End of Season (Part One)
T
he last game is over, the locker room is empty and the players have gone home for the winter. What next? Unlike my players I, the manager, don’t get to take a break. In fact, preparation for the new season begins today. The life of a baseball manager and a community association manager are much the same. If the next season is going to be a success, planning cannot wait for spring. For me, preparation for a new season begins with an immediate assessment of what happened this year. What worked, what didn’t and why? As the summer season winds down annually I first ask myself these questions: Did I meet the expectations of my clients? Did I accomplish everything they asked me to do? Did I in fact knock the ball out of the park every time I stepped to the plate? Isn’t that the ultimate goal of every ballplayer? My first end of season task is assessing the projects that were accomplished over the
summer months. To do this, I mentally go through the following checklist: •
Did each job go as planned? If not, why not?
•
Did I get proposals to the Board in a timely manner and were they adequate?
•
Was the scope of work correct?
•
Was the Board satisfied with the results? If not, why not?
•
What might I have done differently?
•
Did I use my resources wisely?
Normally, and unfortunately, I cannot always answer YES to all of these questions. But, if I cannot, I take the time to investigate to determine why not? The good news is this; proper answers to the questions above help me as I attempt to do a better job next season. The job of a baseball manager is to strive to have the right players on the field whenever possible. Our job mirrors this. A good manager knows the ins and outs of his team. Part of the job of a community association manager is to better understand his or her players (vendors) and know who can do what. All things being equal, not all vendors are the same. Or, stated differently, not all vendors are qualified or staffed to do every job a manager
By Bob MacDonald, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
might need accomplished in any given season. Vendor X may be great at building a few decks, but can they adequately handle a larger carpentry job? Over the years, I have attempted to seek out and build a relationship with vendors that will consistently provide my clients with exceptional service at a reasonable price. Those who do become part of my team. Those who do not meet my expectations don’t get to play another day. And, believe me, from year to year the team does not look the same. Last but not least I need to take time to look at any changes to the game that may have occurred during the season. How was my team affected by new rules or equipment changes? And, what might I do differently next year in light of these? For example, were you or your clients impacted by changes in the “make-up” of concrete or the seemingly new requirement to seal it? I surely was. Because of this, I spent a lot of time researching the whole topic of when to seal concrete and how often. At the end of the day, every manager of every team must continually strive for excellence. This will not occur without an honest effort at self-assessment. Joe DiMaggio once said, “I’m just a ballplayer with one ambition, and that is to give all I’ve got to help my ball club win. I’ve never played any other way.” The goal of my end-of-season assessment is to do all that I can to help my team win. I know no other way.
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September | October 2014
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