So you live in this wonderful community. The board members are really nice and the manager always smiles. But is there something just under the surface that is hiding out waiting to pop up and bit the community when the time is not perfect?
Well if you attend board of directors meetings you should be able to answer that question with relative ease. If not I suggest the next best thing. Request and read a copy of the board minutes. That's right the board minutes. What will the minutes show? Many things. One of them being how well your board runs these meetings.
A well run meeting is a good indicator that the leadership of your community is managing the affairs effectively. First, every board member should be acquainted with Robert's Rules of Order. These rules establish a procedure for making , amending and discussing motions presented by other members. But be careful. Check your association documents to see if it specifies Robert's Rules of Order for your meetings.
Second, does the board follow the posted agenda? The agenda items Must be followed in the order it's written. Third, do motions get seconded; discussed and then voted on or does the vote get put off for another time? Forth, does the membership present amount to over 6% of the total number of unit owners? A well run association attracts attendances in the neighborhood of 10% or more.
And lastly, I suggest you order copies of board minutes from the past six months and read them. By doing so you will be more informed as to the direction your association is heading in.
If you have any questions relating to Property Management feel free to email me.
I will do my best in replying back to you withing three days.
Frank
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Do you have happy members?
Member Satisfaction is key to running any organization especially home owner and condominium associations.
So let me begin by saying that strong customer satisfaction can be defined as meeting or exceeding expectations of the membership. Great customer service is a balancing act and requires communication with the membership. For example, when was the last time the board members spoke with the membership about the quality of the service? Has the association sent out questionnaires? Do the board members ask questions to the membership? Are the board members willing to ask questions?
If the answer to any these questions is NO then I suggest you get started right now finding out how your community feels about the decisions the board makes.
Don’t delay. Do it now. And remember communication with the homeowners is the best way to build support.
Again, the key to great customer service is communication. And don’t forget that a positive attitude will help you create positive customers.
If you would like me to attend one of your meetings to discuss this topic further feel free to email me at the link below.
Frank
FrankLaMorteLLC@Gmail.com
So let me begin by saying that strong customer satisfaction can be defined as meeting or exceeding expectations of the membership. Great customer service is a balancing act and requires communication with the membership. For example, when was the last time the board members spoke with the membership about the quality of the service? Has the association sent out questionnaires? Do the board members ask questions to the membership? Are the board members willing to ask questions?
If the answer to any these questions is NO then I suggest you get started right now finding out how your community feels about the decisions the board makes.
Don’t delay. Do it now. And remember communication with the homeowners is the best way to build support.
Again, the key to great customer service is communication. And don’t forget that a positive attitude will help you create positive customers.
If you would like me to attend one of your meetings to discuss this topic further feel free to email me at the link below.
Frank
FrankLaMorteLLC@Gmail.com
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Board meeting fun...
In thinking about what I should write today my mind was drawn to an article I read that really hit home. It was an article about Board Meetings. More specifically how an H.O.A board meeting should be conducted. So, I decided to put it up on my Blog for your enjoyment.
Article by: Eleanor Hugus
In running a homeowners association, one of the best or worst experiences you can have is attending the association board of directors meeting. The association is charged with conducting the business of the association in an open forum so interested homeowners may attend, observe, and have the opportunity to approach the board if necessary. A meeting agenda must be followed and many states also require that only items on the agenda may be discussed.
We need to be organized, efficient and working well as a team to get things done. One topic we have recently discussed with our staff is to introduce a meeting policy that would cover an expected standard of conduct from the homeowners, board members and management during meetings. When you consider what gets a meeting off track, sometimes it’s not the business. It is often the behavior of the individuals that becomes an issue. Tempers may flare, and sometimes it just isn’t that easy to get along. When you establish a set of expectations of behavior, then you can hold people accountable to these expectations, and then it is easier to function.
There are lots of published materials on the subject of standard behavioral expectations at board meetings available, but the sample below should help.
Sample Meeting Policy
1. Be at the meeting on time
2. Stay at the meeting until the end
3. Avoid interruptions
4. Turn off all electronic devices
5. Allow time for people to participate
6. Stay on the agenda
7. Be respectful of others
8. Review the meeting packet before the meeting begins and be prepared to take action
9. Recognize accomplishments and efforts
10. Do a two-minute constructive critique of the meeting after adjournment
11. No foul language
12. Speak in a normal tone
After the board members adopt their Conduct Standards for Board Meeting Policy, they should post it on a sign board that is displayed at every meeting as a very visible reminder to all attendees.
