​By Erin Mendenhall, President, Mendenhall Properties 
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Frantically checking message updates in the middle of the night, staring at multiple screens of information, surreptitiously leaving the office to rendezvous in front of unfamiliar houses... Is this the plot of the latest spy novel? Not really, this sounds more like the home buyer of the past few months, as attested in this recent New York Times article. Such stories should come as no surprise given the tight housing inventories, mortgage interest rates still hovering above record lows and overwhelming desire to enter the market before prices reach their previous heights.

This has been especially true right here in Arlington with inventory below 1.5 months and average days on market dropping to 28 while the 5-year average has been 48 (statistics supplied by RealEstate Business Intelligence). Most buyers face multiple-offer situations where prudent strategies and nimble negotiation win the contract. Believe it or not, the offer price is not the only important component of an offer. Things like back-rent, preferred settlement company or waiving the home inspection can swing a seller one way or another. However, most buyers wouldn't know what questions to ask which could potentially cost them the home of their dreams. Worse, they might waive important contingencies hoping to make their offer stronger, but not fully realizing the risks they take on by doing so.
In such an active and often hectic market, it is more crucial than ever to have expert guidance and advice in order to avoid expensive mistakes. Little things such as writing a personal letter to the seller or having the buyer's lender personally contact the listing agent can be the deciding factor in close-call bidding situations.
Buyers are not the only group that can benefit from professional direction. Despite the strong seller’s market currently in place, property owners can still ask for an unrealistic price and wait too long to sell their investment while incurring full running costs. On the flip side, not fully understanding the market environment, they may leave money on the table without even realizing it.
Real-estate changes constantly, so the market could be very different even 6 months from now, especially given the uncertain future of interest rates. Having a seasoned real-estate professional on your side, however, is a great way to ensure a smooth transaction and worthwhile investment.

​By Sheila Berry (Executive Director & Founder), Liz Deutermann (Staff Writer) & Yotam Amit (Research), Living Vicky

​If the media is to be believed, Millennials are an employer’s worst nightmare. But whether you call them Generation Y, GenWhy, or Echo Boomers, they areconfident, connected, and open to change. Are you ready to leverage this valuable pool of workers?
The key to debunking the media myth is in recognizing that Millennials can help, not hinder, your business. They are:

• The most culturally tolerant work force population, appreciating and leveraging diversity like no generation before them.
  
  
• Social media and tech-savvy gurus—able to absorb and apply the latest trends, leverage new technology, and apply out-of-the-box thinking to IT challenges.
  
  
• Collaborative by nature, happy to work in teams and share what they know to create successful ownership and adoption of new ideas and processes.

Think about it: Not only do you have a valuable internal resource when figuring out how to cater to their own demographic of enthusiastic consumers, but studies have shown that most Millennials are actually more eager and willing to contribute, and at a much earlier stage in their careers, than previous generations.
In addition, Millennials are great listeners who value the insights of older, more experienced workers; especially when given a chance to have their own voices heard. Encouraging patience where they want to make a quick impact, and teaching the fine art of discerning the right time and place for their contributions, is imperative. But how do organizations foster communication and productivity when you have so many different points of view? And how do we encourage diversity appreciation when it is about age and not gender or ethnicity?
The United Nations recently published an internal memo suggesting that intergenerational tolerance and integration could be achieved through expanded diversity training. Getting new and seasoned workers on the same page creates a more productive workforce. Which means less “storming” and more “performing”.
Every generation has a particular set of traits that make them unique. Millennials bring valuable work skills and energy to the table, making them poised to become your business’s greatest resource.
Are you ready to let them? 

​By Karen Bate, KB Concepts P.R., and Jeff Porro, Porro Associates LLC

It was a pleasure and privilege to participate in the Chamber’s recent event, Back to Basics: The Art of the Spoken Word, a panel discussion on how to engage your target audience – from clients and potential customers to large audiences and your own employees.
As members of the Chamber’s Communications Council, which organized the event, Jeff Porro provided his expertise on public speaking, while Karen Bate contributed tips on incorporating social media into speeches and presentations.
Fellow panelists Jan Fox, Emmy award-winning owner of Fox Talks, and Charles Greene III, the Presentation Magician, provided additional expert advice for 50+ attendees who enjoyed a delicious lunch generously catered by the Lebanese Taverna. Huge thanks to Ron Novak and Segue Technologies for providing the event space at the Navy League Building, and toJan Day Gravel, Founder and Managing Director of Janus Development Group, for serving as moderator.
So what were the best takeaways? Here’s our list of the Top 12 Tips for Successful Public Speaking. We’ve listed these as short “tweetbites” for easy sharing – which as Tip # 4 says is something all good speeches should do! (And don't forget to tag the Chamber in your tweets: @ArlChamberVA.)
Top 12 Tips for Successful Public Speaking: 
1. A great speech starts with research. @porrojd
2. In presentations, 80% of success is knowing your audience. @charlesgreene3 
3. In public speaking, you probably don't need a major overhaul, just a few small tweaks. @JanFoxTalks

