A Picture is Worth a
Thousand Compliments
BY SHERI BRODIE, CSRA CHAPTER
work as the Property Manager for the Savannah River
Ecology Laboratory (SREL), a small research facility
funded primarily by the Department of Energy (DOE)
and operated by the University of Georgia (UGA) on the
Savannah River Site, in Aiken, South Carolina. Although
we may be small (around 150 full-time people with an
annual budget of around $12 million), we are durable. We
just celebrated our 52nd anniversary this past October
2003. Because we are such a small facility, it only takes one
person, i.e. me, to oversee the Property Management Program as required by DOE. My responsibilities include the
day-to-day control of both DOE and UGA property performing or indirectly overseeing all the property management activities from purchasing to disposal and all activities in between.
As with a number of agencies, the budget crunch has
hit us during the last five years, especially since DOE primarily funds us. Many factors contribute to this lack of
funding such as a change in Administration, the cost of
fighting terrorism and supporting the troops in Iraq.
Attempting to stretch our own budget dollars sometimes
results in storing property for longer periods of time.
Instead of sending to excess those items that are still in
good working condition, we tend to think we will use it
again in the future, and we store it. Yes, we store it and
store it and store it. We store everything from a Ph meter
to the lumber used on a previous field project. This has led
to a number of storage buildings popping up. At present, I
count 55 Handi House storage buildings on our location.
As with all companies, we have individuals who are pack
rats and will keep anything forever unless forced to do otherwise, “just in case we may need it again.” I suppose I
can’t really blame them, budgets being as tight as they are.
One of my responsibilities involves conducting periodic
inspections of these storage buildings and then trying to
get people to excess property they don’t need to keep. Have
you ever tried to get blood from a turnip? This has been a
huge learning process over the years. I think I have finally
figured out the best way to get this done. Compliment,
compliment, compliment, rather than nag, nag, nag.
Here’s what I mean…
Three years ago, while conducting inspections, I started
carrying a digital camera with me. On one particular walkthrough I came upon a couple of storage buildings that
definitely required some attention. I took a picture of the
inside condition of each building. When sending out my
notice to the persons responsible for each building, I
attached the pictures. My notice gave them a deadline to
BEFORE
AFTER
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Volume 16, Issue 1 – 2004
The best part was that I printed the pictures of the “before” and “after” and posted
them on the Property Management bulletin board just outside my office for all to see.
When sending out notices to indiclean the building. After they had
viduals to clean their buildings, I
cleaned the building, I inspected it
remind them that the inspection
again and took another picture.
results will be posted on the “Wall
When I sent an e-mail to the perof Fame.”
son, with a copy to their supervisor,
It’s very uplifting to watch how a
congratulating them on a job well
little recognition and a little appredone, I included the “before” and
ciation will affect someone. It’s dif“after” pictures of the building. The
ficult to know how much work
response I received back was very
someone has done unless you have
positive. One reason I received such
evidence of the “before” and
positive feedback was because I had
“after.” And pictures don’t lie. It
actually followed up on the inspecThe Property Management
has made my job of getting buildtion. I realized that often people are
“Wall of Fame” Bulletin Board
ings cleaned a whole lot easier. A
asked to do things and if no one
picture truly is worth a thousand words and perhaps worth
follows up on whether or not they actually did it, they feel
a thousand compliments.
it was a waste of time. Another reason was by sending the
As I finish this article, I have pictures posted on the
“before” and “after” pictures to them, they knew that I
bulletin board outside my office from an inspection I did
knew how hard they worked. The pictures were evidence
this past December. The pictures will remain on the bulto me, to them, and to their supervisor that they had done
letin board for about two months so that everyone has an
an excellent job. The best part was that I printed the picopportunity to see them. They identify who did the work
tures of the “before” and “after” and posted them on the
so congratulations can be passed on. This is such a small
Property Management bulletin board just outside my
thing to do. But it makes a difference. Many items get
office for all to see. You wouldn’t believe the number of
posted on the Property Management bulletin board outpeople who commented.
side my office, such as listings of Missing Property, items
The next time I sent out a notice to someone requestavailable in the Property Pool, copies of the SREL Property
ing that they clean up their building, they actually
Pamphlet, etc. Posting pictures of the good work people
responded to me asking if I was going to take “before” and
have done may be one of the most effective tools I have
“after” pictures to post. “Of course,” I responded, to their
found that helps make my job a little nicer and easier. ◆
delight. The bulletin board where I post the “before” and
“after” pictures has become known as the “Wall of Fame.”
BEFORE
Volume 16, Issue 1 – 2004
AFTER
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