Category Archives: community associations

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

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

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

Now what?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 ++

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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!

business life, community associations, leadership

Why Ask More Questions?

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If you looked others in the eye and asked more questions, what would happen?

 

Would you…

  • Strengthen your listening skills?
  • Learn more?
  • Be more fully in the moment?
  • More clearly understand the viewpoint of others?
  • Work more effectively with others?
  • Build bridges instead of setting fences with declarative statements?
  • Avoid some conflicts and misunderstandings?
  • Get to better solutions?
  • Build more successful partnerships?

Could you…

  • Create a space where others can make ideas their own?
  • Reinforce and grow your respect and appreciation for others?
  • Become more open to possibilities?
  • Find unexpected answers that lead to in directions you had not contemplated?
  • Amplify your appreciation, curiosity and sense of wonder?
  • Grow in humility?
  • Put yourself in a position to ask questions you didn’t know you had before?

And if you did ask more questions, do you think others might…

  • Sense your respect and appreciate you more?
  • Be more interested in working with you?
  • Recommend you to others?

What would happen to your relationships?
When would your thought processes begin to deepen?
How would your life be impacted?

Why NOT ask more questions?  Go ahead, roll the dice.  Just remember to listen carefully to the answers.

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

Raising the Bar in 2018

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“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, leadership

You’re Not the Boss of Me!

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Laws, community association governing documents and policies are designed to help boards of directors identify their roles and responsibilities. They provide a framework of expectation for community members. And they can be immensely useful in dealing with inappropriate and ill-advised actions. But they are not enough.

Ironically, these documents by their nature can actually make it more difficult to motivate some to do the right thing. They outline behaviors – “what” and “how,” sometimes in excruciating detail. A fundamental challenge is that the documents themselves rarely address the underlying principles as to why they exist in an effective way – the “Why.”

not the boss of meIt is human nature to bristle at being told what to do, especially when we don’t see the purpose. So, while it may be technically proficient to cite the law, governing documents, policies, and case law in addressing issues, the most effective boards, managers, and lawyers raise the bar. They help their clients and members appreciate the Why. This provides context and can make requirements easier to swallow. When common benefit is accentuated, it may even be motivational.

Those of us who serve community associations must recognize that when we provide direction and recommendation, even when fully supported by documentation, the communication may be received on an emotional level as an ego-based message. If so, this is likely to result in an ego-based reaction. The key is to raise the level of communication from ego to principle. The message is far more palatable and effective when it is properly placed in the context of values. Rules don’t reach hearts, but principles can. Even though we have to work in the trees of technicality and details, we need to help our clients and community members see the forest if we are to serve them at the highest level.

THE TAKEAWAYS …
* Communicate the Why whenever possible.
* Seek to identify shared values, allow discussion about specific behaviors to be in the context of those values.
* Beware the perception of ego-based communication; seek to raise the level of all communications to principle-based.

Vision Toffler

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

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

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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

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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!

community associations, long range planning

Why Don’t Community Associations Plan?

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Howard Hill with Errol Flynn

The late motivational speaker Zig Ziglar taught the subject of goal setting by opining on the story of Howard Hill, who won 196 archery tournaments in a row in the first part of the 20th century. He was the guy Hollywood hired to do stunts like splitting one arrow with another in Robin Hood films. Amazing stuff. Mr. Ziglar claimed he was such a talented instructor, he could teach anyone to hit a target with more proficiency than Howard Hill – provided Mr. Hill was blindfolded and spun around a few times.

“Ridiculous! How can someone hit a target they can’t see?” To which Mr. Ziglar responded “That’s very true. Even worse, how can you hit a target you don’t even have?”

It seems so incredibly obvious. Have a target, hit a target. Have a goal, reach a goal.  Duh.  Yet how many community associations have clear, measurable goals, much less a plan to achieve them? Shockingly few.

THERE’S YOUR SIGN…

Comedian Bill Engvall made this tag line famous. If you are not familiar, Google it. He will make you laugh. But some signs can make you cry. Does any of this sound familiar?:

– “Surprise” major expenses resulting in special assessments, steep fee increases, loans, or any combination thereof

– Members disenchanted with their community association

– Endless debate on how the association should spend its money

– Crisis management becoming standard operating procedure

– Regrettable history repeating itself over and over again

– All these may be signs that long term planning is lacking.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

If it so clear that community associations need goals and a planning process, why doesn’t it happen?Through the years, I’ve heard plenty of reasons, none of them good.

– “Our meetings are already 3 hours long. Our agenda is full.”

– “Why should we plan for things that won’t happen until after we are long gone from here?”

– “I’ve been through strategic planning sessions at work. Everybody has great ideas, but nothing ever comes of it. It’s a waste of time.”

– “We are all volunteers here. We just don’t have time.”

– “We have a budget and a reserve study. That’s our plan.”

– “We can deal with it later.”

Failing to plan is absolutely a plan to fail. Ted Ross, a board member for the Washington Metro Chapter of the Community Associations Institute and owner of TRC Engineering frequently preaches, “The longer you defer a capital project, the more costly the project becomes and fewer options are available.” The same principle is true for any facet of the operation where necessary change is deferred. Waiting for projects or situations to become emergencies is never a good idea. Planning for the future is an investment in time, energy, and money.

This is Part 1 of a 6 part series. Part 2 will outline the 5 basic steps of long range planning. Stay tuned!