Tag Archives: management

Management, Time Management

TIME MANAGEMENT, MULTITASKING & OTHER MYTHS – TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

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Time management… a critical business and life management skill. Yet, finding it in a school curriculum is unlikely. Most of us learn the concepts, strategies, and systems later in life. For some of us, it was a significant factor in our success. And perhaps our sanity.

There was no way I could have balanced everything I had on my plate, professionally and personally, without learning some gems about what we erroneously call time management. I was extremely fortunate to have a mentor who shared some basics, encouragement, and regular reminders. I learned the rest out of sheer desperation from a variety of sources. The Washington Metro Chapter of CAI first asked me to share a program on the subject way back in 2013. At the time, I had yet to learn that it would become my most frequently requested presentation topic. After two years as a manager’s luncheon program, it has been shared publicly at local chapter events from Atlanta to Cleveland and at private events for several management companies and law firms. You can even find a version of the program in CAI’s webinar library.

Why is the topic so popular? Because we are all works in progress. Because we tend to fall into non-productive habits. And because we all live in an increasingly chaotic world that emphasizes speed above all else. We all need tools to deal with modern life and work. We need to be reminded of what we already know to refocus our time and attention to deal with our current reality.

Fortunately, the fundamental time management principles and strategies developed over the past few decades still work. Applying them puts you in a position to succeed and find satisfaction in your work and life. First, though, it will help to debunk common myths to clear the mind and settle the heart so we can fully embrace the good stuff.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have shared this topic in those presentations and innumerable coaching sessions over the last decade. Feedback has been invaluable in identifying the most impactful lessons and fine-tuning how to present them. Plus, I need the reminders as much as anybody else! So here are some nuggets – five myths and ten practical principles.

The Myths

1. You can manage time. Time is a constant. Sixty seconds is always sixty seconds. You can’t manage that. I can’t help but wonder if we accidentally cause ourselves stress by using the term “time management” even though time itself is unmanageable. Let’s reframe the concept. What are we managing? Our attention, our intention, our actions, and our energy. What we call “time management” is the practice of adding value to our time.

2. You can’t manage “time.” Since we are stuck with the term “time management,” we’ll work with it. Those who believe they have no control over what takes up their time are doomed to victimhood. You can’t control everything, but you certainly have influence. Don’t give that away.

3. A professional keeps gobs of data in her head. This is the highway to burn-out. Get stuff out of your head and on paper or digital device. Albert Einstein had to look up his home phone number in the white pages. He didn’t see any value in keeping things in his mind that he could easily access by other means. There’s a lesson there.

4. You don’t have time. It is more accurate to say you choose to do something else with your time. Everyone has the same 24 hours.

5. You can multitask. Studies show that the mind can hold only one thought at a time. We may “hypertask,” but be careful. Fast doesn’t necessarily mean efficient. If you do something poorly, you create more work for yourself and others in the long run. Efficiency is only valuable when it is a function of effectiveness. Speed kills.

The Gold

1. Know the difference between a time investment and a time expense. Too many managers think they don’t have time for tasks that save time in the long run. If you don’t have time to do it right once, when will you have time to do it again? How many hours will you spend later because you didn’t take fifteen minutes to nip it in the bud up front and follow it all the way through?

2. Work from a prioritized task list. This is a cornerstone of time management. Brain dump everything you have to do, then prioritize. Plan the work, then work the plan. Of course, things will go differently than planned. That’s OK. You might not get everything done, but you will have a ghost of a chance to complete the most important things.

3. Important things are rarely urgent; urgencies are rarely important. Everything feels urgent these days. Most “urgencies” are menial. The most important things don’t call, text, email, or IM you. Urgencies can easily consume your time.

4. Know what’s important and what’s not. Differentiating between the two is one of the most important skills of a successful manager. Prioritization is vital. Time and experience are the best teachers. Sorry, kids – try to learn fast.

5. Outside forces can impact you, but they cannot control you. Only you can control you. Give that up, and you are the eternal, miserable victim. Not a great plan.

6. Reverse Engineer Everything. As the “Zone Coach” Jim Fannin teaches, we are trained to go from A to B, when in reality, it is far more effective to clearly visualize the end result, determine all factors that must be considered, and work backward to create the plan. You’ll be surprised to see how many little but necessary tasks you’ll identify. This puts you in a position to make a realistic timetable for completion and avoid the time-busting and stressful trap of self-imposed emergencies.

7. Attitude makes a big difference. Time management is as much a mindset as it is a skill set. Henry Ford said, “If you think you can or think you can’t, either way, you’re right.” Tasks are sometimes dynamic. Why does everything magically get done the day before you go on vacation? Attitude is the secret weapon of time management.

8. Apply the “single handling concept.” You can lose upwards of 50% efficiency by stopping and starting tasks. Whenever possible, block sufficient time to see larger projects all the way through. If you pick something up, see it through to completion instead of moving it from pile to pile.

9. Look for Little Efficiencies. We tend to think of activity in terms of isolated tasks. One of the values of setting a prioritized task list in advance is that you can see your time in context. Batching tasks can eliminate inefficiencies– you’ll start buying back little chunks of time that add up. Once you start thinking this way, your brain will be rewired for life. You’ll see inefficiencies everywhere! I’ll always remember feedback from one session participant who told me this principle was her favorite takeaway. She explained that she had always planned food shopping one day and a run to the dry cleaners on another. When I asked why that mattered, she exclaimed, “They are in the same shopping center! So now I do both on the same day. The shopping center is 20 minutes away. That means I get 40 more minutes every week with my daughter!”

