Lead, Don’t Follow
By Julie Adamen

I think it may be safe to say that we, as an industry, have grown in numbers, yet professionally we have been stuck in neutral for the past 10 years. In fact, I think it’s safe to say we have pretty much stagnated – and nowhere is it more evident than in our professional organizations: national, state and sub-chapters have become in many areas far less relevant than they used to be.

I belong to many of these organizations and have, over a long period of time, attended my share of trade shows, luncheons and conventions. And although I have enjoyed many of the people I have met and enjoyed the networking opportunity, more than once I have walked away from those events thinking it had gone as stale as the rubber chicken that was served.  What used to be informative and exciting has grown lethargic, and our membership numbers prove it. What’s up with that? Some thoughts…

Actively Seek the Leadership Needed.  I have a dear friend who has a saying about managing: After about 7 years, the bag of tricks is empty – so the manager needs to move on. To those of you in power, I say, when the bag of tricks is empty, don’t hide your head in the sand, recognize it for what it is: An opportunity to get a new bag of tricks, or new leadership with a new bag of tricks. Don’t be afraid to make changes when they are needed – not when you simply have no other choice.  The inability to make proactive organizational changes has kept and will keep our organizations from reaching their full potential as our professional representatives. 

Be respectful of the intelligence of the membership. Recently I consulted with a member of an organization who served on its programs committee. She noted how, at their recent strategic planning session, it was discussed with some lament that program attendance had dropped, at times by two-thirds; from it’s high in 1993 – 1995, and they were “basically doing the same thing as they were then.” I said, well, don’t you think that may be the problem? Stagnation? Not to mention that they are just now addressing the issue? How about the fact that management companies already have more in-house training than the average luncheon event provides?

The (unintentional) by-product of organizational stagnation is that it comes across to the membership as disrespect.  Do we really think the members don’t notice when our educational classes are (way) out of date? When we rotate the same speakers, on the same subjects, throughout our various entities? When our hotel and/or convention and/or meeting facilities are seriously lacking? Do we think the membership doesn’t notice when the make a phone call to the organization, only to never have that call returned? HELLO?

Vendors are more than an ATM machine.  Vendors are the only reason education and events come so cheaply to managers and board members. The professional organizations need to take note that they do not have a lock on vendor capital. We need to look at our vendors and affiliates with new eyes, and see they are valuable members of the organization – and see to it we provide the right bang for the buck in sponsorships, advertising and membership fees. Vendors have been signaling for some time that are getting tired of being a bottomless wallet – something we should pay attention to.  Without those contributions, the organizations can kiss themselves goodbye.

Want Relevance? Get out there and make our profession KNOWN.  I am calling upon our professional organizations, in all their states of existence, to take on a new and dramatic role, one that would not only make them relevant, it would reinvent their reason for being: Market our industry to the general public, the consumer of our services.  There is no down side to this, it works for everyone and ends up supporting every aspect of the organizations. Publications, seminars, radio talk shows and TV, newspaper articles – Who are we? What do we do? What should the consumer look for? When developers want a seminar for their new homeowners, TV reporters need background information, consumer advocates need reference material there should be no hesitation on which to call – it should be our professional organizations. The funny thing is, a lot of this professional reference and information is in place – it’s just that no one knows about it!

When the public, millions of whom live in community associations, is more aware, they’ll demand more professional management. That demand translates in to more individuals seeking to become credentialed community managers – which would demand the organizations fine tune their classes, keep them current and make sure they have decent instructors. This in turn loads up the classes and events, which in turn gives the vendors and affiliates more reason to stay members with their checkbooks in hand.  Ultimately, it is the ONLY way for our industry to become “more professional.” 

Membership trends for our organizations are down or static, yet the number of community associations is rising dramatically.  Something is very wrong with this picture, and it will take dramatic leadership changes to seize this opportunity – and not be seized by inertia.  What was done in 1990 cannot begin to meet the needs of the organizations; it’s members or the industry in 2002. To the powers that be in all of these organizations: Embrace these facts – and realize you have within your power the ability to literally change the lives of those in the industry and those served by it. Don’t just stand there. In this endeavor our organizations should show true leadership, leading our industry proactively to the future – theirs and ours.