Just Breathe! You’re Not Alone!
A Manager’s Guide to Fostering Harmony and an Inviting Atmosphere in Community Associations
Rochelle Ceballos, CMCA of SwedelsonGottlieb
For homeowners, returning to a welcoming environment after a long day’s work is a cherished and vital part of fi nding solace and comfort in their home space. A community association manager’s goal should be to cultivate an atmosphere that embraces this notion wholeheartedly. The key to achieving this lies not only in maintaining well-manicured landscapes and pristine facilities but also in ensuring that the interactions within the community provide understanding,
respect,
and a commitment to de-escalation. This article explores effective techniques for defusing tense situations with angry homeowners, offers insights into creating a harmonious and inclusive community where residents feel heard and valued, and provides valuable tips for staying in the good graces of the board and community residents, enabling you to foster a positive relationship that supports the vision and well-being of your community.
How many times has a homeowner called you or come into your offi ce frustrated, angry, and demanding to speak to the manager? If you’re like me, you likely waited to see how your team handled it fi rst because empowerment and leadership are important for the entire team. Once you realize the situation may need to be moved up the leadership totem pole, leaning in to assist the team and address the situation swiftly and calmly is key. Or perhaps you’re a portfolio manager, juggling multiple communities without onsite support. Either way, it’s important to take yourself out of the equation. Most likely you didn’t do anything to upset the homeowner so it’s important to understand what is driving this energy. Sometimes it is clear and sometimes it isn’t, but the goal is to make the owner feel heard, exercise grace while looking for solutions, and provide the very best customer service that you can in the moment, even if it is not what the homeowner wanted to hear.
This can be achieved in many ways. First and foremost is to simply listen and understand what the root issue is that they are communicating. Timing is important as well. They may be in a rush and don’t want to repeat themselves. They may have underlying issues in their lives that are aggravating the situation and creating additional stress for them. All of these factors must be part of your assessment observation. Again, remember this isn’t about us. It is about what is happening to them in this moment in time, and our goal is to provide resources, education, and care. Our industry is about managing
16 January | February 2024
people perhaps more so than property. In most circumstances, I fi nd the below techniques / tips are helpful in diffusing an escalated situation. • Listen with the intent to understand and not interrupt. • Soften your overall speaking tone. • If necessary and if there is time for this unscheduled meeting, review the rules or guidelines with the owner to provide added resources/education.
• Do not rush through the process as you will likely have them repeat their story.
• Assure them you will do all you can to investigate the matter and get back to them as soon as you are able. If you are not meeting that promise, follow up and let them know you are still working on the answers and resolution of their concerns.
• If meeting in person: ∘ Offer a warm smile and handshake; ∘ Be mindful of your body posture; ∘ Engage in active eye contact; ∘ Take a few notes so they feel heard (conveying with notes you won’t forget about them);
∘ If you’re sitting at a desk, lower your chair to match their height.
Once you’ve received all of the information, simply respond with, “Thank you for sharing this important information. Please allow me the opportunity to provide you with a meaningful response and connect with you as soon as I can obtain an answer to fully address this issue.” Once you have the information and return their call or meet with them in person, it is important to offer options for resolution even if those options are not what the owner initially requested or desired. Many times, when an owner has had an opportunity to refl ect and is presented with an option (despite the options being suboptimal to the owner), giving them the power to make a decision (which usually benefi ts the association or is within the governing guidelines) helps to defuse the situation.
On-site managers might have owners who enjoy coming into the offi ce daily for a cup of coffee or just to talk. As many of you know, this could go on all day long. How do we show our homeowners that we care about their well-being but demonstrate the importance of running the business of their homeowners association? Sometimes understanding how
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