HOA Strategic

An August 7, 2011 article published in Business Insider described what leaders in business and government could do to boost spirit in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Business leaders could focus on fundamental values by pricing products and services fairly and competitively and by bringing value to consumers, the author of the article suggested more than five years ago. Elected leaders in government could "focus on doing the peoples' work...In real terms, rather than just paying lip service to addressing important human needs," and by debating issues "through constructive discussion, without all the made-for-media, mostly negative sound bites." A year later the Montgomery Advertiser published an opinion piece about banking and Wall Street written by the same author. In this August 3, 2012 guest article, the author suggested that perhaps the most hated industry in the post-Great Recession era was "in the best position to renew hope and prosperity...

Hopefully this never happens at your HOA...someone's teed off about something. And all at once during an association meeting, there are allegations, even rumors. A couple of things to consider if this happens. Listen thoughtfully to what's being said, even if comments and allegations are rough, even nasty. When people are upset about something, it's human nature to bring up all the worst. Can you and/or others -- your property manager maybe -- balance the conversation? By mentioning positive, constructive things about your HOA...good things that bring value to your HOA community. As long as you have in mind what those good things might be. Keeping track of them can be, in and of itself, a good thing. (We welcome your comments about this post. Or contact hoastrategic@gmail.com.)

Suppose candidates for president of the United States were running for election to an HOA Board. And some of the candidates were using words like losers, dummies and morons to describe their opponents in the HOA election. And suppose there were veiled and not so veiled observations about certain anatomical features of an opponent's body. And F-bombs and other cuss words, too. What would an HOA election like that be like? Whether an election is nationwide to pick a nation's president or very local to elect homeowners to serve on an HOA Board, the way in which candidates choose to conduct themselves is what it's all about.

Whew!! What if it took as long to pick an HOA Board president as it takes to pick the nation's president? Thank goodness it isn't a multiyear process. Two or more years of campaigning. And all the caucuses, primaries and political rhetoric. How would you get any work done at an HOA if you had to take so much time? So when you hear complaints about HOAs, think about how streamlined their presidential picking process is. Plus...there's probably less mudslinging.