The Call to Lead By Arletha Grandison MBA, CAM, Portfolio Manager
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wenty years from now, what will your homeowners’ association look like? How did your management of it, as a board, affect its current financial position? Did you make mistakes you could have prevented just by reading the governing documents? Were you fully committed to your duty to serve? Were you the leader you thought you’d be? Did you ask yourself why you made the decision to answer the call? Could you not shake the unction? Ultimately, did you realize the responsibility is all about preservation and what you did, as a board, to make your community thrive in the long-run? As a board of directors for a homeowners’ association, when answering these questions, how do you measure up? The will to answer the call to lead a community association for homeowners, condominium owners, or property owners is a strong driving force. It separates you from the association membership of owners who just chose not to serve. This could be due to lack of time, other commitments, or disinterest in general. Whatever the case may be, as a member of the association, they are not the board of directors or officers, it’s you, upon election. That driving force, if used properly, could be the point at which levels of excellence could pour from a competent and dynamic board, most especially if it uses its force for the greater good of the association. As the board, or the leaders, the driving force you have inside speaks volumes about you with regard to your desire to serve your community, as well as the desire you have to make sure your community either, 1. Sustains its value; 2. Enhances its value; or 3. Diminishes it value
Of the three, which would you choose? If you choose to enhance the value of the community, then your call to lead is more than just about being elected to serve your community association. You are called to learn, evaluate, adapt, and deliver. As a new Board, you have been called and you must learn, therefore, there is a learning curve. The learning curve will not be easy, but well worth the efforts you put toward becoming a productive, knowledgeable, and responsible board. You will definitely be a more educated board as a result of investing time in learning what the fundamental association responsibilities 8
Minnesota Communit y Living