Category Archives: Management

Communications, community associations, Magic Beans, Management, Uncategorized

Magic Beans#1 – Frame of Reference

Leave a comment

Sometimes the right words at the right time are like magic beans. Seemingly intractable positions soften, conflicts are resolved, and things get done. I’ve stumbled across a few during my career. This blog is the first in a series of sharing communication approaches that have worked for me. I hope they help you.

Many years ago I was called upon to take over a developer-controlled association. Diane, the community manager, was at her wit’s end. She found the developer to be dismissive and dishonest. It became clear that a change in assignment was required to get things on track and I became the manager. One of the hot issues involved considerable damage to an overhead garage door. Repairs were completed to the tune of a few thousand dollars. But it was a sticky situation. Several unit owners knew that developer personnel hit the door with their vehicle. Elliot, the developer representative, had been trying to get Diane to file a claim under the condominium’s master policy. But Diane was a particularly principled manager. She refused to file the claim, insisting that the repairs were the developer’s responsibility. The more she protested filing the claim, the more he insisted she file it.

Sure enough, by the end of our first meeting, Elliot tells me, “Tommy, we’ve got to get that insurance claim filed. I don’t know what that woman’s problem was.” I let him know I had a lot on my plate, but would get back to him. (I’ll admit it…while the statement was 100% true, I was buying time). In the ensuing weeks, I observed Elliot closely as we worked together. It was clear he enjoyed doing business in a “guy’s club” manner. I also noticed that he was very religious. He observed all the holy days. But the application of ethical principles behind religious practice? Not so much. The reasons why he and Diane were oil and water became crystal clear. In addition to the gender issue, her frame of reference was principle-based. She saw law as a function of ethics. Elliot seemed to be legalistically-based. He saw ethics as a function of law (i.e. if you don’t get into trouble, it’s not unethical). There was no way Elliot would ever hear Diane’s message. So I took a different tack.

Elliot: “Tommy, have you filed that claim yet?”

Me: “I’ve been looking at that and wanted to talk to you when you had a moment. If we file that claim, I wanted to make sure you knew how it might play out.”

Elliot: “Whaddaya mean?”

Me: “Well, you know you are a couple of months before turning over control of the board to the unit owners.”

Elliot: “Yeah, so what?”

Me: “You know the folks who will most likely to run will be the ones that trust you the least. I mean no disrespect, but you know not everybody’s a big fan…”

Elliot (shrugs, nods): “Yeah, there are always troublemakers.”

Me: “In my experience, folks like that get on the board and one of the first things they do is rake through the financials. They are looking for anything suspicious. And if we file the claim and that happens, guess what they’ll see?”

Elliot: “What’s that, Tommy? “

Me: “An insurance deductible expense. And they’ll ask questions and figure out pretty quickly that their fees paid for damage done by your guys. So I really only have one question for you – is your lawyer on retainer or do you pay him by the hour.”

Elliot (pregnant pause…): “Hmm…so you think I might get in a little trouble, Tommy?”

Me: “You might.”

Elliot: “OK, no problem, I’ll write a check to reimburse the condo.”

Me: “Good idea. I’ll show it as a credit on the financials so everyone will know you took care of it.”

Elliot: “Thanks a lot Tommy. I really appreciate that.”

Granted, it was difficult to do business with the gentlemen. I felt like washing my hands after every handshake. If my tactic didn’t work, I had a Plan B in my pocket. I would have advised Elliot that if I filed the claim, I would have had to recommend the insurer pursue subrogation against him. If that meant we got fired, so be it. But none of that proved necessary. We found a mutual frame of reference, he did the right thing and the unit owners were well-served.

THE TAKEAWAYS

• If you don’t know the client’s frame of reference, it is much more difficult to be effective.

• Observe closely, find cues to identify the client’s frame of reference.

• When possible, communicate issues with the client’s frame of reference in mind.

 

change management, community associations, condo associations, Cooperatives, Emotional Intelligence, HOAs, leadership, Management

CONTEXT!

Leave a comment

I’ve noticed the word keeps popping into my head more and more. Frequently, my job is to fix stuff. I walk into a lot of situations where people aren’t on the same page or worse. I try to dissect all the factors, and it seems more often than not, lack of context is at the root of the problem in one way or another. As soon as I have all the pieces and can see how they fit together, the rest is easy. Context issues can rear their ugly heads in all kinds of scenarios.

