Book Report
By Rolf Crockder

You know the story – sarcastic, cynical and sardonic weatherman Phil Connors (played wonderfully by Bill Murray) is sent on an assignment to that national icon of haute couture, Puxatawney Phil, to see if there will be six more weeks of winter.  Suddenly, Mr. Connors finds himself in an endless loop of ‘Groundhog Days’.  After several vain efforts at manipulation and self-destruction, he finally settles in to acquiring some positive life lessons that, eventually, breaks the cycle and gets him the girl.  You already know where this analogy is going…  Too often, our interactions with our Associations are victims of what I call the “Groundhog Day” effect.  Or, to quote a phrase from a former Board President of mine, “How many times can you watch ‘A Chorus Line’?”

Believe it or not, you have more power than you think!  If fact, you are the only one who can make the necessary changes and regain some modicum of control.  These solutions require an investment of time, energy and discipline.  However, to plagiarize and reapply a quote from Dave Ramsey, best-selling author of ‘The Total Money Makeover’, “If you live like no one else, later you can live like no one else!”  Loosely translated, if you break out of the norm and make the time to do these things now, later, you’ll have your time returned to you, with interest, through less frustration, better relationships and more time to focus on the ‘important’ rather than the ‘urgent’.  You are already making a difference.  Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”  Perhaps more appropriate for our industry is Yogi Berra’s quote, “ 90 percent of the game is half mental.”  In that spirit, let’s look at a few solutions.

1. Be Pro-Active – This word has almost been relegated to ‘buzzword’ status (see www.acronymfinder.com/buzzgen.asp).  Dictionary.com gives the following definition:  “Acting in advance to deal with an expected difficulty; anticipatory: proactive steps to prevent terrorism.”  After 15 years plus in this field, I have an almost innate sense of what my Boards are going to ask.  I can hear the drums through the silence and the rumbling of the train when my ear is on the track.  In an industry where ‘clerk’ has been a better description than ‘manager’, we are often reticent to take steps or make a move without the approval of the Board.  One of my favorite Gary Larson ‘Far Side’ comics is the one with the devil standing over a man’s shoulder, facing two doors – on labeled ‘Damned If You Do’, the other one labeled ‘Damned If You Don’t’.  The devil egging the man on, “C’mon, c’mon, pick one, it’s got to be one or the other!”  Since this is the case, better to take action than not.
2. Develop A Strategic Plan – Like exercise, eating and other disciplines, we know need to, but in our busyness (or lack of discipline) we fail to take the necessary time to plan ahead.  I know you don’t have the time – so get help!  Adamen Inc. (shameless plug) offers excellent Strategic Planning workshops that are cost-effective and will give you the tools you need.  The CAI Research Foundation (www.cairf.org) has Several ‘Best Practices’ manuals, including #3 “Strategic Planning’ that are downloadable for free in Adobe Acrobat format.  Doing something, even if imperfect, is always better than doing nothing.  Either you manage, or you get managed.  The former is always better than the latter!
3. Network – I’m a schizophrenic, and so am I.  Therefore I must network with others who A) have a common frame of reference, B) show genuine concern for my well being and c) have the brutal honesty to tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.  If you want an echo, go yell in a canyon.  If you want help with your blind spots, actively engage with other industry professionals who meet the above-referenced criteria.  This shouldn’t be just a time to commiserate, even though misery loves company.  There is a time to vent.  But once that is done, seek to fix it, not stew in it.  The input of others is not optional, but mandatory.  When I am emotional invested, I cannot see clearly – I need the help of others.  You do too.  Don’t neglect this.
4. Look Beyond This Industry – There are reasons why inter-family relationships are illegal and immoral, not least among them is so the Family Tree has a sufficient number of branches.  The same corollary applies to companies and industries.  Add some depth to the industry DNA pool!  Dr. John Carver’s ‘Policy Governance’ model (www.carvergovernance.com) teaches that true Board leadership is in setting forth the Vision and Ends to be achieved (in writing), empowering Staff (Management) to develop and execute the Means.  GE’s Six Sigma Initiative (www.ge.com/sixsigma/) teaches quality and service concepts.  John Maxwell (www.injoy.com) has excellent materials on developing leadership skills in yourself and those around you.  A book that is turning our company upside down is Harry Beckwith’s “Selling The Invisible” (©1997, Time Warner Publishing) gives compelling insights into the client’s expectation of service in an easy-to-digest format.   “What The CEO Wants You To Know” by Ram Charan (©2001, Crown Business) is an excellent primer on developing your own business acumen.  Charan is also co-author with Larry Bossidy of the book “Execution:  The Discipline of Getting Things Done (©2002, Crown Business).  All of this, and anything else you digest, gets absorbed into you collective conscience (and sub-conscience) and gets filtered back out in your thoughts, words and actions.

Some of this is familiar, most of it rhetorical, but all crucial to getting above the trees and seeing the forest.  Someone once said that excellence is a deviation from norm.  If that is true, then we should all aspire to be deviants!  It is too easy to get driven rather than drive.  Jack Welch said, “Control your destiny, or someone else will.”    If not you, then who?  If not now, when?  Start yesterday!  Break the cycle - put an end to the “Groundhog Day” effect.  You are already making a difference.  Now get your sanity back!

Rolf Crocker is a National Vice President of Associa and CEO of M & C Communities in Stockton, CA, and contributing author on this website and the HOA Manager NewsLine.