RE: New Years Resolutions for 2012

Julie,
Thanks for a great newsletter.
Ned Heiskell, PCAM CCAM 
EVP NNJ
San Diego, CA

RE: New Years Resolutions for 2012

Hey Julie,
By the way, loved your New Years resolutions piece. I forwarded it to my managers and I encouraged them to send it to their boards.
Jeff Ulm VP
Sentry Management, Inc.
Tampa, FL

RE: Fight Night or Fight Nice

Dear Julie.
A quick note to thank you for one of the best articles I've ever read in the Echo Journal (September 2011), so much it's inspired me to write you.

I served on my community association board for five years, in all capacities (most recently three years as the Treasurer) and finally resigned recently just six months shy of the end of my current term. I couldn't handle the "frustration, plain bad manners and certain psychological disorders" any more. When a new member was elected to the board and strong armed his way into being President, that was the end of me. I put a lot of heart and soul into the HOA, but - as you put it - in the end I had to let go.

Your article was a little gift from the heavens and confirmed my decision. Thank you again for your contribution and an ECHO magazine I will save for a long time.

Robin Compton
Alameda, CA 94501

RE: Fight Night or Fight Nice

Dear Julie.
Your article in the September (2011) ECHO Journal is both insightful and practical. I hope all board directors who receive the Journal read it. As it obviously has been for you, it is my experience—and not only in CID governance—that “When there is an information vacuum (believe me) it will get filled with gossip, innuendo and downright falsehoods.” Also helpful is your recommendation that hard copy CID newsletters be used to drive association members to associated websites. I touched on this in two articles on HOA communications and newsletters that the Journal published in late 2007.

In one of the newsletters I edit, the board newsletter chief and I have recently created a new front page, drop shadowed box with text in large bold font. We call the feature “Know the Truth.” Together with the monthly’s usual four pages of stories on a broad range of Association matters, this short item at the top of Page One seems to be having the effect of bailing out the gossip and then filling the vacuum with important information on Association governance.

In the meantime, I wish you well and hope to see more articles by you in the ECHO Journal. CIDs are under pressure in California because of high unemployment and weak demand. But further, we have to deal with a pernicious bill signed into law this year and effective in 2012 on new developments that, without repeal or amendment, most observers expect will have great negative impact on the development of more CIDs in this state, especially those in the “affordable” category. Especially going forward, better association governance is essential.

Very truly yours,
Larry Mesplé

Sonoma, CA 95476

RE: NewsLine
Julie,
Thank you for publishing such a wonderful communication.
Viccky Parris, CM, CMCA, PCAM
Community Manager
Mountain's Edge Master Association
CCMC

RE: Revolving Board Members: CAn you Survive?
Julie:
It seems as though every article you pen is timely in my life/career. Managing a master and ten sub assocaitions we have our share of "revolving." After twenty three years I have the process well in hand. Your article was just what I needed to share with staff and to revive my own "lessons learned."
Asa Ashcraft
Managing Director
Spanish Trail Master Association

RE: Revolving Board Members: Can you Survive?
Julie:
Loved it. I have put together a ‘Welcome to the Board’ packet that includes:
Chart on who is who, including mgmt
How to read our financial statements
Fiduciary duties
Cartoons and jokes
What I do for them and what they need to do
Exec sessions-what the heck?
Just anything I think will be helpful
The cover is the HOA Uncle Sam
I send it to each new Board member with a thank you for volunteering for their community.
The nice ones appreciate it, the nasty ones it throws off guard so they can see they are now ‘on the other side.’

Take care,
Marilyn Endlich
Community Manager
VierraMoore, Inc.
RE:  A Short Treatise fopr Managers and Others Volume 14, No. 02
Julie:
Thank you for the above mentioned article. I am so impressed with it I would like to use this article in our CAI Managers Education Committee of which I serve on to utilize it in discussion and possibly as subject for our managers round table next month. Since it is copy written, please let me know if we at CAI could use it.
Thank you for encouraging the management industry with such forthright articles!

Jennie L. Byram 
CLAM, Realtor

RE: Four Steps to Cut Your Stress 
Julie:
Once again your newsletter Vol 13, No. 11 has forced me to refocus my energy toward managing and not controlling. This job is difficult enough, without the unneeded added stress we sometimes (most times) put on ourselves to control a situation that we did not create. You and your team have hit it out of the park again. When will you be in New England again. I would like to bring our whole office to hear you speak.
All the Best,

Kevin Carlos CMCA AMS
Premier Property Management

RE: Understanding Board Development
Julie:
Excellent article Julie! I hope all is well with you... keep up the good work!
Kindest regards,

-Margo Crummack Principal /CEO
Crummack Huseby, Inc.