GROUP DYNAMICS

Ever been in Board meetings where certain agenda items go on forever? I remember one client who debated the merits of adding a walkway to a portion of their community for months. It wasn’t budgeted, but it could have improved safety. It could have benefitted many residents, but in theory it might have created a nuisance for those who lived close to the proposed walkway. Discussion and debate started in the weeds and got deeper as time went on. Emotions ran high. In the end, the idea was squashed and the process left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. The Board is hoping nobody brings it up again. Lack of context ran amok.

If your group is considering a new idea, or a recurring one that never seems to get settled, listen very closely. You may well find that there is a bi-level dialogue going on. The overt conversation is on the merits of the idea in play. But sometimes the reason the subject takes forever to flesh out is because people are struggling to figure out if the thing is really important, timely, or how it fits in to a bigger picture. That subtext can be a sign the group lacks clarity on shared values and vision. If that’s the case, context can be gained by taking the time to achieve consensus on those deeper points. (No, not at a Board meeting – it’s a separate exercise .) With the underpinnings of values and vision in place, things go a lot smoother and quicker.

CHANGING THE MESSAGE

Context also comes up in day to day conflicts. Association members may chafe in matters of covenants enforcement. It’s understandable. After all, who likes to be told they are in the wrong, or feel controlled? All too often, when the nastygram from Big Brother arrives in the mailbox, the missing link is context. Unless the reason for a community standard is understood, that standard, whether enumerated in CC&Rs, rules, policies or procedures, feels irrelevant and maybe even arbitrary. Context can sometimes be achieved by taking the time to explain the reason for the standard, and why those standards benefit everyone in the long run, ESPECIALLY the individual. I’ll never forget my boss telling me that an owner from a former client had called him to complain about a manager who had followed me at my last on-site management job. When he mentioned her name, I had an immediate emotional and physical reaction – I thought she hated my guts. But her comment provided a golden lesson: “I didn’t always agree with Tom, but he always told us what he was going to do in advance, and we always knew why he was doing what he was doing.” Changing the message can help to establish the context.

ASSUME NOTHING

Sometimes confusion and conflict are the result of missing data. It’s really easy to jump to conclusions and muck up the works. I get reminded of that when I get a call or text from one of my favorite managers, who reaches out for assistance on thorny issues from time to time. I listen to a scenario, offer some potential solutions only to hear ,“I don’t think that will work, because (followed by a new factor not previously revealed).” Note to self…slow down, gather all facts, get full context. I think part of the challenge may be that we are encouraged to think quickly and get to the bottom line as fast as possible. But we aren’t necessarily thinking deeply. In the end, conflicts and confusion can get worse, not better, and we accidentally (and ironically) take more time to resolve matters by tying to save time by being fast. One strategy to get full context is to assume nothing and keep asking questions until the root of a matter is clear. Once the context is understood, then move toward potential solutions.

So, the next time you find yourself feeling conflicted and confused, make sure you see the full context of whatever you are dealing with. In the end, it will save you and the people around you time and heartburn. And you might just get something done!

Human Resources, leadership, Management

How Do They Walk?

Leave a comment

Many, many years ago we had a receptionist who didn’t work out. She started strongly enough – she was mature, helpful and friendly. She even brought in tasty baked goods from time to time – bonus! But, over time, things got weird. This became one of the formative experiences in my business career. It gave rise to one of my favorite and oft-repeated refrains – “You really don’t know someone until you either marry them or hire them.”

I recall the story as told to me by Eddie, one of our managers at the time, recounting a highly instructive lesson shared by his mother, Viv. Viv, you must understand, was one of those ladies who you knew within five minutes of meeting her that she had lived a lot of life, she was going to tell you exactly what she thought, and she was probably somebody you wanted on your side in a dark alley. According to Eddie and my best recollection (after having retold this story a couple dozen or so times), as he tried to describe the pros and cons of our receptionist’s performance the conversation went something like this:

“Eddie, STOP!”
“What, Mom?”
“Just tell me one thing – how does she walk?”
“Huh??”
(impatiently…)”How does she walk? Does she get on up along, or does she shuffle when she walks?”
“Hmmm…come to think of it, she kind of shuffles…”
“Fire her. You’ll never change that.”

And there it was – one of the more valuable pieces of business advice I ever got, wrapped up in two pithy sentences. Those 6 words helped me pull together some guidelines that have served me well.

