Page 7 - Chicago Cooperator Summer 2019

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Visit FinishingChicago.com , your FREE RESOURCE to over 140 prequali ed nishing contractors who are all licensed, bonded and insured! CONT... sign that things are beyond salvation. “We all work so hard to get clients that it can be challenging to accept the notion that sometimes it’s best to just let go,” says Th omas Wood, CEO of J A Wood Man- agement in Lexington, Massachusetts. “I used to think that it was a failure on our part for not being able to work through something. But the truth is, if someone is paying for advice \\\[and\\\] then disregarding that advice, then things aren’t working.” Most disagreements can be settled through negotiation, communication and compromise, rather than a complete dis- solution of the management/board rela- tionship. “I have had a few accounts where board members were disrespectful at best, and downright rude at worst instances,” says Hugh Shaff er, General Manager of Harbor Towers Condominium via Barkan Management in Boston. “Aft er numer- ous attempts to alter that behavior, I’ve had to severe ties. But in other instances, the problem boiled down to a personality confl ict where I needed to swap out one manager with another simply because of a misunderstanding. Most of the time, this type of exchange was all that was needed in order to transform a bad environment all of those surveyed have survived to tell thing off , assuming that the board was into a healthy one.” “Th e boards we work for consist of dedicated volunteers. But as with all vol- unteers, they require leadership and guid- ance,” Wood adds. “While this can come sociation Managers in Naperville, Illinois. “with the owner suing us as management from our team, we fi nd it works best with “Personally, I felt that not having unre- a peer leader who can act as an interme- diary, thus taking the manager out of any good management,” Berg continues, but trustees, had directed us not to provide personality clashes. But when that doesn’t apparently the board president felt dif- work, we might have to consider ending ferently. “When the president, in an open under their employ, the issue should be the relationship. In the past, we’ve found meeting, took to repeatedly attacking and between the owner and the board. But 10 ourselves sticking with a client even if that demeaning me personally while simulta- client was putting us into a liability situa- tion via bad decision-making – which in for their record-low delinquencies, I left hindsight is crazy.” Breaking up with a board is a tough Over the next few days, the sting of the the trustees threatening to fi ght us. It was decision, but one that a manager must emotional abuse faded, and I looked for nuts. Finally, the last court hearing fea- be equipped to make. “You have to as- sess whether working for an association is But soon thereaft er, I was greatly relieved stood our role in the whole debacle and profi table enough to warrant any elevated to receive a cancellation notice from promptly dismissed us from the suit. At stress,” says Ellen Kornfeld, Vice President them.” of the Lovett Group of Companies, a real estate management company in New York implode before things even have a chance for months, so it took an additional legal City. “You’re dealing with individuals with to get going. “In the worst case we’ve had battle just to quit.” their own issues and their own egos.” Calling It Quits Despite their best eff orts, more than a that we would probably be sued by one that can render a situation untenable for few property managers have experienced of the owners,” says Wood. “Th e board a manager. “A nine-member board was relationships with boards that have dete- riorated to a breaking point. Fortunately, issues over time, but had brushed every- the tale. “We just parted ways with a client ly advised them of the severity of the is- that wanted to see ‘more violations,’” says sue, but they ignored our counsel as well. Christopher R. Berg of Independent As- solved compliance matters was a sign of this would be easy because the board, as neously patting themselves on the back of money later, the judge instead repeat- with the intention to cancel the contract. things which, when we complied, had new ground from which we could work. tured a diff erent judge who fi nally under- Some management/board dynamics there: the board ignored our resignation to date, we were told by an association – aft er being hired only two weeks prior – tween the board members themselves had apparently missed many compliance plagued with factional infi ghting, with correct and would thus prevail. We quick- “Cut to us in court,” Wood continues, and the board as trustees. I thought that something to this owner, and as we were months, fi ve court appearances, and a lot edly ordered us to give the complainant that point we resigned. But it didn’t end Occasionally, it’s the relationship be- WHY MANAGERS... continued from page 1 continued on page 8