10. You only have one life. Live it purposefully. Clearly, these principles can apply to your whole life, not just your work. Identify what’s important and create action plans to achieve goals that accomplish the most important things. Get it done one prioritized task at a time. Do that, and you’ll have a legitimate claim to peace of mind, probably the biggest idea of them all.

This stuff isn’t brain surgery, but you need persistence and discipline. You will fail and need to start again. It’s all part of the process. Do you prefer chaos or achievement? Frustration or joy? Regrets or satisfaction? It’s your choice.

Which of these is most impactful to you?

Attitude, Best Practices, business life, community associations, Culture, Emotional Intelligence, HOAs, Professionalism

Civility in an Uncivil World

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by Chantu Chea CMCA, AMS

Over the past few years, some aspects of customary, socially correct behavior has seemed to regress or at times even disappear.  From leaders in the highest offices to our most beloved celebrities, we can read about name-calling, blaming, threats, and even outright violence.  Is it really surprising when these behaviors trickle into our communities and work spaces?  In order to guide our communities in a more positive direction, it helps to identify uncivil behavior and lead by example.  With a lot of deliberate, consistent effort, our positive behavior can become contagious.   

We’ve all dealt with the outburst from a client or Unit Owner who doesn’t get their way and writes a dramatic email or says something nasty.  It’s easy to dismiss them as unhinged, ignore all their future complaints and get defensive in these unpleasant situations. It’s important to be self-aware of these human tendencies, because it can lead to habits that will not serve you well.  If you hide from the tough conversations, you might miss out on the opportunity to connect with others, learn from the interactions and grow.  Even though it may trigger tough emotions to deal with the challenging client, confronting them can nip problems in the bud.  You may even gain an ally!  Start by making a conscious effort to put yourself in the strongest mental state so that you are best-equipped to deal with the inevitable challenges that arise.

  1. Self-Reflection: Be cognizant of how much media you’re taking in every day and the influence it might have on you.  The trend of constant media and social network notifications may work well for those who benefit from extra views or clicks, but excessive exposure might have an adverse impact on our thoughts, attention and behavior.  Sometimes we expend so much emotional energy reading the news that by the time we arrive at work, we’re depleted.  Disconnect from the breaking news long enough to focus on what’s most important, both personally and professionally.  How is the information you absorb moving you towards your goals and who you aspire to become? 
  2. Empathy: Depersonalize the situation whenever possible.  In more cases than not, the client isn’t yelling because of you but because of the situation.  Think about what they might be going through in their personal life with the challenges in the world and take a deep breath before responding.  You may be the only person who listens to them today.  If you can, counter their distress with a calming tone and a thoughtful response.  Will your undistracted attention for the next ten minutes save you hours over the next month? 
  3. Situational Awareness: Some of us have also noticed situations where someone makes a bold political statement to strangers or in the workplace, under the assumption that everyone agrees.  I’ve seen it make others in the room very uncomfortable or outright angry.  While it’s tempting to share your opinion about the latest piece of legislation in Congress, don’t forget to take note of your environment, your relationship to the listener and the possible repercussions.  For example, if you’re getting interviewed for a job, you may not want to risk blaming a person or administration for the current events of the day.  Even if the community is in a location where the demographics seem to point to a particular opinion, you don’t want to put your foot in your mouth later.  Once you learn about the political or ideological leanings of a person, just remember to keep it professional at work.

Keeping these habits in mind can help us deflect and appropriately respond to uncivil thoughts and behaviors.  Some other challenges that you may run into at work can be ameliorated by practical strategies.

  1. Write it down: Some people’s stress shows up as aggressiveness, while others’ stress manifests as anxiety.  Anxiety can cause us to start thinking selfishly or otherwise worry about possibilities that may never happen.  When others come to you with concerns or hypothetical situations, fight the inclination to dismiss them as unrealistic.  Instead, try brainstorming your concerns (or your residents’ concerns) and plan some possible solutions.  The anxiety becomes less of an abstract idea to obsess over and more of a concrete problem you can solve.  What are the pros and cons of each option?  What is the worst thing that can happen and how can you mitigate it? 
  2. Set Expectations: In a world where we can get instant groceries, dates and packages with the click of a button, some people expect the same instant gratification of their community manager.  Asking to “speak to the manager” has become an internet joke.  For managers, it can often translate to copying the entire Board of Directors to an email.  Unfortunately, some creative solutions require time to develop, especially if they are to last.  If a problem will take some time to resolve, let the resident know the challenges you are considering.  Provide an estimated time for completion or resolution and keep them in the loop of any progress. 
  3. Acknowledge opposing views: Things aren’t always black and white in community management.  Nor can we predict the future.  So it’s important to acknowledge counter-arguments even when they don’t fit the narrative we want to create.  If you make a mistake, predict something wrong, or there are possible negative consequences of your recommendation, talk openly about it.  How might you pivot your plans moving into the future? 

It can be instinctual to tune out anything that requires extra time or energy when it feels like you don’t have any to spare.  With everything going on in the world, our emotional state and the example we set may be the least of our worries.  However, as a leader of your community, you are in a position to be a calming and positive influence.  Small, deliberate interactions can accumulate and create real change. You may find that you not only save time in the long run, but you also get a little peace of mind!

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

Inequity of Scale – The Challenge of Leading and Managing Small Condominium Associations

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Association Bridge was formed in large part due to my experience teaching CAI’s old “Essentials” program for community association volunteer leaders. Ken Ingram of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston and I were tapped to teach the full day program for a few years at Reston Association. RA member associations are typically very small communities known as “clusters.” By the early 2000s, some of these small associations were facing some serious challenges. The class gave them access to resources that board members in larger associations would probably take for granted.