The Takeaways

• Little things about how people act can tell you a lot about them. Pay attention.
• Hire slow, fire fast.
• You can put people in a position to show character, but you can’t teach it. It’s going to be there or it’s not.
• Don’t waste time and energy trying to change deeply rooted behaviors. If those behaviors are not in synch with the values of the organization, it’s over.

There is one last lesson related to this story. Viv finished her life course a few years ago, yet the message lives on. You never know where life’s lessons are going to come from. There is huge value in taking the time to listen carefully to others and connect the dots to your own life and experience. Then pass it on. You never know how or when it’s going to make a difference. Thanks Viv and Eddie!

community associations, condo associations, Emotional Intelligence, HOAs, leadership, Management

Emotional Intelligence is the Where the Magic Happens

Leave a comment

I’ve worn a few different hats through the years, but for the most part my job has been to do one of two things – fix stuff or make stuff better. I do other work, of course. But those two have been at the heart of the work that really mattered most over the past decade or three.

I’ve partnered with and supported dozens, probably hundreds, of board members, managers, and other professionals who serve community associations (definitely hundreds, I suppose, if you count conference and workshop participants). There have certainly been times when a lack of technical knowledge contributed to the situations I’ve helped people to get through. But frequently, that’s been the easy part to fix. More times than not it was the human factor that was at the root of the toughest problems, to one degree or another. The biggest challenge can be the ability to see ourselves, our circumstances, and the people around us in context. Then we can figure out the best means, methods, and timing to apply all that technical knowledge. That’s what gets things done most effectively and keeps them going smoothly and sustainably.

For the most part, it’s not a lack of IQ that kills us, it’s a lack of EQ. Book smarts has its limits. Emotional intelligence is the difference maker.

You’ve known it when you’ve seen it, and you know when it’s was missing. You’ve been around others who are comfortable in their own skin and make connections, and you’ve suffered the company of those who aren’t and don’t. You’ve seen those who seemed to magically make it all come together and you’ve seen clueless bosses and board members steamroll their way into one debacle after another. One way or another, whenever we are living and working with other human beings, it is personal and group emotional intelligence that makes the difference between knowledge and wisdom, between success and failure, between achievement and frustration.

Jackson Pollock at work in his studio, photographed by Hans Namuth, 1950

We work with people we cannot control. Therefore, we need to deal with the human experience, like it or not. This means going deeper, learning the art of this work and embracing leadership. And the art of leadership requires a knowledge of the palette of emotional intelligence. It is this art that connects on a deeper level, engaging both heart and head, merging motivation with intellect.

John Eliopolo recently posted a great graphic on Linkedin.  It provides a thumbnail to wrap our brains around the components of emotional intelligence:

 

It starts off as an inside job – Learning yourself and figuring out how to impact others and manage yourself. It then looks outward – figuring out where others are coming from and adjusting your approach to make connections and get stuff done.

These are not fluffy “soft skills.” It takes work to master them. Research in the behavioral sciences has revealed the chemistry behind it and its organizational impact. It can be studied, measured, and grown. It helps young managers and new board members avoid burnout and find fulfillment in their work. And we had better start talking about it in our world if we are to begin converting some of the vicious cycles common to our experience into success cycles.

This is not to downplay the importance of competence in the nuts and bolts of the business. As Joe Wise, owner of Wise Property Solutions in Johnson City, Tennessee correctly states “EQ does not patch a deficiency in technical or professional knowledge.” But it’s time we went beyond technical proficiency and a focus on designations as a measure of professionalism. We will be judged neither by the knowledge we possess nor the letters after our names. We’ll be judged by what we get done and the impact we make. So let us start talking about how to add emotional intelligence to our artist’s palette and learn how to do the hard work that makes the magic happen.

For any who might be attending CAI’s 2018 National Conference , I invite you to join Joe Wise and I as we present on this subject on Thursday, May 10. Let’s get this conversation started!

business life, change management, leadership, Management

I Don’t Know (Period?)

Leave a comment

Passive aggression gets a lot of play when we talk about human behavior these days. It’s unhealthy. It’s all too common. That behavior in a business setting is certainly harmful, but not as pervasive as something far more insidious….passive dependency.

Uh oh

Here’s a test – how many times do you hear the words “I don’t know” in your organization? This phase is perfectly OK if its followed by a comma and a plan of action. But when it’s the whole sentence followed by a period, you have a problem.

