The Uncomfortable Truths About Transformation at Scale │ Managing 40,000+ Apartments ft. Chris Lahna of Dominium

The hardest part of adopting new technology isn't the software. It's the people. Chris Lahna is Partner, President of Property Management and Chief Talent Officer at Dominium — one of the country's largest affordable housing operators, with 50 years in business and more than 40,000 apartments across 19 states. His path to the role wasn't traditional. He's helped build jet engines, worked in asset management, and started at Dominium leading HR. Now he leads transformation across people, process, and technology — in the unique position of owning both sides of it: what changes and how you bring your people with you.Jacob Kosior and Chris get into what it actually takes to reinvent operations at that scale. They talk about why change is fundamentally difficult for humans, the paradox of needing patience when you're the most impatient person in the room, and the moment Chris stopped worrying about losing his job and started doing his best work. Plus, Chris shares how he sees roles evolving across the industry and why AI doesn't have to mean fewer people.In this episode:00:44 — This or That rapid fire01:23 — Why every operator is going through transformation right now02:19 — From building jet engines to running property management02:40 — "You probably should not hire me as the head of property management"03:26 — Signals that transformation is actually working04:56 — The uncomfortable truth about patience and urgency06:44 — Why process, technology, and people are all connected07:06 — From handwritten applications to digital transformation09:50 — Coaching advice for leaders stepping into change10:15 — What it means to believe your people are fundamentally good12:30 — Why AI doesn't have to mean fewer people13:13 — How specialized roles could reshape staffing across the industry15:43 — How Chris is using AI in his personal and professional lifeNew episodes twice a month. Follow the show so you never miss one. In Good Company is a multifamily podcast by EliseAI.🔗 Learn more: https://meet.eliseai.com/4chJSFs