Can You Survive?
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 hold a different philosophy than the previous Board. And you, the manager, are forced to deal with them and their changes. You have two choices: Embrace that change, or rail against it (and eventually embrace it anyway). I recommend embracing the change and here's how:

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. The Board is its own entity and though you work worth with and for them, you are not a part of them. Let go of any personal attachment you may have and stay in professional administration mode. Remember, they can paint the trees purple and plant them upside down, and you can administrate that. You don’t recommend it, but, you can get it done.

You can only control your reaction, not the circumstance. There is nothing you can do about inevitable change. Railing against it, or worse yet denying it, just raises your stress level needlessly. It is what it is, so do what you do best and manage the circumstance with (again) little personal attachment. Think of it as just another management puzzle, because that's what it is. This will allow you to react professionally, not emotionally.

You are not a victim. Big changes in our work life can make us feel victimized by circumstances or even by the individuals "causing" the circumstances; an understandable reaction. But there is a big difference between feeling victimized for a short time and taking on the role of victim. Feeling briefly put upon may help you vent your way through a particular situation; being a victim is an assured path to a miserable - and short-lived - career in community management.,

The Annual Meeting: Change in a day

Annual Meetings and Elections can pretty much guarantee things will be changing unless the same Board is elected. When new Board members enter the mix, they are driven by an agenda. They want new flowers, new paint, lower assessments. Many times they come to office loaded for bear, having felt frustrated by the previous Board's lack of interest in their issues. Since it’s easier to take aim on an employee rather than a neighbor, the manager becomes the object of the new Board member’s pent-up frustration. The manager is, in essence, left “holding the bag” for the 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, or very soon after, the Annual Meeting.

•  ASK incoming members what information they are interested in. This shows them you are interested in their issue and will give it the attention they think deserves. Finally, someone is paying attention!

•  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 and as you are able. 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.

Providing a frustrated member with information before they ask you for it takes you out of the defensive position. You become a provider of information and will not be viewed as an "obstructionist." Placing yourself in the position of being a conduit of information allows that Board member to focus on their agenda, not you. Better for all around (especially you).

All managers have been exposed to, and suffered from, the political and philosophical inconsistency that is inherent in communities governed by a rotating body of volunteers. 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 times keeps us on the defensive for decisions made by previous Boards and previous committees – as well as ourselves. If we let go of how things were, or ought to be, and realize that managing change is our job, we can move forward less troubled by that inevitable change.

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