Another tip to adhering to the policy is to have a way for the group to note when something is happening or not happening. A white flag could be on the table so a board member can wave it when (s)he sees that the group is taking too much time discussing an item on the agenda or not complying with another expectation. To show praise, the president or another board member could place a trophy in front of a person who comes up with a great idea or spent lots of time on a project. For example, in another group I attend we have a Beanie Baby cat that gets placed in front of you if you are late to the meeting, or if someone sees you are text messaging instead of paying attention. Have you ever heard the expression – “It’s like herding cats!”? Well, that isn’t easy, so that is why we use the Beanie Baby cat. We also have a little dog that is given out to the “top dog” for meaningful contributions or great ideas.
We all know great meetings don’t happen all the time, but wouldn’t it be great if they happened more often? These meetings policies might just help. Have fun!
Article by: Eleanor Hugus
In running a homeowners association, one of the best or worst experiences you can have is attending the association board of directors meeting. The association is charged with conducting the business of the association in an open forum so interested homeowners may attend, observe, and have the opportunity to approach the board if necessary. A meeting agenda must be followed and many states also require that only items on the agenda may be discussed.
We need to be organized, efficient and working well as a team to get things done. One topic we have recently discussed with our staff is to introduce a meeting policy that would cover an expected standard of conduct from the homeowners, board members and management during meetings. When you consider what gets a meeting off track, sometimes it’s not the business. It is often the behavior of the individuals that becomes an issue. Tempers may flare, and sometimes it just isn’t that easy to get along. When you establish a set of expectations of behavior, then you can hold people accountable to these expectations, and then it is easier to function.
There are lots of published materials on the subject of standard behavioral expectations at board meetings available, but the sample below should help.
Sample Meeting Policy
1. Be at the meeting on time
2. Stay at the meeting until the end
3. Avoid interruptions
4. Turn off all electronic devices
5. Allow time for people to participate
6. Stay on the agenda
7. Be respectful of others
8. Review the meeting packet before the meeting begins and be prepared to take action
9. Recognize accomplishments and efforts
10. Do a two-minute constructive critique of the meeting after adjournment
11. No foul language
12. Speak in a normal tone
After the board members adopt their Conduct Standards for Board Meeting Policy, they should post it on a sign board that is displayed at every meeting as a very visible reminder to all attendees.
Another tip to adhering to the policy is to have a way for the group to note when something is happening or not happening. A white flag could be on the table so a board member can wave it when (s)he sees that the group is taking too much time discussing an item on the agenda or not complying with another expectation. To show praise, the president or another board member could place a trophy in front of a person who comes up with a great idea or spent lots of time on a project. For example, in another group I attend we have a Beanie Baby cat that gets placed in front of you if you are late to the meeting, or if someone sees you are text messaging instead of paying attention. Have you ever heard the expression – “It’s like herding cats!”? Well, that isn’t easy, so that is why we use the Beanie Baby cat. We also have a little dog that is given out to the “top dog” for meaningful contributions or great ideas.
We all know great meetings don’t happen all the time, but wouldn’t it be great if they happened more often? These meetings policies might just help. Have fun!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Can a recently adopted rule be rescinded?
Ok, today was an interesting one. I was asked by a board member if a recently passed rule made by the board can be rescinded. Here is my abridged answer:
Most condo/Hoa documents have rules of conduct that boards must follow. These rules are usually known as Robert’s Rules of Order. These rules are very specific and lengthy so investigating it here would just put you to sleep. However, I would suggest taking a look into the rules yourself.
The abridged version: Section 35 (Robert's Rules of Order)states the following: Rescind; Amend something previously adopted (By means of the motion to Rescind and to Amend Something Previously Adopted- The assembly can change an action previously taken or ordered. Rescind-also known as Repeal or Annul is the motion by which a previous action or order can be canceled.
In Summary, the effect of Rescind is to strike out an entire main motion, resolution, rule, bylaw, section or paragraph that has been adopted at some previous time.
Please note not every board's follow these rules exactly. All boards that I have been involved with do a decent job in trying to be fair to all members / residents of their community. Nothing is perfect but I'm sure your board comes very close.
Frank
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Effective Association Governance
Effective association governance is not just about boards. It is also about power and influence, about how decisions are made and about how your members are able to influence the directions and priorities of the association. Most association executives and volunteers know that their associations could be more effective than they currently are. Many also believe their governance models stand in the way. Typical problems cited:
* Boards that micro-manage details such as debating which speaker to invite to the next Board Meeting.
* Board meetings that drag on with very little of substance being accomplished.
* Association members feeling powerless to influence decisions.
* Constant drifting from crisis to crisis with no clear sense of direction or purpose.
* Widespread member apathy.
How your members perceive value is directly linked to your association’s governance structure. I have pioneered a number of innovative techniques to help associations overcome these types of problems and achieve extremely high member satisfaction ratings relative to the performance of their association.
If you want me to talk about this at your next meeting just email:
FrankLaMorteLLC@Gmail.com
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