Nothing is worse than an arguing HOA management team—and we mean this from multiple perspectives. Of course, if the board cannot agree on the best course of action for a given issue, that issue will never be resolved, resulting in its festering and its continual negative impact on resident satisfaction. However, arguing boards are hard for the board members themselves, too, especially for those that function with the rest of their team as a singular tight-knit unit. Fighting with your fellow community leaders can emotionally feel very similar—even identical—to fighting with close friends.
Is there any hope for your discordant board? Of course, and Gassen is here to provide. As professionals in the property management services field, we specialize in conflict resolution, and we’ve seen a great many HOA feuds seamlessly resolved. Below, you’ll find some tips from the experts on how to get your board working in unison again.
Don’t Be Afraid of Professional Help
In many conflicts—not just HOA-related ones—a neutral third party can help bridge the gap between the arguing individuals, helping each one to see the other’s point of view and come closer to a peaceful resolution. This is especially true if the third party has experience solving similar feuds in the past. The welfare of your entire community is at stake if your board is in turmoil, so don’t be afraid to call in the experts when other options fail.
Aside from that, your board can try the following tactics to get back on the same page again.
● Figure out what the fight is really about | Is it a simple miscommunication or misunderstanding? Is someone feeling as though they aren’t being heard? Some arguments, HOA-related or not, can boil down to simple human error and are easy to resolve, once that error is out in the open.
● Clarifying procedure | Bylaws exist for a reason, after all. Bringing out your community’s rules can stop an argument in its tracks, so don’t be afraid to do it, and do it early.
● In severe cases, consider removal from the board | If the argument surrounds a member’s unethical actions as a community leader, then remove the offending board member at once. Though it might be scary to upend the established order like this, immoral deeds have no place in a well-run community.
Contact Gassen for Impartial HOA Conflict Resolution
As providers of accounting management services and online property management, we’re here to help your community find harmony again. Give our Eden Prairie office a call at 952-922-5575.