Research

My doctoral research focuses on a question that matters to every organization navigating change:

How can leaders help people stay motivated when their work becomes more difficult, unfamiliar, or disrupted?

Real estate and property management are changing quickly. New technology, AI, centralization, changing resident expectations, labor constraints, regulatory requirements, and increasing pressure for operational efficiency are reshaping the work of maintenance teams, property managers, construction professionals, vendors, and support staff.

Yet most change efforts focus heavily on systems, workflows, deadlines, and compliance. My research explores the human side of operational change: whether helping people understand the purpose behind a challenging task can strengthen meaningful work and intrinsic motivation.

More specifically, my research examines how an employee’s understanding of a task’s purpose may influence motivation during disruptive change, including the role of meaningful work and growth mindset.

This work draws from research on meaningful work, job design, intrinsic motivation, and organizational change. It is grounded in a practical belief: people are more likely to engage with difficult work when they understand why it matters, how they can succeed, and who benefits from doing it well.

My goal is to translate research into usable tools for real estate leaders. That includes practical ways to communicate change, design work, lead teams, implement technology, and build operating environments where accountability and purpose reinforce each other.