There’s a lot of noise again right now. Markets are shifting, global uncertainty is building, and the headlines are doing what they do best, keeping everyone on edge about what’s coming next.
But if you’ve been in this industry long enough, you know this isn’t new. There is always disruption. It just changes shape. One year it’s economic pressure, another it’s regulatory change, and sometimes it’s something as significant as COVID.
In commercial property, no matter your role, sales, leasing, property management or running an agency, you don’t get the option to pause. You work through it. That’s the reality of the job.
What separates those who manage through these periods from those who struggle isn’t luck or timing. It comes down to what’s already been built behind the scenes. The businesses that hold their ground tend to have strong systems, clear processes, and a genuine understanding of their portfolios. They’re not scrambling to figure things out when conditions tighten. They already know where they stand.
More importantly, they have good people. People who understand their role, who can think, and who can step in and make decisions when things aren’t straightforward. That capability doesn’t appear overnight. It’s built over time, through experience and through learning.
COVID made that very clear. It was one of the toughest periods many in this industry have faced. There were difficult conversations happening daily, constant changes to navigate, and a level of pressure that pushed a lot of people to their limits. And yet, at the same time, there were agencies that performed incredibly well.
Not because it was easy. But because they were prepared.
They had balanced portfolios. They had structure in their business. They had people who knew what they were doing and were willing to step up when it mattered. And they kept learning through it, adjusting, refining, improving.
That’s the part that often gets underestimated. Continuous learning isn’t something you come back to when things settle down. It’s what gives you the ability to operate when they don’t.
Understanding leases properly. Knowing your numbers. Running better systems. Communicating clearly. Taking responsibility for your own capability and the capability of your team. These are the things that create stability when everything else feels uncertain. This is exactly where we see the gap across the industry.
And it’s why the Australian Academy of Property exists.
We work with commercial property professionals, agencies and asset owners to strengthen that foundation. Not through theory, but through practical training, real-world frameworks and hands-on consulting that reflects what actually happens day to day in this industry.
That means getting into the detail. Reading leases properly. Understanding outgoings. Building systems that support the business, not create more risk. Training people so they know what they are doing and why they are doing it.
It also means challenging the way things have always been done, where those ways no longer hold up. Because better systems lead to better decisions. And better decisions reduce risk.
Whether it’s through our in-person workshops, online sessions or working directly with agencies, the focus is the same. Lift capability. Build confidence. Create structure that holds up under pressure. Because there will always be another challenge. It may not look like COVID, but something will come that tests how well your business actually operates. And when that happens, it won’t be the market that defines how you perform. It will be your foundation.
So the real question isn’t what’s coming next. It’s whether you’re ready for it.
(C) Wendy Thomson – Australian Academy of Property
