9 KEYSTO HANDLINGCHALLENGINGPERSONALITIES

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WM DOUGLAS CHARLOTTE

"PEOPLE ’SPERSONALITIES ,LIKE BUILDINGS ,

have various facades,

some pleasant to view, some not.”

Francois de la Rochefoucauld

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EVERYASSOCIATIONMEMBERSHIP ISDIFFERENTbut there seems to be one constant: there are always members who seem

to take a non-positive view on issues that the board addresses within the

association. Board members often cite this negativity as one of the most

frustrating factors of serving on a board of directors.

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30YEARSThrough our 30 plus years of association managementexperience, we have encountered many challengingpeople and challenging situations. We have experiencedmembers who seem to be critical of every action that aboard takes, and members who refuse to cooperate forthe good of the association. Avoiding or hiding fromthese members might be possible, but it may not be along term solution to challenging members. Beingconfrontational with challenging members may not beeffective either.

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WE HAVEFOUND

9keys to handling

challenging personalities

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It goes without saying, but always be respectful of

the member’s concern. No matter how benign or

ridiculous the concern may or may not be, no one likes

to be treated with disrespect. Generally, if you treat

the member and their concern with respect, their

treatment of you will be reciprocal.

POINT1

POINT2Seek counsel of others. It is imperative to speakwith others who may have had experience dealingwith the member or a particular situation. Yourproperty manager and other board members can bea great resource. Former board members as wellcan be a great resource. Other parties may providenew perspectives that will aid in a solution.

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POINT3Communicate your position. Letting the member know your intentions will

often diffuse the situation. Refusing to discuss the matter or putting

them off may be like throwing gasoline on a fire. Before communicating

your position the member may believe you are the one being difficult.

Explaining a particular decision, and the reasoning behind the decision,

may allow them to understand the situation.

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POINT4

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Try and comprehend the member’s intentions. This may seem likeanother obvious point, but you never know if the member has all thefacts of the matter. For example, there are always some in amembership that believe the board is paid for being on the board. Ormost often you will encounter members who feel they are not receivinganything at all for their dues. The member may not realize there arecommon expenses.

POINT5

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The past is the past. If a member had an issue with a priorboard, committee, etc., for whatever reason acknowledging whathappened or what the member perceived happened may go along way in smoothing the issue over. Many times a person willrealize that harping on an issue with someone who had nothingto do with the issue will be a waste of time, especially if youacknowledge the issue.

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6POINTRemain calm at all times. This may

seem like another obvious point andmany times easier said than done

however, losing control and flaring outat the member may lower you to a level

you do not wish to be on. Also, aconfrontational attitude is not

conducive to establishing commonground. Anger generally is only

effective in selective situations and acalm persona is most effective.

POINT7Communicate the right way. Remember, you may not just be

communicating to that particular challenging member. By you being the

reasonable board member, you may be setting an example to the majority

of the membership. If you are seen as calm and in control you may not

gain the challenging member’s approval or understanding however, others

in the membership will generally deem you in a more favorable light.

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Escalate the matter to third parties. When you have

exhausted all of the above in attempts to resolve the matter,

rely on your property manager to address the member. This

can come in as many forms as having your property manager

chair the annual meeting or having your property manager

communicate with the member. Many times fresh blood can

defuse difficult situations. In extreme matters, and when legal

matters come into play, the association’s attorney can be

brought in to assist in clarifying legal issues.

POINT8

POINT9

Last Resort. If you have exhausted all the avenuesto resolve the matter and the member is still beingdifficult, as a last resort you may want to reiterateyour position or the board’s position and tell theperson you are no longer going to address thematter with them. After all, if you have worked ingood faith to resolve the matter, what else can youdo? There may be underlying reasons that aremotivating the member to act this way and if themotivation is not apparent it may be impossible toresolve.

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Management ,Inc . 2016

We provide the full range of property management and financialservices, with prime focus on communications with the Boards ofDirectors and the individual membership. Everyone at WilliamDouglas Property Management prides themselves on providingproactive property management. Quality Management Since 1980William Douglas Management has been providing qualityassociation management services since 1980. We exclusivelymanage Homeowner Associations, Condominium OwnerAssociations, Town Home Owner Associations, Co-Ops, andCommercial Condominium Owners Associations.