An apartment manager must strive to earn respect in every contact with tenants. If you are a person who has an emotional need to be liked, you will find it difficult to be an effective manager.

A manager must not establish personal friendships or business dealings with tenants. That behavior compromises a manager's capability to act objectively and in behalf of the employer when adverse conditions arise. A tenant's personal affairs or financial status can change--often does. When that happens an apartment manager must be able to act, without reservation, to protect the interests of the employer. A tenant may lose a job and be unable to pay the rent. A tenant may sustain a business failure and be unable to pay the rent. A tenant may suffer a health failure or injury and be unable to pay the rent. A couple may develop a domestic problem, separate, and the stay-behind tenant may be unable to pay the rent. A tenant may become involved in criminal activity and be unable to pay the rent. A tenant may lose money gambling and be unable to pay the rent. A tenant may succumb to the temptation to spend more money than the tenant's income can sustain and then be unable to pay the rent. All of these things happen. The apartment manager must be able to act, without reserve, and without conflict of interest if it becomes necessary to evict a tenant or take other harsh action. There is a difference between "friend" and "friendly." Being friendly will promote managerial success; being a friend of a tenant risks managerial failure.