How about “Well, I was waiting for…” If people are always waiting for someone else to tell them what to do, you have a problem. If everything flows up the organizational chart, action is delayed, decisions get bottlenecked, and customers are poorly served. Nobody learns anything, you have an organization of drones and robots. The vicious cycle of suckitude repeats over and over until the organization dies a slow death. As Bill the Cat would have said, “Ack!!”

Kill the cancer

Passive dependency demotivates people and eats away at the insides of organizations. Treat it aggressively like the cancer that it is.

It’s not you, it’s me. No really, it might be me

Organizations rife with passive dependency have Papa or Momma Bears at the top. Be careful that’s not you. It’s easy to fall into. Are you being responsible, or have you become despotic (benevolent or not)? Are you a nut about quality control or are you actually a control freak? Are you the answer man, brilliantly handling all queries from your people, blowing them away with your knowledge and wisdom? Is that really efficient in the long run? Worse yet – are you taking a certain joy in being the sees-all, knows-all oracle for all things important? You are the problem and your leadership sucks. Sorry to sound so negative, but you needed to know.

Make it right

There is hope….Try answering questions with “What do YOU think?” and keep asking questions until the answer comes out of someone else’s mouth. Help people to think about the why as often as possible. Never allow “I don’t know” to end with a period. Hock out the hairball of passive dependency. Quickly. Definitively. Now. Really.

Go ahead, invest in your people. Put others in a position to learn, to think, to use their best judgment, to act, to be responsible. Then trust, even when you know stuff will go wrong from time to time. Let them goof it up from occasionally and talk about lessons learned along the way. I know, you don’t think you have time. Do it anyway. You’ll save a ton of time in the long run. It’s an investment you’ll be glad you made.

Communications, community associations, condo associations, Cooperatives, Governance, leadership, Management

It’s Time to Change the Message (Part 2)

Leave a comment

Let’s say you did everything recommended in last week’s blog. You have great rules and have done a masterful job communicating them to your members. Bravo! Yet, despite best intentions and practice, someone’s gonna blow it. Reflecting back to last week’s Catholic imagery, whether it be an innocent sin of omission or a more brazen sin of commission, sooner or later a covenant will be violated or a rule broken.

Now what?

The knee jerk reaction might be to write the dreaded violation letter. Please stop and think first. In many locations, the law requires a full disclosure of all the bad things that can happen in the event of non-compliance, meaning there’s a slew of impersonal, aggressive-sounding legalese. Here comes the mean nun again….How can you achieve the goal of building community in this difficult circumstance?

Here are a few tips employed by successful volunteers and managers:

1. Walk softly before carrying a big stick: Perhaps an informal communication is best, even (perhaps especially) a verbal one. You can still make a note to file to have a business record of the conversation. A friendly email follow up to a conversation can be invaluable. When people know they are getting a little slack, many tend to appreciate it and the problem is gone. Even if they turn out to be bad players, you have a record of being very reasonable.

2. Never assume the person is even aware of the rule (even if you are sure): Starting off with “You might not realize this, but….” softens the blow. People have a lot going on in their lives. Their reality is that it doesn’t matter that they have an obligation to comply with provisions buried in the 4,536 papers they signed at settlement. It’s irrelevant until it impacts them personally.

3. EXPLAIN THE WHY:   Super important.  Try to weave it in to every communication if possible. People are thinking of themselves first (and so are you if you are not following these tips…). Helping them to see the broader wisdom of a rule, or the impact it could have on them if a neighbor were to violate the rule, could help. If nothing else, it establishes you as a reasonable player and provides context.

4. Give them the graceful exit: Assume a good result, thank them in advance for their consideration, be their partner in helping them to do the right thing. EVEN IN THE FORMAL VIOLATION LETTER WITH THE SCARY LEGALESE (which, by the way can be set off with a friendly disclaimer about hoping none of this will occur). The more you assume you’ll have to fight, the more it will seep out in your wording and the more likely it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

5. Consider your words carefully: Just some crazy talk here… Why not a “Due Process” Policy instead of an “Enforcement” Policy…. or maybe better… a “Community Values Administration” Policy? Or “Quality of Life Maintenance” Policy? Clearly, I’m struggling here. But anything is better than the Mean Nun “Enforcement” Policy.

6. Let someone else proofread your work: Make sure negative emotions aren’t creeping out… If you don’t have a good proofreader, set difficult correspondence and email aside long enough to pick it back up with fresh eyes.

