9/26/2008

A while back, I surveyed a number of people who serve on the board of an HOA about the challenges they face.

One question asked people to list—in their own words—the number-one problem they face as HOA leaders. All of the usual suspects showed up in the responses: legal issues, enforcing rule violations, financial issues like collections and special assessments.

But one stood out. It summarized a theme in many other responses. It said simply, "A guy named Dave."

That brings us to this week's tip: If you've got a Dave giving you trouble, get proactive.

It doesn't matter if Dave is an explosive owner or a little Napoleon on your board. Don't just proceed as normal and then react when Dave gives you trouble. Think of your relationship as a negotiation. A smart negotiator doesn't enter a deal without knowing what she wants to get out of it, anticipating how her counterpart is going to react, plotting out which issues are important to the other party and which aren't. Think about Dave's likely responses to the issues you face. How can you defuse him ahead of time?

If your personal Dave is an unwieldy owner, check out our just-posted article to get 5 tips for handling him. Go to article »

If your Dave is a board member, it might be time to think about taking action to remove him. This new article will help you navigate those waters. Go to article »

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President

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