This is the second in a series: Lessons from the Daniel W. Chancey Leadership Academy (DCLA): Mentees to Mentors.
The DCLA is hosted by BOMA Fellows as a mentoring program to provide guidance and support to BOMA members interested in leadership positions with BOMA International. During the 2024-2025 Academy thirteen (13) future leaders were paired with a BOMA Fellow as mentor.
Mentees can choose one or two years of mentorship. The second year builds on the first one with opportunity to realign, refine, perfect and enhance the goals and dreams established in the first year, validating personal and professional growth through the DCLA.
Maria Morett is a second-year mentee, and she has fully embraced the benefits of the DCLA. Maria shares several lessons she has learned which authenticates that inspiration and motivation validate the DCLA.
Maria is the first Mexican national mentee invited to join the program. Real estate has always been a part of Maria’s life as her father founded the company she works for, and the company has now evolved into a family business. Even with two brothers in the company, she had to be convinced to join the firm. Only when she was offered the opportunity to create a sustainability division with the company, did she agree to join the family business.
Maria’s passions are detailed in the five lessons can transcend any business or personal initiative. Influencing a change in people’s perspectives and providing inspiration through courage, even though challenging, can create opportunities for transformation and reform.
Lesson #1: Fairness and Value
Maria’s first lesson encompasses how passion can evolve into action. Maria’s passion for sustainability has led her not only to expand her firm’s services, but most importantly to act for the benefit of future generations while producing value for the present one. Due to the unbalanced concentration of development and lack of forward-thinking initiatives, recognition of the importance of sustainability has been slow in her country. But as Mexico’s industry standards reach a higher level so does the recognition of the importance of sustainability. As a representative of BOMA Mexico and through her experience in the DCLA, she is confident that she can assist in educating real estate professionals in Mexico and Latin America on the value and benefits of sustainability and also to convince them to pursue associated BOMA certifications and awards.
Lesson #2: Ambassador and Example
Maria’s second lesson involves a realization of the impact she can make on the women of Mexico and Latin America by sharing her experience and confidence. She has seen the need to be an ambassador for women, leading them to build professional confidence and to confront any gender obstacles in Latin America to develop their “careers without barriers.” As more Latina professionals enter the commercial real estate space, and become members of BOMA, Maria hopes to have more opportunities to impact other women.
Lesson #3: Vision and Expression
Maria was motivated to apply to be a part of the DCLA as an opportunity to develop professional skills and to deepen her involvement with BOMA in order to pave the way for other Latin American Professionals, women especially, but also men, to learn directly from some of the most experienced and talented professionals in the industry. Invitations to the DCLA can be presented at any stage of a career, and she was in a group of mentees with diverse ages, backgrounds, and experience. Despite those differences, it soon became clear that each had one common goal: to excel in commercial real estate and carve out a clear path for growth within BOMA.
One of the first tasks as a mentee in the DCLA was the creation of a vision board to outline goals, dreams, and aspirations. Without the DCLA and the vision board exercise, Maria believes she may have taken longer to articulate her goals and dreams. Initially feeling that some of the goals were in the distant future or maybe even unattainable, she was surprised that she had accomplished most of them by the beginning of her second year in the DCLA. The work-life balance realization was stunning as she not only achieved her professional goals, but within the same year, got engaged, married, became a homeowner, and traveled the world. Visually expressing goals helped her to imagine that she can complete what was once only aspirational.
Lesson #4: Goal Alignment and Professional Development
To continue the desire to balance BOMA, professional, and personal obligations, Maria recommends having clear goals but then stepping back to make sure they align with what you truly want. She says, “Ask yourself where the motivation comes from.” Also, it is important to understand that BOMA provides an excellent platform for professional development which benefit her, individually, but also benefits her company. She goes on to say,
“When I commit to BOMA activities – whether its trips, committees, or conferences – I’m not taking time away from work; I’m enhancing my role within it. My professional and personal lives are intertwined, but when you can, use BOMA and your workplace to bring joy to your personal life – through new friendships, mentorships, travel, and more.”
Maria has expanded her role in BOMA by being a member of committees such as the International Awards Committee, and she was just recently named to the BOMA 360 Council. BOMA International has many opportunities to volunteer for a committee.
Lesson #5: DCLA Influences and Legacy
Becoming a part of BOMA and the DCLA has created a community for Maria and other mentees where anyone can belong – no matter how diverse or how far along you are on your professional or personal roadmap. Meeting other Latina women who are starting their careers or other young women who are pursuing a second career provides opportunities for networking and even mentoring.
“My mentor is Susan Hammer, and she has taught me not to fear turning dreams into actionable goals and pursuing them wholeheartedly. She continuously inspired me to show up, stay authentic and embrace who I am. Her guidance has been pivotal in building my professional confidence.”
The program has taught Maria about the meaningful legacy of mentorship and how that legacy will forever imprint the mentees with the power of generosity and guidance shaping not only careers, but lives.
Maria hopes that she can become a mentor to share the same support she received as a mentee in the DCLA and in particular to see more Latin professionals actively involved in BOMA. She says,
”From honing my leadership skills to advancing impactful progress, my growth since joining the DCLA makes me even more excited to see what comes next. I’m confident the lessons I’ve learned will continue to shape my career and the contributions I make to the industry.”