VOICES | Finding Common Ground in Multifamily | October 2026
A thought-leadership series curated by the AANC DEI Committee, focused on understanding, collaboration, and inclusive leadership in the multifamily industry.
Because progress begins when we listen.
by Savanti Diggs, AANC DEI Committee Member
In multifamily, communication is at the center of almost everything we do. From leasing apartments and building relationships with residents to interviewing candidates and developing future leaders, our ability to connect with people matters.
But have you ever stopped to think about whether the way someone speaks influences how we perceive their ability?
Maybe someone has a strong Southern accent. Maybe they use different phrases, have a different tone, or simply communicate differently than what we are accustomed to. Without realizing it, could those differences influence who we view as “professional,” a good “culture fit,” or ready for the next opportunity?
In the Harvard Business Review article, “Research: How Speech Patterns Shape Opportunity at Work,” research explores how a person’s accent, speech patterns, and communication style can influence how they are perceived in the workplace and, ultimately, the opportunities they may receive.
This really resonated with me because multifamily is an incredibly diverse and people-focused industry. Our teams and residents come from different cultures, regions, generations, and backgrounds, and naturally, we are not all going to communicate the same way.
As leaders, we should challenge ourselves to make sure we are evaluating people based on their actual skills, performance, and potential rather than how familiar or comfortable their communication style feels to us.
Different does not mean less capable. And as we continue to build more inclusive workplaces, creating space for people to communicate authentically may help us recognize talent and potential that could otherwise be overlooked.