I will never forget hearing a board president proudly explain his excellent system for keeping the books for his cluster.

“I use different color ink in the checkbook.”

“Oh, you mean to help identify different types of expense and income or something?”

“Well yeah, kinda…”

“OK, can you share the system with the class?”

“Sure. You see, everything in green ink is cluster activity, and everything in blue is mine…”

“Yours?”

“Yeah. That’s how I can easily separate the cluster activity from mine in the account.”

“Wait, are you saying you collect your neighbor’s fees, deposit them in your personal bank account… and pay cluster expenses from the same account?”

“Well…yeah.”

Yikes!

Time & Attention

Teaching the class was an instructive experience. Board members were searching for creative ways to get two things all community associations need if they are to be managed effectively – time and attention. I frequently heard the refrain, “Our management company doesn’t do ANYTHING!” Without fail, some follow up questions revealed the boards weren’t paying for very much of anything. Some gave up and went fully self-managed. They were doing a lot of work themselves to make up the difference between what they wanted from management and what they felt they could afford.

It reminded me that small associations have to make tough choices, all borne from the inequity of scale. Certain costs simply do not scale. Managing a 20-unit building will likely require the same number of site visits as would a 150-unit building. The time required to create board packages, produce monthly financial reports and attend meetings will not scale to the unit count. Neither will the costs of independent audits or reserve studies. This can apply to capital projects as well. A 3-story high rise and a 10-story high rise could have the same building footprint, meaning that the cost to replace their respective roofs may be about the same. Bottom line: Inevitably, unit owners in small condominiums are very likely to pay more per unit in total fees than their counterparts in larger condominium associations.

As a result, boards of smaller associations frequently opt for less service, requiring investment in the time and knowledge base of volunteers to make up the difference. That burden can be very difficult for volunteers.

There may be solutions that require some creative thinking. While I applaud the resourcefulness and sense of duty shown by the board member who co-mingled personal and association finances, I pray he never gets in a beef with a fellow unit owner. That association clearly did not have any crime coverage. I doubt they had proper directors & officers liability coverage, either. Not all creative ideas are great ideas.

What Can We Do?

The goal is to identify the needs and wants of the board and membership, and then design a plan that is in harmony with them. It is a mistake to assume that small associations can’t afford “good” service. Such thinking is a variation on the sin of fee targeting. Many a community has found that a cheap price results in a high cost later on. Whether it comes in the form of making up for deferred maintenance, the bottom dropping out of resale values, disengaged unit owners, or dissatisfied residents, sooner or later everyone bears the cost of short-term thinking.

Analyzing the Operation

A Responsibility Grid is an excellent tool to help see where you are and where you have gaps. First, list the tasks involved in operating the association along the left margin to create rows. Then, along the top of the page, create columns by listing the volunteers and paid personnel or contracted parties who have roles in the operation. A sample grid you can use can be found HERE.

Once the tasks and responsible parties have been listed, fill in the grid boxes, describing each party’s current role in each task. Soon, you will have a snapshot of the operation, seeing the interrelation of the parties involved. This frequently leads to Aha! moments. We’ve noticed that many Boards have a tendency to assume most issues are performance problems. The Grid helps to reveal weaknesses in the system, allowing everyone to differentiate system problems from performance problems. The Grid may point out that someone else in the organization is better suited to take on a certain responsibility. Or you may find that some tasks aren’t being performed at all under the current system. Once clarified, performance issues can be more effectively addressed.

The trick is to use the Grid to address system problems by making adjustments. The context of seeing the operation in totality helps the board to identify areas where more support is needed. You can redline the grid until it makes sense. It takes the guesswork out of the picture, communicates responsibilities with clarity, and increases the likelihood of finding successful solutions. The final grid can then be a tool to adjust contracted specifications and position descriptions as needed.

What Are The Options?

Many contracts are designed to be “competitive” without regard to the actual workload required for the job. Standard “full service” management may not provide the required attention needed to support volunteers in your specific case. Some approaches to bridge the gaps include:

  • Customizing the management agreement to provide more attention in specific areas. Quantify time and attention where possible. If a minimum weekly site visit and monthly or quarterly property inspection with written report will address many of the issues a community is experiencing, include those as specifications in the management contract. Set the expectation and create a system that takes some of the burden off the shoulders of volunteer leaders. It may be that some specifications can be decreased to help compensate for additional cost, such as decreasing the number of board meetings attended.
  • Decrease the management contract to “financial-only” or “financial-plus” service levels to free up assets and redirect them to on-site management. This is where it gets creative. I cut my management teeth as a part-time on-site manager for five different associations over the span of ten years. Two of them had fewer than 50 units. All of them had something in common. They were all too small to justify full-time, on-site management, but too busy to be well-served by off-site management.
  • Adjust the scope of the management contract to dedicate a specific allowance of time. If the management company is willing to consider an out-of-the-box option, they could provide more attention by defining a number of hours per week for dedicated attention, including on-site time. Some management companies in the northwest use this model.
  • It takes a village. Depending on the configuration and condition of the property, a combination of services might make sense. Perhaps the volunteer base is strong, and you can engage management on an a la carte basis to provide only the services needed when you need them. Perhaps you just need a management company or consultant to set up the annual calendar and preventive maintenance programs and come back to audit the system periodically. Perhaps a maintenance position can be beefed up with a system to provide valuable eyes, ears, arms and legs for Management and the Board. Perhaps strategically scheduling a contracted annual architectural and engineering inspection to coincide with the annual budget process combined with “financial-only” professional management gives the association the best bang for the buck. The possibilities are endless.