7. Tom Tip Bonus – what to do when a member is angry about a neighbor’s actions and wants you to write a violation letter:  First, ask the member if he or she has spoken to the neighbor. Usually, the answer in “no.” I then say “I can certainly write the letter based of your written complaint. But may I ask you a question? If you were bothering your neighbor and didn’t realize it, which would you rather get; a visit from that neighbor with a plate of cookies and a smile with the message ‘you probably don’t realize it, but…’ or a nastygram from Big Brother?” If they agree, ask the member to let you know how it goes and let them know you’ll write the letter if necessary. Give it a try. It works!

We know that tone is as important, if not more important that content. Yes, you should check with association counsel to make sure your formal communications are fully compliant with legal requirements. Don’t give away the high ground, even when you are left with no choice but to brandish the big stick. The mean nun does not hold the high ground. If she did, the ruler would not be her first option.

community associations, condo associations, Cooperatives, HOAs, leadership, Management

It’s Time to Change the Message (Part 1)

Leave a comment

 

I learned some valuable life lessons from 4 years of parochial high school. I had no particular religious training coming into the situation, so I suppose I was probably more in tune to behavioral and societal issues than most guys as I was trying to figure things out. One gem I picked up was that, when it comes to people, control is an illusion. The more you try to control people, the more they find clever ways (and some of the fellas were REALLY clever…) to push against it. And the more they are likely to disrespect, even resent, your authority. The key for long-term buy-in for anything is always motivation. People need to understand The Why. It’s not about actions, it’s about the purpose for the actions. Huge difference. It takes a lot more work up front to engage hearts and minds, but it’s the only way to achieve long term success.

I’ve seen this reality play out big time in community associations. In the early years of the Community Associations Institute, the emphasis seemed to be on covenants compliance. Boards and managers alike fell into the trap of proficiency and efficiency in enforcing covenants and rules without going deeper. They acted more like technocrats following procedures instead of leaders seeking to help stakeholders appreciate the reasons for, and values of, the framework of governance. It was as if the people existed for the rules instead of the rules existing to benefit the people. The result? I think we see the impact in ego-based interactions, poor practices, unnecessary stress on association volunteers and managers disaffected community members, and a general feeling in some quarters that community associations are inherently evil.

Leadership becomes easily lost in the practice of governance. It’s expeditious to be autocratic and cold. Unfortunately, the practice of rule enforcement smells way too much like command and control, which we learned years ago is poor leadership. And that’s why it doesn’t work.

It…doesn’t…have…to…be…this…way!

Fortunately, in the late 90’s we started to see an awareness that the goal was building community. That it was about creating a space where willing compliance was the norm, not the negative and vicious cycle of rule enforcement. Successful community association volunteers and managers have found that effective leadership was the key. Great leaders see the bigger picture and help others to put themselves into it. Their communications reflect the values and vision of the community.
So how can we change the message to begin to turn negative cycles around?

Let’s talk about rules
I’m using the term ”rules” here, but the principle applies to any process, regulation, or bylaw amendment.

Common Mistake #1: The knee-jerk reaction to problems is to try and control the people involved. STOP! Remember, control is an illusion. If motivation is the goal, you’ll need to take the time to see what’s really going on. If a problem can be nipped in the bud with a one-on-one conversation, do it! If it turns out the condition could have an impact on the community as a whole and a rule might need to be created, there are tests you can apply to determine if a rule is good or not. Ask yourself, is the rule

1. Needed? Less is more. Really. The goal is building community. A rule may not be the answer.

2. Legal? If it violates your governing documents or prevailing law, you’re doomed.

3. Reasonable? You might be ticked off about bad behavior, but you can’t be punitive, AND you need to check your assumptions. Does the rule treat people unequally? Not only is that not reasonable, it may also be illegal.

4. Enforceable? Another Catholic school lesson: If a provision is unenforceable, it’s of zero value. In fact it erodes respect for authority as a whole.

5. Supported? If the membership doesn’t buy in, it’s just not going to work. This is where community can be broken down by rules.

I taught those standard 5 tests in leadership training for years. And then one day, a participant said “I think there’s a 6th one.” He was right.

6. Effective? Will the rule actually address the condition it was designed to tackle? It’s easy to get lost in the weeds in the rule creation process and end up with a result that makes no sense.

Tip #1: Be crystal clear on what the end result needs to look like and reverse engineer it. Don’t go from “A” to “B”, go from “B” to “A”.

 

Tip #2: Here’s a problem solving strategy that I’ve shared that seems to help a lot. Before the process begins and minds are still clear, list the conditions that must be satisfied for the proposed solution to work. Then you can test a draft rule against your list. If it doesn’t satisfy everything on the list, edit as needed until it does.