RE: Understanding Board Development
Julie:
Great, Terrific Article, as always on target. Can't wait for Part II
Thank You
Paulette Hawley

RE:  Top Traits of Great and Effective Boards, August 2010
Julie:
I thought your article was articulate and insightful. I think community association boards should read and consider your thoughts as they determine how they govern their Association's affairs.

William J. Coleman
Vice President
The Continental Group, Inc.

RE: Myth v. Reality 2010
Julie:
I just received your newsletter and read the lead article. Good story, but one of your references leaves me perplexed about your interpretation of the Zogby International data.  We asked, "On a scale of one to five, with one being very bad and five being very good, how would you rate your overall experience living in a community association?" You state that the 17 percent of respondents who selected #3 are unhappy, disillusioned or disappointed. Given a sliding scale of 1 through 5, we are comfortable assuming #1 and #2 are negative (12 percent), #4 and #5 positive (71 percent) and #3 neutral or ambivalent (17 percent).  We rely on the experts at Zogby for such interpretations and that is their professional judgment. We feel confident that HOA residents who are unhappy, disillusioned or disappointed would have selected #1 or #2, as 12 percent did. This is not as low as it could and should be, but much lower than often one-sided, anecdotal reports in the media would have us believe. Your readers are encouraged to review the full Zogby report.

- Frank Rathbun
Vice President of Communications
Community Associations Institute

Julie's note: We posted the  full Zogby report on our website prior to the publication of the referenced article.

RE: Myth v. Reality 2010
Julie:
Just received your online newsletter. I am sure you (and most managers) would really like to believe that association members are happy with their association, but if you look deeper into the referenced Zogby survey (originally found at http://www.zogby.com/soundbites/ReadClips.cfm?ID=19099) you would see that even though 71 percent THAT RESPONDED rated their HOA experience as positive, the fact is that less than 10% of those asked to respond actually did respond. That leaves over 90% of HOA homeowners who either don't care or are too apathetic to even share their opinions. Hardly a mandate that the community association management industry is winning the battle against homeowner apathy. With so many owners having negative or, at best, neutral opinions of their association, I think the fact is that more managers, management companies and boards need to address that reality and communicate more effectively, be more transparent and create more opportunities to involve owners in their community. 
 
I know it can only help to put a "positive" spin on anything HOA related given the challenges of the industry, but when so many associations are being challenged by high foreclosure rates (and receiving less in assessment income), apathy (how many Annual Meetings are adjourned to due lack of quorum?) and misinformation (a lack of real leadership and information results in owners believing the person who yells the loudest...hardly the one's with real leadership qualities - just ask those associations that have been hijacked by the loudest, most obnoxious owners elected to the Boards). The key is to empower the ownership, help them understand the value of community and reinforce positive involvement and behaviors...
 
...but, I know, I'm preaching to the choir :-)  I just see so many mismanaged associations by managers with so little experience that I have a hard time promoting any management stance that does not embrace radical change and outside-the-box thinking�

- Mike Pierson
Community Association Publishing
Author, Taking Control: Time Management & Communication Tools for Community Association Mgmt.

RE: Myth v. Reality 2010
Julie:
Your latest article, Myth v. Reality was great. For years I have told my managers and staff that each
HOA has its own personality. In one sense, they are like children in that the personality must be
developed. A brand new association will develop its own personality over time. And like children, it is
difficult to change that personality after they have grown older. It is the managers responsibility  to
help the association develop a "member friendly" personality early on. That includes insisting that all
board members adhere to a written code of conduct, and attend board training classes. There are many other ways to help develop that personality and, like training children, it takes time.

My company managed an association that I personally managed for 12 years. Over the years, board
members came and went, but the association kept operating the same efficient way. Eventually, the
entire community came to understand that I knew what I was doing, and we had very few problems
outside of your normal situations. You know, simple little things like the clubhouse beginning to sink in
one corner, or the fiberglass swimming pool cracking and shifting because of the wet ground during a
particularly wet spring. Other than those kinds of problems, managing this property was a piece of
cake.  It had a "member friendly" kind of personality, and an efficient operation.

Managers must understand that they have to work with their associations to make positive changes. It isn't always
easy but it is always worth it.