In the End

The quality of volunteer leadership will always be vital to the success of any condominium association. The smaller the association, the more important this is. Smaller associations have special challenges. Even volunteer leaders who have the time and talent to assume certain management roles are wise to seek resources to set up systems and find best practices. National organizations like the Community Associations Institute  and the National Association of Housing Cooperatives can be very valuable resources. Associations in the Washington Metro area can tap into additional resources such as the DC Cooperative Housing Coalition, the Montgomery County Office of Common Ownership Communities, and the Office of the Virginia Common Interest Commission Ombudsman 
Small associations may have special challenges. But they don’t have to give up, and they don’t have to settle. There are resources and options for volunteer leaders to provide quality service to their members. It may take some creativity and a realistic view of the expenses related to inequity of scale, but it can be done.

Best Practices, community associations, condo associations, Cooperatives, Management, Management Insider

Management Insider #4 – Make it Personal

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Taking the human factor out of business can cause problems. Big problems.

What’s Going On?

There’s been an interesting trend in recent years in the Washington Metropolitan area. DC has a significant and growing number of community associations with on-site managers. Often, boards of directors have control over their compensation. The manager may be an employee of the association or of the management company as a pass-through expense.

On-site manager salaries, on the whole, have risen fairly significantly. Many boards seem happy to increase their budgets for salary increases. They may award year-end bonuses to recognize excellent service. Historically, community association managers have been generally undercompensated as compared to commercial and “residential” (rental) managers. So this direction is welcome and will help to attract and keep talent.

Interestingly, those same boards may be considerably less inclined to negotiate meaningful increases in management company fees, even when they are pleased with the performance of their portfolio manager. They know that the market is very competitive. Cheaper services are almost always available. This is a major factor in the commoditization in the management industry. The race to the bottom of low price can easily result in the failure cycle described in a recent blog on the subject.

So What?

There is a disconnect here. How can a company adequately compensate their managers and other personnel when they are unable to collect fees sufficient to do so? Clients set themselves up for portfolio manager and support staff turnover and never see their role in the problem.

Another result of all this over time has been that that portfolio managers are often supervising on-site managers who are frequently better compensated than they are. Things are upside down.

I saw this play out first hand. While working for my last management company, I served a portfolio of clients. As memory serves, when I left last year, my shortest client relationship was a little over 10 years. During contract renewal negotiations, two of them required that I be named specifically in the management contract. Yet, in one of those cases, they successfully negotiated a three-year contract with no increase in year one, and minimal increases in years two and three. With another client, we had an annual ritual every budget season. The Budget Committee Chair would semi-humorously express shock and horror at the thought of any proposed increase in management fees. Then he would say it was the management company’s problem to find a way to give me a raise. Fortunately, my other clients did not follow suit and were happy to pay reasonable increases for quality work.

Make It Personal

The lesson is this: When a person gets paid, there’s a direct correlation to value. When a company gets paid, the correlation gets lost. It gets corporate and theoretical. It stops being personal.

This is why some associations and wise management companies migrate management on-site where possible. With enough brains on-site, an association may not need redundant services or additional supervision (a.k.a. “full service management”). In this business model, management companies may sometimes generate less gross income, but their exposure to uncontrollable workload is mitigated. So while gross income may be less, the percentage of net profit increases. Done well, these contractual relationships can last longer than stressful, low profit, full service arrangements. The clients have more resources to compensate great on-site personnel who can best serve them. The key word here? Relationships.

But What if Full-Time On-Site Management Isn’t an Option?

There are other ways to establish healthy relationships, make it personal, and reinforce the cost/value connection. It might take a paradigm change and some creative thinking.

Option 1 – Dedicated Single Site: If a community does not have the facilities for an on-site office but the workload justifies the attention of a full-time or near full-time manager, assign a single manager to the property. Establish an office at the management company or nearby location. Don’t let logistics get in the way. Mobile apps and laptops make it possible to do a decent amount of work without formal office space.

Option 2 – Hybrid Approach: If an association has the logistical capability for an on-site office but not the workload to require a full-time, on-site, consider a hybrid approach. This was the model I created when I managed my first clients. I had either three part-time, on-site arrangements. I worked out of either two or three on-site offices on a standard schedule, subject to change in cases of emergency. I had to track my time and activity so that the clients knew they were getting what was promised. Time dedicated to each client at a base of operation on-site created a relationship of trust and accountability that I could not have achieved as a portfolio manager operating from offsite office. That was 1991. Cloud computing and other technology should make this option more viable now.

Option 3 – Quantify Portfolio Work: There is a solution for smaller associations that do not justify exclusive personnel or an on-site office. In some areas of the country, there is a management contract model that helps to quantify the work and foster a respect for it. In this model, fees are split into two components. Base financial and administrative services are one component. The other component is based on an estimate of management and administrative time dedicated to the service of that client each month. Quantifying the workload creates dialogue and opportunity for adjustments as needed. Of course, this requires that affected management company personnel track their time accurately and communicate the results with the client. An annual review creates the groundwork for a healthy, working partnership.

Sometimes It’s Simple

There may be missed opportunities to help clients appreciate the value of a manager’s time within the typical, set price management contract model. All set price contracts are based on an estimate of workload and contain a set of specifications to match. A client would never hire a contractor to paint their house and expect them to throw in the garage for free after the deal was done. Yet, frequently managers do not charge for extra services outside the terms of a base management contract. Failing to recognize and charge for billable services will ensure a manager’s time and value are neither fully appreciated nor respected.