CAI has some great resources you can use, such as Kenneth Budd’s 1998 book Be Reasonable

Common Mistake #2: The second common mistake has to do with how a new rule is rolled out. If I read one more notice that starts off “As you are aware, we’ve had a problem with…” Click. I’m out. The nun just came at me with a ruler & I’m bolting. If you just came up with a good rule, it will enhance quality of life for the membership as a whole. Why not lead with that and help members to see why they should care and want to help?  How about, “The board of directors is pleased to announce a new feature that we believe will enhance the beauty of our community.” Then you explain how. The Why may be explicit or implicit, just make sure it’s in there. The fact that it’s a rule becomes far more palatable at the very least, and broadly supported at best.

Now what? Despite all best intentions, at some point a rule will be broken or a covenant violated. This will be covered in next week’s blog.

community associations, condo associations, Cooperatives, HOAs, leadership, Management

Property Manager ++

Leave a comment

What’s in a name?

The mouth, the mind and the figurative heart have a most curious relationship. The ancient psalmist observed that “out of the heart’s abundance, the mouth speaks.” And at the same time, the data indicates that what we talk about impacts our cognitive abilities and mood. The words we use are important. The information we allow into our minds impact us as well. Sooner or later much of the data, ideas and impressions we absorb impact the way we feel. In turn, the words that fall out of our mouths reflect those thoughts and feelings, occasionally revealing truths about ourselves that may surprise us for better or worse. And on the cycle goes… It pays to think about the words we use and be purposeful with them.

Here’s a word choice that’s still way too common in the community association management industry – “property manager.” It makes me cringe when I see and hear managers and management companies – even “leaders” in our industry – refer to what we do as “property management” performed by “property managers.” When I see that I can’t help but wonder if they fully appreciate…or maybe even respect…what we really do.

Don’t get me wrong – property management is an important PART of what we do. The term is derived from commercial and rental real estate management. In those niches, “property management” is very appropriate. Property is an asset financially and in “sticks and bricks.” Profitability must be the major focus of those disciplines to maintain viability. So, commercial and rental managers are, to a large extent, asset managers. It’s only fairly recently that on site apartment management positions began to use a “community manager” title in recognition that people actually live there.

However, as managers of homeowner associations, condominiums and cooperatives, we support and serve elected volunteer leaders and all the stakeholders in the community, some of whom are more than happy to remind us that they are our boss. It’s far more than asset management. The metrics are different. Community associations have 3 distinct characteristics; they are businesses, governments, and communities with stakeholders. Managers and volunteer leaders who fail to recognize the importance of all three elements do so at their own (and their community association’s) peril. I would also suggest that anytime human stakeholders are living in close quarters with one another there is an inevitable parallel with family, with all its risks, benefits, and emotional entanglements. This is a significantly human experience. Like families, community associations build successful legacies when they identify shared values, work towards common goals, and resolve the inevitable rough patches with compromise and reasonableness.

Therefore, we cannot be successful without managing community. Fortunately, awareness in this regard has been increasing steadily over the years. More in the industry are seeing the wisdom of a shift of focus from enforcement to the bigger context of building and promoting community. Back in the day, a heavy focus on covenants enforcement in the industry drove me nuts. It was as if people existed for the rules instead of the other way around. I believe that this lack of vision is at the core of negative impressions some have about community associations. The more community volunteers and managers act like leaders and less like bureaucrats and politicians, the better everything works. This is a major fundamental challenge facing all of us.

Of course, there’s a danger. Feel-good, fluffy, “We’re building great communities!” marketing messages without a dedication to excellence in taking care of the asset management part of our jobs doesn’t serve anybody in the long run. It saddens me when I find evidence of community managers who don’t see the importance of developing expertise in financials and property maintenance, either by lack of training or by choice. To be an effective community manager, you still have to be a property manager. So while I will always advocate for continuing to promote excellence in leadership and community-building, it is clear we must, as an industry, invest in educating managers and boards in the necessary work that goes on under the hood and out of sight. Only then can communities lay claim to being great.