- Dick Schinke
Phoenix, AZ

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
I read your commentary, and have to agree with your statement about "no repercussions for bad behavior".  In many cases, however, that bad behavior comes from board members.  You well know that boards are usually made up of inexperienced people, often with agendas of their own, and you also know that there are effectively no controls on these people.  They break the law, unknowingly or otherwise, all the time, and states generally turn a blind eye, thanks to CAI.  Some of those "difficult" homeowners have legitimate grievances that have been ignored.

I really wish your essay had been more evenhanded and less condescending toward homeowners.  But then you are a manager, and probably a proud member of CAI.  What we learned from our HOA experience is to never trust managers or lawyers ever again.  And to never buy into an HOA ever again.  The word nightmare doesn't begin to describe what we went through, even though we tried the proper channels for years.  And we are not alone.

- Anonymous by request

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
Thank you for sending me your newsletter. This last one was a MUST READ for everyone in our office.

- Kevin Carlos, CMCA AMS
Premier Property Management
Middletown, RI

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
Great Article!  While working in Palm Springs and dealing with vacation rental condos in addition to the usual onsite Condo mgmt issues we found customer service almost always a crisis issue with vacation expectations.
 Our best front office people came from hospital emergency rooms.  Unless someone was dying nothing fazed them. Thought I pass this on as a hiring tip if a manager is at a high stress property and needs a support staff.

 - Jamie Walker, CCAM
Oceanside Community Assn.
Oceanside, CA

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
But what does a manager and their staff do when physically or emotionally threatened by an obviously dangerous homeowner?  Too little has been written about this topic and it seems that the outright criminal actions of homeowners against the Association's employees.  I've seen it play out one too many times in my career and that of my employees and the only way out is for the employee to leave their employment.

Any ideas on how we can create protections for these employees when the courts will not award Restraining Orders against a homeowner regardless of the severity of the homeowners actions?

- Perry VoScott
High-Rise HOA Consultant
San Francisco, CA

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
Very good article on "Dealing With Difficult People."  I also enjoyed seeing you and hearing your presentation on the "Butterfly Effect" in Stockton.  Talk to you soon.

- David Levy
Levy, Erlanger & Company

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
You were at our last meeting, weren't you? Difficult people, indeed. Very good article.

- Joe Keefe
Board member

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
Clipped a little part of this one out to hang up at my desk. I always look forward to your newsletters!                                       

- Crystal Whittendon, PCAM
via LinkedIn

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
As always, great techniques to help keep one's sanity!

- Marilyn Brainard
via LinkedIn

RE: ...About Dealing with Difficult People, July 2010
Julie:
Great article, seems like all my owners are always of the disturbed variety! I love the descriptions and better yet your ideas on how to deal with each personality. I will use it in our customer service training Great Stuff! Thanks

- Jeff Schlaack, PCAM
via LinkedIn 

Re: The Manager as Entrepreneur
Julie,
Good article.  Every once in a while I have a 'Why in the Hell am I doing this?' moment but then go right back to doing it!  Maybe I'm crazy, stupid or both.

Steve Sulkey, PCAM
Professional Association Management
Bolivia, NC
 
Re: The Manager as Entrepreneur
Julie,
If no one has told you today your newsletter, The HOA Manager NewsLine, it's information and Adamen Inc. as a whole are truly appreciated down here in our office. Thank you.
 Eric Gordon, CMCA, AMS
Sherwood, OR

Re: The Manager as Entrepreneur
Julie,
Mahalo for all the valuable info.

Al Andrews
CCM, VP & Programs Chair
http://www.mauicondocouncil.com/
Pearl City, HI

RE: HOA Manager NewsLine
Julie:
(Your) newsletter is the highlight of my month!

Andrea Haywood, CAM
Roswell, GA

RE: HOA Manager NewsLine
Julie:
Your newsletter is great as well. Most (other newsletters) are so full of fluff that I don't take time to read them but yours is the exception. Thank you for all of your hard work on behalf of our industry...maybe one day we can call it a profession.

Cathryn D. Winterfield, CPM
Director of Development and Training
Sterling Management Services, Inc.
Jacksonville, FL

RE: New Blood
Great feature article (New Blood, Where will it Come from?) My only down side to it is that when some "Bored" members read such an article, they have their egos confirmed that they can run a large-scale condominium at less cost to their association. Initially it may work, but after a few years the spokes come off the wheel and the community suffers. The good manager they gave up to save a few bucks is now unavailable to them and they end up taking a chance on someone else. I've seen this before. But then, I 'm sure you have to.

