or Managing Inevitable Change: Our REAL Job
By Julie Adamen

Almost without exception, communities swing back and forth on a political pendulum. On the upswing of pendulum, the Board is cogent and consistent in their policies, giving clear direction and setting realistic goals and expectations of their staff in implementing those policies. The manager is considered a productive and valued member of the community’s administration.

…Then things start changing as those board members finish their terms and new members take their places.  Chances are these new members are on a completely different plane of thinking and philosophy than the previous Board. 

Instant Management Philosophy Change: Just Add an Annual Meeting

Make no mistake, the Annual Meeting is not the only time this goes on, but for our article’s sake, that is the time period on which we will focus.

Managing Change: Let Go.  We rail against it. We dread it. We talk about it over beers after work. “Just when things had settled down THIS happened.” Or THAT happened. Or someone new moved in with big fat new agenda. Or the Annual Meeting took place. Or a committee formed to explore painting the units – again – and they want to take a survey!!!

Don’t rail against it. Don’t dread it. Don’t stress about it. The fact is, the job of the community manager is to manage that change as effectively as possible, which means letting go of some long held industry beliefs, teachings, complaints and management methods. Here are some starting points:

• You are NOT a victim.  Many managers feel victimized by their Boards because all of a sudden, everything changed, just when it was going so nicely. You may feel that way for a short time, but there is a big difference between feeling victimized and taking on the role of victim. One may help you vent your way through a particular situation, the other can lead you on the path that goes… right out the door and out of the industry. And that difference is your choice.

• Change is NOT a surprise. The actual thing or function of the change may be something you hadn’t thought would happen, but the fact of change itself is NOT a surprise – it is an integral part of your job.

• Control is something you don’t have. Let go - of the way things used to be, of the way things should be, of the way they should act, of your own tightly held beliefs. Take the word “should” out of your vocabulary. It’s their community, and it is an integral part of your job to guide that community through its inevitable changes.

• Plan (Act) for Changes, Don’t REACT to them. We’re a reactive business – and it’s a shortsighted way to be. If you are any good at managing, chances are you KNOW what is coming at you in the next annual meeting.

Managing Change in Action

As we all know, many Board members are agenda-driven. New flowers, new paint, lower assessments, whatever. And many times they have felt thwarted and frustrated, rightly or wrongly, by the previous Board because, in their mind, their questions about their agenda items weren’t answered to their satisfaction (reality doesn’t necessarily have a role in this process). 

Since it’s always easier to place blame on an employee rather than a neighbor, the manager often becomes the object of the new Board member’s frustration. The manager is, in essence, left “holding the bag” for previous Board’s actions. But that is a role from which you can extricate yourself by being proactive in managing the agenda-driven new Board member.  Don’t wait until they come to you. Perform a pre-emptive strike before the Annual Meeting:

• ASK incoming members what information they are interested in. Asking them shows them you are interested in their issue and will give it the attention it deserves. Basically, someone is finally paying attention to him or her.

• GIVE them a timeframe (after the election) when you will be able to provide that information. And stick to it.

• PROVIDE the information as requested. Make it easy to read and make sure you don’t leave anything out. Make sure the rest of the Board sees it in the next Board packet or as a cc. 

Why this pro-active style works:

1) Providing a frustrated member with information before they ask you for it takes you out of the defensive position 2) You become a provider of information, not responsible for that information, i.e., a conduit 3) You will not be viewed as an “obstructionist.” 4) You are not controlling information: Freeing the Board member to focus on his agenda and not you, and freeing you from personal involvement.

Remember: If you are defensive and/or hostile, that is surely what you will get back. Why do that to yourself?

As managers, we all have been exposed to, and suffered from, the political and philosophical inconsistency that goes on in communities. Many times, it’s not that big of a deal; others, it keeps us awake at night, keeps us from focusing on other aspects of our jobs, and many, many times, keeps us on the defensive for decisions made by previous Boards, previous committees – as well as ourselves. Ultimately, we are placed in the position of wondering – will we be able to survive the political change that our job has taken?  And that question, asked over and over, over months or years, can push us to the point of no longer being able to emotionally cope with our job.  But simple steps, some of which are listed above, can begin to help you dislodge yourself from defensive, reactive management practices – and help you to start managing the change that is your job.