So yes, community associations need managers solidly rooted in the fundamentals of property management. But they need more….they need broad perspective and leadership from truly professional Community Managers!

community associations, condo associations, Cooperatives, HOAs, leadership, Management

Raising the Bar in 2018

Leave a comment

“There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” -RFK

I’ve loved that quote for a long time. It gets me charged up every time I read the words. But I’m no change-the-world kind of visionary. All I do is help people and groups connect dots, to fix stuff, and to make things happen. I try to create a space where people can be their best. When I do, I get that same jolt of energy as I do when I drink in Kennedy’s words. I think it comes from the process of creating anything that wasn’t there before, even if it’s a basic as setting up a system or helping someone see how their lives and work can be a little easier or more fulfilling. I think it’s about making a difference.

But I’m frustrated. I’ve seen great community association leadership and management. I’ve been privileged to been a part of it from time to time. It’s awesome. And it doesn’t happen nearly often enough. Every time I see people accepting mediocrity (or worse), giving up, missing the point, or air balling opportunities to turn things around, it annoys me. And I really don’t like reading a piece on social media, which may or may not tell the whole story, but seems to cite examples of board members or managers violating the fundamentals of fiduciary duty, good business or just common sense. Especially when the writer broad-brushes all community association, boards, and managers as inherently evil. As a positive, solutions-based guy, this negativity is tough to take. Especially when I’ve come to appreciate the dedicated women and men who I’ve had the privilege to know, to learn from, and to serve with in this space as they consistently do the right thing for all the right reasons.
The truth is, due to a plethora of factors, the cards can be stacked against us on the whole. My signature theme and talk for 2017 was “Raising the Bar.” It started as kind of a rant. To provide context in presentations, I began with a Readers Digest version of the history of community associations and the management industry that supports them. When you look at how we got here, it’s not at all surprising where we are. And when I see industry trends that fail to address the fundamental issues of commoditization a lack of customer service culture, I’m not so happy with where we are going in the macro. It doesn’t have to be this way.

The potential for great things is right there in front of us. Some are dedicated to excellence. I’m grateful to have gotten to know and work with so many of them. THEY need to be driving the future. And here’s the thing – despite the negativity you can read on line and in the press, statistics seem to indicate homeowners enjoy living in their community associations. Just imagine how thrilled they’d be if excellence was the norm!

And that’s why I’m frustrated. So much opportunity for career and volunteer leadership experience satisfaction, for wildly successful communities, for outstanding service….yet in general I see “good enough” mentality, short term thinking, price first (frequently price only!) thinking, and too much fluff, smoke and mirrors. It calls to mind Hyrum Smith’s definition of pain (the Franklin Covey day planner guy) – “Pain is the distance between where you and are where you want to be.” I think that to a large extent, our whole industry is in pain and those in it frequently doesn’t realize it. And when they do, they tend to assume it’s the norm. Dysfunction junction.

But Tom, you said your business social media would be a snark-free zone, focused on solutions and positive messages…

Yes…yes I did. Here it comes…

One way or another in 2018 I’m torquing up my efforts to make a dent in all of this. I am going to continue to act on the beliefs I’ve come to acquire about leadership, life, and management over the last 3 decades of service to community associations. I will be actively looking for ways to implement and promote the best practices embodied in them and do my best to have a bigger impact. So here are some of the things I believe, in no particular order. Some apply to managers, some apply to volunteer leaders, some apply to both. I know I’m violating the blog brevity rule by including so many of these…oh well. Here goes.

1. We need to share success stories, start to take back the conversation and elevate the dialogue.

2. Yes, there will be some bad actors and they will deserve the bad press they get. It’s easy to be a critic. Let’s do better. If we share a horror story, share the solution and the lessons learned.

3. Professional designations are only the beginning. Technical proficiency is a baseline. It’s what you do with it that really counts. Learn to be effective, to understand and teach the principles behind the fundamentals. Think, live and act as leaders, not administrative functionaries.

4. I think the old axiom is correct – managers focus on doing things right while leaders focus on doing the right thing. But there’s a caveat. The best managers are leaders first. At the same time, they recognize what is entrusted to them and make sure they take care of other people’s stuff in an exemplary way.

5. Community members deserve our best work.

6. We need to respect people for their humanity, even if their words and actions do not seem to be worthy of respect.

7. We need to agree to disagree in an agreeable way.

8. Cost is more important than price. What you pay today is less relevant than what that decision costs you over time.

9. Politics is not leadership. Practice leadership first and earn trust.

10. Until we communicate in a meaningful way from the listener’s/reader’s perspective and NOT OURS, we are just part of the static in a crowded space. “But I sent an email”, “It was in the newsletter”, “If people want to know what’s going on, they need to attend the board meetings” and one of my favorites, “They should know the rules” just don’t cut it any more. Sorry. Life is harder now. (Managers, refer back to #2, but this applies to board members, too). Change the message, change the mode, change the tenor, change the channel of communication. Go deeper. It doesn’t matter what you said. What, if anything, was heard?