There are typically two reasons for this: (1) They are unaware of the terms of the contract, and (2) they fear they will anger the client if they charge. First, management companies need to make sure their managers are aware of contract terms and communicate them in advance with clients. Then, they may need to give managers the magic words and support to help the clients understand the rationale behind the contract model. Help them communicate that they are not trying to “nickel and dime” the client. They are simply charging for time and effort not anticipated in the base contract. The service has value.

Remember the Goal

Whatever the solution, the ultimate concept is simple: A client should get what they pay for and pay for what they get. That means they must have an understanding and appreciation for the value of services provided. There must be a connection between cost and value.

All enduring business relationships must be mutually beneficial. Zero sum games have a short half life.  If the status quo isn’t working, blow it up and find a better solution. In the end, everyone wins.

community associations, Ethics, Management

Do The Right Thing – Beyond A Written Code

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I do my best to make sure this blog and my social media channels provide positive messages, intended to work towards solutions. I’ve described the space as a “snark-free zone.” This time, I’m going to rant a little. It may come off a little snarky, but the goal remains the same – solutions.

It’s A Big Deal

I’m angry. A headline the other day read “Maryland HOA Management Company Accused of Taking $2.5M from Associations.” This company appears to have taken advantage of their client’s trust and misappropriated their funds. The allegation seems well founded. Jerks.

I’ve been angry before. Almost three years ago to the day, a former management company owner pleaded guilty to the same amount of theft from several of his clients from the same county in Maryland. Déjà vu I was still a management company executive at the time. We took over one of their clients several months before their house of cards fell. Fortunately, the CEO hadn’t gotten his hands on their funds, but I still remember the files coming over in black trash bags. You can imagine the quality of the financial records.

The vast majority of professionals engaged in community association management would never even think of perpetrating such malfeasance upon their clients. A large percentage of us dedicated to serving community associations see it as more than a job. We recognize it for what it is – a trust. So we work hard to live up to that trust. And yet, the entire industry gets tainted every time a bad player does something like this. Honest people get painted with a broad brush of distrust and disrespect. That makes me angry.

Don’t get me wrong, in very rare occasions bad actors have darkened our industry in the past. In some cases, it led to beneficial legislation. One management company failed to disclose ownership interest in service companies they recommended to their clients. In that state, that practice is now illegal. In another case ten years ago, an executive with an ownership interest in a management company was sentenced to prison for embezzling over $3M in finds from 400 clients. That led to manager licensing in Virginia. The former case might not seem as bad as the latter, but both speak to the core of the problem – abuse of trust.

Think About the Little Things

There are codes of ethics in place to set standards. For years the Community Associations Institute has required all credentialed managers to adhere to a code. To review the document and a very detailed Code Clarification Report, click here. 

A written code can’t prevent bad actors. When I stumble across emails where a manager has shared a competitor’s proposal with their favored contractor and allowed that contractor to submit his proposal afterward, I get angry. Even though that manager didn’t embezzle money, that’s a direct violation of the anti-competition clause.

Other situations aren’t so obvious. I understand that some contractors like to give gifts to managers. It’s part of relationship building. However, it can quickly become a slippery slope. When a contractor who regularly treats a manager to ballgames and dinners seems to get preferential treatment from that manager, a line may have been crossed. When it starts to walk, talk and smell like an “Ol’ Boys Network,” it probably is. If it becomes quid pro quo, it’s a problem. The schmooze fest makes me angry. And a little nauseous.

Loopholes

There used to be a gap. CAI’s ethics code didn’t apply to management companies that held the AAMC designation. That allowed some companies to receive remuneration from business partners to be on a recommended vendor’s list without disclosing this to their clients. In the political realm, I believe they call it “pay for play.”

I interviewed a few managers who were looking to leave a firm in part due to the pressure they felt to promote the preferred vendors. Technically, they were not violating the manager’s code of ethics because they didn’t get directly remunerated for the recommendation. The companies weren’t violating anything because the manager’s code didn’t apply to them. But the whole thing made these managers uncomfortable, and rightly so.

I am pleased to report that this gap has been closed. As of 2016, the manager’s code of ethics applies to management companies with the AAMC designation. Bravo, CAI!

Trust, But Verify

Most financial malfeasance can be averted. Boards have reason to be hurt and angry when they learn that the managers they entrusted with members’ assets have abused that trust by unethical and criminal behavior. Still, Board members cannot escape the fact that governing documents require they exercise fiduciary responsibility. The buck stops with them. In too many cases of theft, Boards either did not have controls in place, were asleep at the switch, or some combination of the two. It didn’t have to happen. CAI publishes guidelines I urge EVERY Board to consider and make sure are in place.  Fraud protection procedures and a modicum of oversight mitigate against the possibility of theft.  

Please Do Something Else For A Living

If you are a manager or a management company and do not appreciate the depth of what is entrusted to you, please quit. Don’t be a jerk. Do something else for a living. This industry needs dedicated, ethical people with the heart of a servant. Those character traits seem more and more rare these days, but they still alive and well in the community association industry. What we do makes a difference. Help us advance this industry, or please get out of the way.

Beyond The Code

Here’s the bottom line. Those of us who serve community associations are taking care of other people’s stuff. They need to be able to trust us. The heart of ethics is trust, not a formal code that can only legislate actions. Intentions are important. We need to be golden. Period. With trust in such short supply in the world at large, we need to go above and beyond.

I never saw the movie Do The Right Thing by Spike Lee. But I remember seeing a clip that has stayed with me ever since I first saw it. 

The Mayor: Doctor…

Mookie: C’mon….what, what?

The Mayor: Always do the right thing.

Mookie: That’s it?

The Mayor: That’s it.

Mookie: I got it. I’m gone.

