Tag Archives: HOAs

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

We Are All Geniuses…or Insane. Your Call!

Leave a comment

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!

Best Practices, change management, community associations, condo associations, Governance, HOAs, leadership, Uncategorized

Dear Boards: Suck It Up and Be Transparent

Leave a comment

James Dyson developed over 5,000 prototype designs for his revolutionary vacuum cleaner between 1979 and 1984. Nobody cared until 1983. An Italian appliance maker agreed to sell them by mail order. It was not exactly a success; only about 500 units were sold that year.

But Dyson was undeterred. He never forgot his unhappy experience with a typical vacuum in 1974, when he noticed it seemed to lose suction easily and required a lot of maintenance to maintain optimal performance. He knew there had to be a better way. He was sure his “cyclonic separation” technology was the answer.

Who Wants to See Dirt?

One of the key features of the vacuum was its clear plastic dirt collector. Market research at the time said people would hate it. But Dyson sensed that people would want to see the results of the vacuum’s performance, no matter how ugly it might be. So in 1991 he launched Dyson Appliances Unlimited. Was he right? Today Dyson is a multi-billion pound (British) company employing over 8,500 people. But you don’t need to know statistics to see his impact. Take a look at the appliance shelf at your local department store or Amazon page. How many competitors copied him?

Historically, vacuum cleaners trapped dirt in a hidden bag that was removed and thrown away. The clear dirt collector went against the grain of conventional wisdom at the time. In his ebook Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become?, Michael Schrage quoted Dyson: “The interesting thing is that when I did this, all of our competitors just fell about the floor laughing; they were actually delighted that I’d been so stupid. And the retailers wouldn’t have it . . . We went into the stores, and our vacuum has all this (expletive deleted) in it. The retailers are absolutely hostile. They say, ‘No, no, no, it’s a complete mistake—make it smoked or tinted or something.’ But I persisted, because I found it really fascinating that you could see exactly what was happening; you could actually see the nature and texture and type of dirt you’ve picked up.”

Schrage concluded, “While Dyson’s transparency defied the industry’s conventional wisdom, customers knew they could see with their own eyes how well their innovative technology worked. Dyson offered a simple, easy, and inexpensive user experience that invited customer confidence….Transparency creates trust. Dyson’s contrarian innovation was an investment in trust. Dyson empowered his customers to come to their own real-time conclusions about his product’s performance. “

What’s This Got to Do with Community Association Governance?

Too many boards of directors of community association are nervous. Nervous about contention. Nervous about bad PR. Nervous about looking unprepared. Nervous about being wrong. Reflexively, they retreat into secrecy, even when state or local statutes require open meetings.

I get it. People can be tough. Most communities have hard cases living in them. I remember Elvira, a unit owner in a particularly contentious condominium I once managed. She was the Board’s harshest critic, never missing an opportunity to call out any and every imperfection. When I asked her why she didn’t step up and serve on the Board, it became clear she didn’t want to be accountable. She just enjoyed holding others accountable.

I also remember my first condo management job. I was a contracted, interim building manager for a small and elite condominium in Washington DC. I went to work every day with a knot in my stomach, certain I would blow the building up. At the end of my tenure, the whole community threw me a going away party. It was amazing. I cornered one of the board members and said, “I don’t understand. This was my first management job. I made plenty of mistakes. Why were you so happy with me?” I’ll never forget the answer.

“Tom, you told us about every little thing that went wrong. We knew if anything really bad happened you would be honest about it. You have no idea how valuable that was to us to have a manager we could trust.”

“Transparency creates trust”
– Michael Schrage

Humility and openness are invaluable. They set a tone and can change the game. My mentor Arthur Dubin, President of Zalco Realty, and I still recall a president of a condominium we helped turn around back in the day. The condominium had been the victim of paralysis by analysis. This was due in no small part to egos that got in the way of seeing reality and being responsible for decisions that might not work. A brilliant oncologist, this president was always willing to admit when he didn’t understand something. He asked the questions others were afraid to. His standard line was, “talk to me like I’m 5 years old.” The board became more comfortable discussing matters openly and sharing information on topics in progress with owners. All their dirt was in the open. Nobody got sued, the community came together, and stuff got done. More than 20 years later, Arthur and I still reminisce about “Dr. Bob” moments every so often.