11. We need to stop being “No People.” Find yes! Nobody wants to hear what you can’t do. Figure out how to be a resource to help people get what they want. It doesn’t matter if it’s not in your position description. PDs should be the baseline, not the goal.

12. We need to believe in, and be great at, customer service. Not for its own sake. Do it because it’s part of who we are. If you are not about that, it’s OK. But if that’s the case it‘s time to find another career or volunteer effort.

13. In the end, even great management cannot overcome lousy leadership.

14. Trust is everything. It takes a while to earn and one misguided sentence to lose it. Remember what being a fiduciary means and live up to the inherent and underlying principles, not just the legal technicalities. We take care of other people’s stuff. That’s a trust. That’s an honor. That’s huge.

15. Every community association is different. Cookie-cutter approaches and metrics are fatally flawed. Go deeper.

16. We are so much more than asset managers. We have to go beyond sticks and bricks to serve our clients well. Therefore, we are not “property managers,” we are “community managers” or “community association managers.”

17. Managers & management companies: It’s about the client, not the company. Board members: It’s about the members, not the board.

18. The best way to spend less time putting out fires and missing opportunities for proficiency, much less excellence, is to invest the time to prepare and execute systems and processes. Is “hair on fire” your S.O.P.? Here’s your sign (thanks Mr. Engvall).

19. Management companies need to prove value if they are ever to get out of the commoditization trap. Stop the dollars per door nonsense (see #15).

20. Every organization has shared values and culture. Even community associations! Make it intentional and you’ll own it. Leave it to chance and it will own you.

21. People in the community always have more in common than what divides them. Sometimes it’s just hiding. Don’t let divisions dominate the dialogue. Find those things in common and build from them.

22. Remember, in other areas of your life, you are a customer. How do you like to be treated? Do that when you are serving others. (Isn’t it funny how easy it is to forget the golden rule??)

23. We need to grow our emotional intelligence, not just our IQ. The goal of acquiring knowledge needs to be wisdom.

24. You are what you eat, physically, mentally and emotionally. Be intentional about feeding your heart and head. Leave it up to chance and you’ll likely be negative and bitter, accidentally setting up vicious behavior cycles with the people around you.

25. We silly humans tend to make assumption about motive, put everything (and everybody) in black and white boxes, respond negatively to negativity, and value ego over humility. That’s what kills all human relationships, not just those related to community association. Please stop it.

26. Human resources are investments. This need to be part of every organization’s DNA. Giving lip service to “people first” doesn’t count if people are ultimately thought of as expenses, or worse, commodities. A dedication to learning needs to be part of that DNA. Most organizations don’t even invest in training, must less learning (yeah, there’s a big difference). Sorry, but that’s as dumb as a large manufacturing company going cheap on R&D. Short term profit, long term decay. Invest in people, build and maintain a culture of learning (see #20).

27. Contrary to what burned out managers and politically motivated board members might say, “CYA” is not the first goal of business. Covering your butt is the byproduct of doing good work.

28. Governing documents, rules, policies and processes exist for people, not the other way around. Remember that every time a rule or policy is drafted, and every time a covenants violation or collections notice is sent out. Yeah, you might have to add some scary language if required by law. Still, find a way to make it both human and humane.

29. Outstanding customer service is not only noble, it’s rewarding. Somebody a whole lot wiser than me said “There is more happiness in giving than receiving.”

And finally, I believe we all need to remember that every time we, as community association leaders, managers, or other professionals that serve community association members, choose to carry out our responsibilities in an excellent way, we absolutely have a positive impact on the quality of life and ownership experience of every member of the community. We are the only ones that can take that reality away from us. Please don’t let that happen! Every situation and interaction is an opportunity to make a difference. Think about it – you may be the only bright spot in someone’s day!

No, I’m not blowing Pollyanna smoke or condo fairy dust up your butt. Community associations are growing faster than the industry’s current ability to address its challenges. On the whole, this thing is too broken to get it all fixed by the end of my career. So what? Every single one of us can make a difference one best practice, one transaction, one conversation, one client, one board member, one manager, one success at a time. So let’s not ask why. Let’s ask, “Why not?” What do you say? Let’s do this thing!