Always do the right thing. Got it?

change management, Communications, condo associations, Cooperatives, HOAs, leadership, Management

We Are All Geniuses…or Insane. Your Call!

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I’ve heard this quote, widely attributed to Albert Einstein, for a long time. As it turns out, he may or may not have ever said it. Thing is, it resonates so well that it’s easy to attach genius to the observation. So why not Einstein?

We silly humans tend to choose familiarity over change, even if it makes us miserable. I’ve noticed it in my world of community association boards and managers. Instead of taking an honest look at our results and trying to figure out how we got there, we’ll practice what Canadian brand transformation specialist Alan Quarry calls “glue diligence.” We do it because we’ve always done it that way, and dang it, we’ll never change!

…And then we blame everybody and everything else for our frustrations and failures…

One of the most important changes we can make is to see ourselves differently. For the longest time, the thought of being a salesperson made me cringe, just a little bit. But a few years ago, I realized sales and marketing were weak areas in my business skillset. It was time to hit the books. Funny thing is, a few of the writers I learned from in my study of leadership through the years started off as sales guys.

THE ART OF LEADERSHIP AND SALES

I didn’t fully connect the dots until I read Daniel Pink’s brilliant book To Sell is Human. It finally hit me. I gave myself permission to see myself and my role a little differently. The art of leadership is the process of helping people move from one place to another. Outstanding leaders share a vision so compellingly, people buy in because they see the benefit. Yes…BUY IN. Therefore, leaders sell and it’s a good thing.

Sales done right has never been ugly. Great salespeople believe they have something of value to sell, provide service and value first, and create a space where people can see themselves taking advantage of the value proposition. They are not selfishly manipulative. They are connecting dots. In essence, they don’t sell anything but an idea, creating a space for others to buy. They understand the wisdom of Jeffery Gitomer’s words, “Nobody likes to be sold, but everybody likes to buy.”

THE SUPERPOWER

The process of sales is the process of leadership. If we are to lead, we must sell. And to be truly effective, we need the superpower all great leaders and salespeople have – the ability to be an agent of change. This is leadership at its highest level – the ability to lead change, sensing when and how to initiate, support or facilitate it so that the stakeholders in an organization make it their own.

And yet, how many board members and community managers see themselves as leaders, salespeople and change agents?

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS….A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE

So many times it comes down to communications skills. We all have a tendency to communicate from our standpoint. Managers are trained to be technically proficient. Board members may be trained in governance. Unfortunately, as a result both are frequently ineffective. They are “doing their jobs” while missing the point. It has led to community association members disconnecting from their communities. Quoting from memory a comment from the Wall Street Journal, “People tend to have the same emotional connection to their HOAs as they do the Internal Revenue Service.” Ouch. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Think about how the message is received and you might realize you are coming off like Moses descending the mountain with stone tablets from God. Our message may be important, but it’s not THAT important. Worse, we may be accidently sending the message that people exist for the governing documents, when the truth is that those documents exist for the people. Or you may be coming off like a mean nun with a ruler, ready to whack all those disobedient children.

It doesn’t matter what you say. It only matters what is heard. And while you can never control what’s heard, you really need to think about the message and work your brains out to communicate from the receiver’s perspective, not your own. That’s what great leaders, salespeople, and change agents do. Make it real. Show the value. Explain the Why. And be patient. Because until you do these things, you’re just part of the increasing noise in your members’ lives.

INSANITY OR GENIUS?

If you are not connecting with your community or your client, if you are frustrated, it may be time to stop the insanity. Make a change. Start with how you see your role. Be leaders. Be sales people. Be change agents. Communicate like the best leaders and salespeople with the change agent superpowers.

Change the message and the delivery so it actually reaches your audience. It’s about them, not you. Make it real. Show value. Be a genius!

Thanks to Ed Loonam, PCAM, of Property Management Associates in Virginia Beach, Virginia, who gave me the inspiration to turn my SEVA-CAI CA Day sparks talk into a blog post!

business life, Communications, Magic Beans, Management

Magic Beans #3 – Right Question, Right Time

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This installment of the Magic Beans comes right from the front lines.

Last week, an on-site manager emailed a message with the subject line “Escrow Question:”

“I received a call today from a mortgage company trying to close a loan for next week and the budget sent them was years old. Can we discuss making sure those documents issued through HomeWise are current?”

Three emails later, the person responsible for coordinating documents with HomeWise (the third party provider of resale disclosures and lender questionnaires) made a very smart statement:

“I would like to know the confirmation number for the order. The budget that is attached is what was uploaded to HomeWise…and has been included with 2018 resale packages.”

She was pretty well freaked out, concerned how an old budget could have been provided to a lender.

Two or three emails later, everything became clear. In the course of obtaining the order number, the lender took another look at the documents.  He realized he misunderstood what he was reviewing. He confirmed all was well, and apologized for the confusion.  The on-site manager in turn, apologized to the two people involved on the management company’s end. He said he erred by “trusting that the mortgage lender knew what he was talking about.”  Everything got done and the loan will close.  But it took several emails and an hour or so of combined work time from all the persons who became involved.

Breaking it Down

  • For whatever reason (perhaps moving too quickly, having a bad day, inexperience…it could have been any number of reasons) the lender misinterpreted the documentation and reported an inaccurate condition.
  • The on-site manager assumed that the documents were incorrect . He punted to other parties without fully investigating what was actually going on.
  • It took a couple of emails to clarify what was actually going on. The email subject line muddied the waters (it wasn’t really an “escrow” question).

Lessons Learned

  • Things happen. People get confused.
  • Making assumptions compounds error.
  • Delegating or directing action before determining the actual problem wastes time.
  • Precise and accurate communication saves time.
  • The quicker someone takes full ownership of a problem and thinks it through, the quicker that problem gets solved.