4.  Make your presentations social media friendly: use short tweet bites! @KBConceptsPR
5. The ability to use the spoken word effectively is valuable-it helps you grow your business and gain more clients. @porrojd
6. Focus on PRACTICE more than content: A speech should be like breathing. With practice you don't have to think-it just comes out. @charlesgreene3
7. Stand up straight! Even a little thing like changing your posture can improve your presentations. @JanFoxTalks
8. Incorporate video into presentations to mix things up, add energy, inject humor and give speaker a short break. @KBConceptsPR
9. As Lee Iacocca said, “A good speech, like a good novel, is constructed around conflict.”@porrojd
10. Let’s go to the tape! Watching a recording of your presentation is a great way to learn and get better. @charlesgreene3
11. Use your voice to draw people in by varying your tone, pauses and volume.@JanFoxTalks
12. Public speaking can be scary. Practice, practice, practice is the best way to overcome that fear. @charlesgreene3

Thanks to the careful stewardship of moderator Jan Day Gravel, the panelists managed to make these and many other points well within their allotted time, leaving plenty of time for questions and answers.
In the end, the panel itself best demonstrated the theme of the event: even in an age when new communication technologies seem to burst forth daily, one of the oldest ways to communicate, the spoken word, is more important than ever.

​By Jeffrey L. Rhodes, Managing Partner - Civil Division, Albo & Oblon, LLP
​
The Federal Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, which covers Arlington and the rest of Northern Virginia, recently decided two employment law cases that remind businesses of the challenges of complying with Federal employment laws. The rulings in both cases hinged on the actions of employers when first confronted with notice of potential discrimination. 
Court Dismisses Employee’s Disability Discrimination Claim After Employer Responds
In the first case, Mongrut-Avanzini v. Commonwealth of Virginia, the employee worked for the Fairfax County Alcohol and Drug Services program and suffered a hearing impairment. She asked the County for several workplace accommodations, including that communications with her be done face-to-face, that copies of slides and agendas be provided to her before meetings, and that sufficient lighting and a desktop computer be provided. She provided Fairfax County with medical documentation supporting her requested accommodations. The next day, the County provided the employee with a tape recorder to assist her with her listening duties. 
Once notified of a potential disability and the desire for potential accommodation, employers should take proactive steps to respond and assist. When the employee later complained that she did not receive all of the accommodations she requested, the Court noted the quick action of the County to accommodate her, and found that there was no intent to discriminate by the County.
After her termination, the employee brought a claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), asserting that the County discriminated against her and that it failed to accommodate her disability. The Court granted the County’s summary judgment motion and dismissed the suit, finding no evidence of discrimination or failure to accommodate.  Rather, the Court held, the employee’s hearing impairment did not rise to the level of a disability because she was only limited in understanding words in high frequencies in noisy rooms. In addition, the Court found that the employee’s documented performance issues disproved any claim of discrimination.
As this case shows, businesses should take quick action when notified by employees of medical conditions that may affect their ability to perform their duties. The law imposes a duty to accommodate in such circumstances, if reasonably possible, and obtaining competent legal advice to respond promptly and effectively can make all the difference in avoiding liability.
Employee Can Proceed with Discrimination Claim of Insults Allegedly Made Before Manager
In the second case, Henderson v. Labor Finders of Virginia, the Court denied an employer’s motion to dismiss an employee’s claim that management saw him be ridiculed as a homosexual and did nothing to stop it. In this case the employer, a temporary placement firm, was accused of denying the employee assignments based on concerns about his sexuality. The employee also claimed that co-workers taunted him in front of the branch manager and assistant manager, calling him inappropriate names. As this case shows, employers must take action when they learn of accusations of a hostile work environment or harassment, and cannot wait for a complaint to be made of inappropriate co-worker conduct.
While the Court recognized that Federal law does not prohibit sexual orientation discrimination, it noted that Federal law prohibiting “sex stereotyping” discrimination often applies when sexual orientation insults are made. Federal law generally sets a high standard for asserting a sexual harassment claim, requiring that the alleged conduct be unwelcome and as severe and pervasive as to alter the terms and conditions of employment. Nevertheless, the Court found that the employee stated a claim of sexual harassment based on the frequency of sex stereotyping insults alleged and his claim that management employees heard the insults being made in their presence and did nothing to stop them. 
The Bottom Line
As these decisions show, employers must be vigilant about maintaining an equal opportunity workplace. When an employer sees the first sign of a potential discrimination issue – whether by receiving notice of an employee’s medical impairment, or by witnessing ill treatment by a co-worker – the company should immediately contact legal counsel. A good employment lawyer can help management get to the root of employment relations problems and address any possible discrimination issue that may exist before it results in legal liability.