Consumers pay good money for a vacuum and want to see the results. They trust their money was well spent, even if what they see might be a bit distasteful. They know the technology works. Seeing the results allows them to draw their own conclusions. Community members pay their fees. They want to have confidence that the organization they are funding is working well. They want to have confidence in the process, even when the news is a less than pleasant. Seeing the process unfold allows members to buy in for themselves.

So your gut reaction may be to stay “safe” in the shadows. This is a fear-based decision. You already know those don’t work out too well (FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real). You may make assumptions about how members will react to seeing the dirt. And it’s true that in our litigious society there are reasons to be discrete. But knowledge gaps will be filled by the rumor mill. The Law of Omitted Data (i.e. if a percentage of information is omitted or missing, bad data will spread at an exponential rate over time) runs amok. This creates a vicious cycle of distrust, secrecy and dysfunction.

So yes, it can be tough ESPECIALLY in challenging times and with bad news. Take a deep breath and be as open as circumstances permit. Change the game and begin to turn vicious cycles into success cycles. This is not theory. It works. Give it a shot – suck it up and be transparent. When the results start to flow you’ll be glad you did.

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!

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!

community associations, condo associations, Cooperatives, HOAs, long range planning

Long Range Planning for Community Associations – Getting Down to Business!

2 Comments

In Part 2 of this series, I outlined the basic planning steps condominiums, HOAs, and cooperatives use to create a long range plan. You’ve assembled the team to take on the project (also covered in Part 2) and you are ready to roll. Now what?

Five Steps to a Great Plan!

 

There are different approaches to complete each step, considering the group and available resources. Here are a few success tips to think about as you tackle each step.

Step 1: Assess current conditions
• A “SWOT” analysis is a great tool. List the strengths and weaknesses inside the organization, and the opportunities and threats that impact, or may impact, from outside the community. Click here for a helpful guide to SWOT analysis from the Community Tool Box.
• Collect data from as many sources as possible; reserve studies, inspection reports, audits, governing documents, welcome packages, rules & regulations, newsletters, website, committee members, management and staff.
• Listen to your members. Use tools like surveys and town hall meetings to find out what they use, what they like, and what they want.
• See things as they really are with absolute, brutal honesty. No theoreticals, just facts. (Hint: A fact can sometimes be that there are widely differing opinions on a subject. So don’t argue about who’s right, just record the results of the fact-finding). This is where having diversity in the working group is extremely helpful. If your association is professionally managed, listen to the management team. The more perspectives the better.

Step 2: Identify the core purpose of the association
• Value Statements, Vision Statements, and Mission Statements are all great documents. Exactly which is created as a result of this step isn’t crucial. What’s most important is that document or documents, in whatever form they may take, accurately represent what the community is really about and where it wants to go.
• Oh please…don’t do the corporate thing – put pretty words on a plaque on the wall that nobody cares about and think you’ve nailed it. Unless the work product from this step creates a basis for decision making, it’s meaningless. I’ve read way too many mission statements that reek of groupspeak and left me wanting to rip it from the wall and fling it in to the fire. Make it real, even if it’s a little ugly. You can tweak it later.
• Real world tip: Some groups have a tough time enumerating values, vision and mission. Don’t worry. If you get stuck, feel free to skip ahead to Step 3, then come back. If you tell me what you want to do, if I listen carefully enough I can hear the values, vision and mission behind the plans. So can you.