The Magic Beans

This situation illustrates a very common occurrence. Most of us are moving very fast these days.   Sometimes we make assumptions, react without thinking a process all the way through. We kick the can to someone else, thinking we’ve taken the appropriate action. Unfortunately, this can trigger a burst of wasted time and effort.

What would have happened had the on site manager sought to identify the actual issue? What if he would have asked the lender a question using these Magic Beans?:

“Could you please do me a favor and send over what you are looking at so I can see what you are seeing?”

A review of the document would have revealed the solution in a couple of minutes. 2 people would have solved the problem. No one would have gotten anxious about a problem that didn’t even exist. Even if it turned out there was an error with the documents, everyone would have been in a better position to get to the solution more quickly.

Why do these Magic Beans work? Because, like all the Beans, the words tap into deeper issues:

  • It is a data-based inquiry. There is no ego, no accusation of error, no blame casting or blame shifting.
  • It is a solution-based inquiry. It creates a partnership focused on getting something done.
  • It creates a space to get at the nut of the issue – fast.

Think back about similar situations you may have been involved in. Could asking this question up front have saved you and your team time and energy?

In the heat of battle it is very easy to miss opportunities for efficient solutions.  Sometimes the right question at the right time can save time and effort. Making sure everyone is clear and on the same page is always a time investment.

business life, Customer Service, Management, Time Management

Slow Down to Speed Up

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Maverick’s testosterone-drenched line to his partner Goose in the 1986 film Top Gun became iconic…fast. Since then, the thirst for speed in business and life has become unquenchable. (Interestingly, the thirst for coffee has also increased exponentially. Number of Starbucks locations in 1986 – 6. In 2018 – over 28,000. Coincidence? I think not…). We are trained to think fast. We are pressed to act fast. Speed is everything. And it seems to me that the unintended consequence of thinking and acting so fast has been a lack of thoughtfulness. I think it’s killing us, but we are moving too rapidly to see it.

“If you don’t have time to do a thing right, when will you have time to do it over?“ – Coach John Wooden

I see people working hard, but way too often things don’t get done efficiently or well. Despite all the tech tools to make us “better,” more mistakes are made. Frequently, errors are compounded as the can gets kicked to the next person in the office or email chain. Missed details. Rampant obliviousness to nuance. Poorly executed communication. Morale and customer service suffer. Listening skills…who’s got time to listen?

Speed Has Its Place

Don’t get me wrong, speed is essential in business. This is especially true when it comes to innovation (being at the “edge of the envelope” in Top Gun parlance). Tom Peters preaches this relentlessly and I think he’s right. One of his presentation slides remains a favorite – “Fail. Forward. Fast.” Mr. Peters is also correct when he says success requires a bias for action.  But when it comes to day to day administration and especially customer service, balance is needed.  Even in our immediate gratification world, a fast but lousy solution won’t cut it.

Preparation and Position

“Be quick but don’t hurry.” -Coach John Wooden

This is one of my all-time favorite Coach Wooden quotes. He emphasized the importance of being in the right place at the right time. That means preparing mentally, thinking strategically, and executing the plan. Failure to think ahead leads to players rushing into a play out of position and out of control. Whether it’s basketball or customer service, fast but not smart is usually ineffective.

I used to use a quote attributed to Lincoln to illustrate the value of preparation, but apparently it’s apocryphal. In doing the research, I found this gem and like it better:

A woodsman was once asked, “What would you do if you had just five minutes to chop down a tree?” He answered, “I would spend the first two and a half minutes sharpening my axe.” Let us take a few minutes to sharpen our perspective.

A failure to plan may lead to last minute heroics that might look good in the moment, but it’s a poor strategy in the long run. As Seth Godin tells it, cold yeast is the key to baking good bread.

It can feel like you don’t have time to think and plan. That’s stress playing its cruel trick on your brain. A sharp perspective leads to directed, thoughtful, and efficient action. Focused energy creates quickness. In the end, planning is a time investment, not an expense.

Stop, Drop & Roll

No matter how well you plan, the business day is on fire. We can jet from one thing to another and not realize we are wasting our time and energy. Just like they taught us as kids, if you catch on fire don’t keep running. Stop and put the fire out.

Plan to make yourself stop. Disconnect, recharge, analyze and adjust the plan as needed. It may seem counter-intuitive to slow your roll. But you will put yourself in position to get more done in less time overall. More quickness, less hurrying.

Coach of champions and 90 Second Rule creator Jim Fannin suggests thinking about your day like a football game. Why do teams take breaks at the quarters and the half? There are lessons there. Now expand the concept of regular breaks and regrouping to your weeks, months, quarters and years. It can make a huge difference for individuals, and organizations. But remember, time and events will fly by. If you don’t plan the breaks, they won’t happen.

Stop. Think. Act. Rinse. Repeat.

Get Off The Hamster Wheel

© Sam Saccone 2008

If you feel like this little guy, there’s your sign. The pace of progress and life will continue to increase. It always impacts you, but it doesn’t have to control you. You can still be fast, just be smart about it. Slow down a little.

Attitude, business life, community associations, Management

No D For Managers

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They say defense wins championships. As much as I enjoy employing sports analogies as a teaching tool, this is one I cannot use. Because when it comes to customer service, offense comes first. A defensive mindset is limiting and ultimately self-defeating.

