Our regional trainers are our cultural role models. They are the go-to, knowledgeable and believable resources for our associates, and they set the gold standard at our properties.
Loop is highlighting TCG trainers from every market – next up, we travel to Louisville to chat with one of our newest trainers, Ashley Matos.
Ashley joined The Connor Group in July of 2020 in Nashville. She helped sell Waterford Place and was promoted to trainer at the August awards breakfast before moving on to Louisville.
QUESTION: What did you do before The Connor Group?
ANSWER: I worked in restaurants for 15 years – everything from general manager to training. Training is a bit of a natural fit for me. I’m really motivated by other people’s success. When you like to develop others and help them succeed, that makes you gravitate toward training.
Q: Were you surprised by your promotion?
A: I had no idea. I had some challenges and had to fix some problems, so I expected it to be another year. Basically, I was too emotional and I took feedback personally. I needed to get used to Connor Group culture. It’s more of an understanding that it’s not personal. People really want you to be better and they want you to grow and develop. In my former career, I was used to being the person at the top. So learning and taking feedback was like starting over for me.
Q: What was your training like?
A: It was crazy. I was kind of a COVID baby. We didn’t have boot camps. I was in a brand-new acquisition at Waterford Place with Kim Whitesell. I had been with us 60 days and I had to go run Cross Creek, which was a new acquisition. It was quick.
Q: What did Kim teach you?
A: She taught me grit and not to take no for an answer.
Q: What is the hardest thing to train a manager for?
A: Yeah, not everything is in the book. The hardest thing is probably learning how to give people feedback without crushing their spirit. So in the first 60 days, you’re going to have to tell a salesperson they can’t answer their phone because their conversion rate isn’t high enough. The trick is to give honest feedback, motivate and offer solutions. If someone isn’t succeeding, you want to give feedback, lead them to the solution and reward and recognize them. That’s the biggest thing. Close out the Circle of Success – with reward and recognition or consequences.
Q: You said you’re motivated by the success of others. Whose success are you most proud of?
A: Valerie Ellis. She was my first manager to test out and she’s dominated it at Cross Creek. They hit their revenue target right out of the gate. She’s a high performer.
Q: What’s it been like becoming a part of the training department?
A: I’ve been to two trainer meetings, so I know everyone now. Courtney (Dies) and Jennie (Juran) have taken me under their wing. But yeah, it was a humbling experience to say the least. They’re just so knowledgeable. And there are so many little things they know that I don’t know yet. The most striking thing was that everyone has a different strength or personality trait that makes them successful. It’s like everyone has their own superpower that complements one another. I was thinking, “What’s my superpower going to be?”