Step 3: Set goals to work towards achieving that purpose
• Intense brainstorming happens here. There are no bad ideas. Disallow brainstorming creativity killers like “We tried that and it didn’t work,” and “That’s a dumb idea.” Culling and prioritization happen after brainstorming.
• Clarify results into “SMART” goals – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. That being said, achievable and realistic does NOT mean easy. Progress is rarely easy. Timely refers to each goal having a target date for completion. This is where prioritization comes into play.
• If a goal does not support the mission, either the goal should be dumped or you have identified an adjustment to the mission.

Step 4: Decide what practical steps, or “objectives,” will be necessary to reach the goals
• Reverse engineer the process. Be clear on each goal and work backwards to identify the deliverables required to achieve the goal.
• Sometimes you will find a goal needs revisiting after this step. Adjust as needed.
• After identifying the work needed to achieve your goals, you might realize you need to adjust the target dates for completion. That will make for “smarter” goals (more achievable, realistic, and timely).

Step 5: Establish the plan to regularly review progress and update the plan as needed
• This is where great plans fail. Unless there is follow through and analysis, your initial efforts are wasted.
• Review the plan each year. Include community feedback in the analysis.
• Identify the objectives to be accomplished each year and plug them into the association’s master annual calendar so they can be tracked.
• Regularly communicate plans and progress. Hold yourself accountable. Don’t be afraid of failure; learn from it. Communicate some more. Support and momentum will increase.

What topics should your association include in the analysis and plan? The answer is…anything and everything.  That’s what I will cover in Part 4.  Stay tuned!

RESOURCES

• “Best Practices Report #3 – Strategic Planning” – Foundation for Community Association Research
• Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening Organizational Achievement by John M. Bryston
• Creating Your Strategic Plan: A Workbook for Public and Nonprofit Organizations by John M. Bryston & Farnum K. Alston

community associations, Cooperatives, HOAs, long range planning

How Community Associations Plan to Succeed

Leave a comment

In Part 1 of this series, I explored the reasons why condominium associations, homeowner associations, and cooperatives by and large fail to engage in meaningful long range planning. If a failure to plan is a plan to fail, how can community associations plan to succeed?

BREAKING IT DOWN

Long range planning can be defined as the establishment of a strategy to successfully navigate the foreseeable future. The basic planning process will involve 5 key steps.

Step 1: Assess current conditions
Step 2: Identify the core purpose of the association
Step 3: Set goals to work towards that purpose
Step 4: Decide what practical steps (“objectives”) will be necessary to reach the goals
Step 5: Establish the plan to regularly review progress and update the plan as needed

KEYS TO SUCCESS

Thoughtfully selecting the team to take on this project is the first key to success. Each association has to take into consideration the availability of, and commitment to, human and financial resources. Getting a broad range of input is vital. An ad hoc committee including community members can be extremely valuable, especially since the final plan will need community support to have lasting impact. Leaders who allow the planning group to drive the process and who allow the collected data to tell the story are likely to garner support and succeed. Those who impose preconceived notions about the end result upon the group will destroy both creativity and the integrity of the final product.

Bill Selfridge, the chairman of an HOA ad hoc planning committee, shared why his Association took great care to bring diversity to his group,

“Our community has many members who have expertise and interest in different areas. When we established our working group, we were able to assign specific focus areas to people who expressed an interest in and a willingness to be the coordinator those areas. We identified 9 areas; everything from governance to communications, to clubhouse administration. We endeavored to take into account the diversity of approaches and ideas and opinions. That sometimes translated into very spirited, but extremely valuable dialogue, resulting in a much sounder plan.”

The person designated to lead planning sessions must be objective, patient, focused, and trusted. Bill’s HOA decided to engage me as an outside facilitator. He explains,

“We realized that with all the various viewpoints of the work group participants that it was important to provide for objectivity and subject matter expertise through a proven and qualified facilitator to help us maintain focus and work through the rough spots. We also had to agree that the meetings were his show. We found a facilitator who had the industry experience, the countenance, and the people skills that the group could respect. It made a big difference.

This is Part 2 of a 6 part series. In Part 3, I will dive into each of the 5 basic planning steps help you visualize how your condo, HOA, or coop can actually make this happen. Stay tuned!