Generally unhappy people are everywhere, so the odds that some of them live in a community you serve are pretty good. Whether or not their beef is legitimate, or whether or not it has anything to do with you personally, it may well feel personal. And some particularly miserable folks will take great pains to make it so. In these situations, defensiveness feels natural. In very negative environments, it might even feel necessary for self-preservation. It can be a challenge to avoid the trap of defaulting to playing defense in your interactions with owners and residents.

SILLY HUMAN TRICKS

People unconsciously live up or down to expectation. So when you set a defensive tone, people are more likely to be contrary. They also mirror, that is, reflect the emotions and behavior of those with whom they interact. That means (1) as a professional problem solver, people bring you problems. They may not be happy about that problem and their negativity will rub off on you unless you are very careful. And (2) if you are negative, they are more likely to be negative. Think about it… are you are one of those managers who complains regularly about your job? Are you creating a space where negative transactions are likely, maybe even inevitable? Oops.

A word about “CYA” (covering your…butt). Some old school, burned out managers will tell you that CYA is the first rule of management. It might be the first rule of mediocre management, but not good management. CYA is the sure byproduct of doing good business. The follow up email, the contemporaneous business record, the documentation of conditions, inspection reports, thorough board packages – these are all fundamental business practices that protect both you and the association. But when your first goal is CYA, you get selfish. You do things that clearly protect you, but are frequently short sighted and have little to do with addressing the real issues of the day. A mindset of self-protectionism can create a vicious cycle of ineffectiveness that leads to distrust. Constant defense becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“But Tom, we live in a litigious society. And my Board questions every move I make. I have to play defense all the time!”

You are right. But your strategy is flawed.

IN CUSTOMER SERVICE, A GOOD OFFENSE IS THE BEST DEFENSE

Great managers play offense by taking a proactive, positive approach to their work. They don’t wait for problems to come, they look for opportunities to address things before they become problems. When problems do come to them, they see the opportunities hidden within.

When you take the initiative to play offense first, you free your mind to see the possibilities. You recognize the potential for good in people and help them to be their best selves. You build trust. You find you don’t have to play defense so often. Your reputation creates space for good things to happen. And you put yourself in a position to love what you do.

How Great Managers Play Offense

• Think solutions and work towards them, even if you can’t give your client exactly what they want. Or anything approaching what they want for that matter. Be that person who gets things done despite challenges.
• If a statement needs correction, do it in the third sentence, not the first.
• Focus on the principles behind the matter at hand. Teach. Help others to raise their thinking.
• Don’t mirror the negative, problem-based mindset of others. Let them mirror your positive, solutions-based approach.
• Paint a picture of possibility and a bigger perspective.
• And yes, document, document, document. It’s just good business.

Communications, Emotional Intelligence, Magic Beans, Management

Magic Beans #2 – No Buts About It

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This installment of the Magic Beans series focuses on one little word choice in one-on-one communication that can make a big difference.

THINK ABOUT IT

How many times do you use the word “but”? Take a count for a week. You might be surprised.

“But” marks a transition of thought. You might use it when you think something is dreadfully wrong… “But you are missing the point!!” Perhaps more often, you may tend to strategize your way into a “but” to offer an alternative position. You might even start with a palatable point of agreement with all good intentions. You know your counterpart disagrees with your position at the moment. You are trying to find common ground in the hopes they will be able to hear what you plan to say next. Then you transition with something like: “But I think…”, “But what about…”, or the ever so artful “But I wonder if…”

So here’s another exercise for you. For the next week, listen for every time someone else uses the word “but.” Pay attention to your immediate reaction. Unless there is a high level of trust in the relationship and in the moment, you will probably notice some level of negative emotion. This is where word choice counts.

THE GREAT ERASER – DEFLECTOR SHIELDS ON!

The problem with “but” is that it has the power to be the Great Eraser. It can effectively wipe out everything that was stated before it. Think about you how felt when you heard it while in a vulnerable place. Maybe it was during one of those dreadful annual performance reviews (which, by the way, I suggest we abandon). The reviewer just said 3 or 4 nice things about you, dutifully following the “3 Cs of Counselling” (comment – correct – commend). And then….wait for it…. “But there is some room for improvement…” Your defenses go up. You might start to think you just got played. You begin to formulate your counter argument.

The bottom line for any conversation – you might not be able to truly hear anything that’s said after you hear the Great Eraser.

What if you are wrong, or the truth is somewhere in the middle? What if you could have benefitted from the point made?

So what can you do when you are on the other side of things?

CHANGE THE GAME

Last exercise – anytime you feel the urge you use the word “but,” substitute “and”. Perhaps something like:
“…and I also noticed…”
“…and it makes me wonder if…”
“…and as I thought about …”

PLAN B

There are some circumstances where “and” might feel disingenuous or out of place. In those cases, see if you need a transition at all. If that sounds too abrupt, perhaps a softer phrase such as “on the other hand” could be employed. Be aware of your audience and the circumstance, and use your best judgment. Just remember that it doesn’t matter what you say, only what was heard.

WHY?

  • Your listener’s deflector shields might just stay down long enough to hear the message
  • You avoid the (hopefully) unintended message that you devalue the listener or their opinion/position
  • It changes the way you think and communicate, opening up dialogue that might just lead you to adjust your thinking – it could lead to asking more questions that will benefit both parties
  • It helps to avoid a perception of judgment and creates space for collaboration
  • It takes away a fence and builds a bridge

If you are like me, you’ll find the “but” habit hard to break, and easy to slide back into. It will take some self-awareness and thoughtful planning. If you’d prefer to play the ego game and prove yourself right all the time, it’s OK. Go ahead and stick with “but.” If you’d rather get things done and work effectively with others, take the “buts” out of it.*

*See what I did there? Plan B. I suppose I could have started with “On the other hand,…”