Condo Media - January 2016 - 26

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
We all know good communication is really important
in community associations, but sometimes self-managed
boards focus on "getting the word out" and overlook the
exchange part. They concentrate so hard on their message
they forget to listen for the response from the unit owners.
Or worse yet, they "hear" the feedback, but they don't really
listen and they miss the opportunity to communicate fully
with the members of the community.
Unit owners often complain there's no use in going to
meetings because the board does not listen to what they
have to say. If communication is a two-way street, albeit
an exchange of information, then the self-managed board
must listen to what unit owners have to say. No matter how
many memoranda, notices, and letters the board issues, if

they don't allow for a response from unit owners, there is no
exchange of information.
The business of governing the self-managed association
is labor intensive and not for the faint-hearted. Agendas are
often lengthy, challenges numerous, and the hours limited.
Finding the time for unit owners to provide their input to the
board is frequently difficult, but without establishing ways to
achieve this objective, there's only one hand clapping and no
real communication.
MAKING TIME FOR COMMUNICATION
If monthly meetings are too jam-packed, then the selfmanaged board should consider scheduling a special meeting
with an agenda limited to a few items and an opportunity for
concentrate on what's being said and make eye contact
with the speaker. Keep yourself from thinking about
how you will respond. Stay focused.
Observe Body Language
Take notice of the speaker's facial expression, tone of
voice, and posture. These will give you an indication
of their emotional state and mood. Are they angry,
tense, worried, or frustrated? Are they ready to hear
your response, or are their arms crossed to create a
barrier to your words? Body language provides nonverbal subtext and identifies the attitude of the unit
owner. Taking note of this will help you to judge how
to respond to their concerns without exacerbating
the situation.
Acknowledge What's Being Said
Let the speaker know that you're engaged in what
they're saying by occasionally nodding or saying, "I
see" or "I understand." It's important you acknowledge
their words and accept what they're saying. You can do
this without agreeing with their point of view.

ACTIVE LISTENING

Improving communication is really not that difficult if board
members are willing to develop their active listening skills by
using the following techniques:
Eliminate Distractions
This sounds pretty simple, but in this day and age with smart
phones and multitasking, it can be difficult to give your full
attention to the unit owners speaking to you. Force yourself to

CONDOMEDIA

Repeat or Summarize
By repeating what you have been told, you let the
speaker know how intently you're listening. You summarize to make sure you fully understand what they
said to you. Your objective is to have the speaker confirm you
have correctly received their message. You are also allowing
them to correct any misinformation or misinterpretation you
may have made.
Ask Questions
Ask questions that will allow the speaker to clarify the points
or better explain their position. Respond with feedback such
as, "Thank you for bringing that to my attention" or "I can see
how important this matter is to you."

Condo Media - January 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - January 2016