Jeff Charpentier
Creative Community Consultants, LLC
Ft. Myers, FL

RE: New Blood
Julie:
Thank you. Your article about where to find managers was wonderful.

Charles D. Biter, CPM
Timmons Properties, Inc.
Nashville, TN

RE: Managing Micromanagement, mid-month e-blurbs
Julie:
God Bless you Julie Adamen. We spent 20 minutes this morning with a manager in tears, trying to explain these very concepts. Thank you for giving us insight to these crazy making ways and some perspective on how to deal with them.

Evelyn Dufford, CPA CMCA AMS
Association Services
Puyallup, WA

RE: Why Community Management is a Great Business
Julie:
Great article! (Why Community Management is a Great Business! March 2008) Wonderful reminder of the "pleasures" of our industry!

Nena T. Rutherford, CCAM
Desert Resort Management
Palm Desert, CA

RE: The Secret
Julie..
YOU ROCK!!!I just finished reading your article on The Secret. The Secret has been a part of our staff development for about a year now with great results. We sit together and watch the movie about once a year and the book is front and center on our bookshelf. The first time we introduced it to the staff; you could just see the light bulbs turn on in their heads. We see a dramatic difference in all aspects of our business when we apply the principle of 'like attracts like'. It changes our attitude and everything we do in and out of this business.

Thanks for going woo-woo on us!

Karen Savereux, President
Association Services

Julie,
 - I was wondering when you would be writing about the Secret and was so pleased to see it featured in your October newsletter. I loved how you introduced the key concepts and applied the principals (law of attraction) to this industry - I think many vendors and managers alike need to understand how they can create positive experiences and that there is an abundance of wealth, clients, etc. for all. As you said this will be life changing for many who truly understand that they attract or create their experiences - a bit unnerving at first to accept accountability, but also incredibly empowering. Thanks for stepping up to the plate to share this somewhat controversial subject in order to plant those positive seeds of change and growth in the CID world! Yea!

Christine Lucas, VP
Relationship Manager
HOA Banking Division
US Bank

Julie,
I have to tell you I read your article It's A Girl Thing and recognized myself right off the bat. Even knowing I do these things, it is still hard to stop it. I'm sure many of your readers will see themselves, and hopefully, work to make some positive changes. I'm going to try. Good job!

Joan S. Inman
Customer Service Manager
SouthData, Inc

Dear Julie,
Hope all is well with you. Really liked your article on micromanagement. You really hit is on the head. I will probably include that in the arsenal of reference material I share with Boards when I teach my orientation/tune-up programs (giving you full credit OF COURSE!)

Thomas L. Willis, CMCA, PCAM, Vice President
Zalco Realty
Silver Spring, MD

Dear Julie: Your column is always interesting and thought provoking.

Duane Krause

Dear Julie,
Just read your article on micromanagement in the HOA Manager NewsLine (on micromanagement).There is nothing in the article that can be disputed. Good Job.

Dear Julie: JULIE, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. THE INDUSTRY NEEDS YOU.

Your ever lovin pest!
John Turnbull
Desert Hot Springs, CA

Dear Julie,
See? I've been paying attention to your newsletters and implementing....I have a much better position, doing more of what I feel are my strengths, making more money, better benefits, etc.
Thanks for your help and the useful information you have provided over the years.

Cindy Collins, CCAM, PCAM
San Diego, CA

Dear Julie,
I am the facilities manager for a large HOA in Santa Fe, and was recently going for a job interview as the GM. When I read your article Top Traits of Great Managers I took it to heart and planned my interview around it. I had a very successful interview and feel confident about the results. Thanks for your help and I will let you know how I did.

Sincerely,
Bill Donohue
Santa Fe, NM

Good Morning Julie,
As I was sitting here browsing your website, I realized that I have been remiss in acknowledging all of the positive things you have afforded me over the years. You have given me invaluable advice from which I have followed and benefited (financially and professionally). I continually profit from the timely and thoughtful articles in HOA Manager NewsLine. Lastly, and certainly not least, your energy and active role at industry events is inspirational and uplifting. I do apologize for not communicating these feelings and thoughts at an earlier date; after all, "communication" is such a major aspect of what we do and a topic that you have emphasized incessantly.

Thank you for all that you do.

Asa