn't have the mentorship I had, I would have failed.

So even if you’ve been a manager for three or five years and you know how to do a budget and complete some re-classes and accruals, there's so much more to the Regional Manager job, and you need to be doing that work before you get the position.

Laura: Have you had any mentors or anyone who's inspired and helped you through your career?

Tyrell Murray: There are many, some who don’t work for this company. At C&W, Kim Senior. I wouldn't be in this role without her support. Also Tony Pistone.

Laura: What motivates you? What's your why?

Tyrell Murray: The easy answer is for the paycheck, but the deeper answer is that I like to win, I’m competitive. I like to think like an owner and have an answer before they ask the question. When a property succeeds, we all shine. What makes me do this every day is that I know that despite the challenges or stresses I face, there's an end game to this. And the end game is how quickly and how fast can we win? And winning can be repositioning an asset for success, or making an already succeeding asset improve to where the client says, “wow you’re really good over there.”

I get up with the idea that every day is a new opportunity to win, and I like small wins. Smalls wins for me may be that I was able to fill a position, make a resident happy, or finish a capital project before schedule and under budget.

Laura: How do you show colleagues/residents/clients that you care?

Tyrell Murray: I deliver on my promises. As a Regional Manager, I get a lot of calls from customers, employees, and vendors. If I say that I'm going to do something and I intentionally engage a resident (or anybody for that matter), I follow through personally. For me it's the personal touch.

Laura: What makes you feel cared for at work?

Tyrell Murray: When the company listens to our suggestions. If I'm offered a seat at the table and I make a suggestion that would benefit the company or property or client, and that suggestion is considered, I feel valued. As boots on ground, I know what solutions are needed before the clients ask, and ideas I share present opportunities for C&W and client success. My direct engagement with the property and the client is one of the main reasons they’re happy, and they promote C&W, which leads to our growth.