The Board Member Job Description, Part II: The Soft Skills

Last month, we published the first Board member job description, which outlined much of the functional duties of the Board member. As we promised, we bring you the second half of that document.

In the community association environment, as well as almost any other, having “people (interpersonal)” and communication skills are crucial to one’s ability to be an effective leader. Those skills are what make a Board, or Board member, able to work towards the betterment of the community by bringing the community members along with them; in other words, the most successful are those who are able to inspire and influence others, as they have exceptional “soft skills,” also known has Emotional Intelligence.

Board Member Job Description: The Soft Skills

SUMMARY: To be, and act as, a Trustee; A Trustee being an individual person or member of a Board given control or powers of administration of property; with the obligation to do just that.

ESSENTIAL ABILITIES

In order to carry out the duties of a Trustee in the most effective and harmonious manner for the community, the successful Board member will have (a) the ability and acumen to relate with people from all walks of life, (b) be able to communicate effectively in person and in writing, (c) and negotiate between diverse groups and individuals (d) while maintaining emotional equilibrium and personal equanimity. In order to do so, the Board member shall exhibit the following traits:

Develop and maintain good relationships with Board members and residents New to the Board? Drop any personal agenda you have regarding individuals or the Board as a whole (yes, this IS a skill-set). Start afresh with the intent of creating and maintaining a good rapport with your colleagues and the residents. Relationships will be key to your success, and that of the community.

Communicate clearly The Board member, understanding their leadership role within the community, shall endeavor to communicate clearly at all times both orally and in writing on all items pertaining to the community, in order to project clarity in leadership.

The successful Board member needs to be (a) a very good communicator; (b) able to articulate concepts and ideas; (c) able to formulate relevant and cogent questions on political and operational issues; and (d) keep confusion at a minimum not only for themselves and the Board, but for the community. Remember, everything a Board member says or does is public; any fuzzy thinking or communication will be transmitted to the community in any one of a number of ways, i.e., a lack of clarity on practical issues (which streets are closed when for repairs?) to a lack of focus on larger policy issues.

Work well in a team environment The Board member will work to ensure the proper functioning of the Board through willing collaboration with other members to resolve issues in the best interests of the community.”

Creating and maintaining relationships as a Board member means being and active member of a team. Trying to be a ‘lone wolf’ on a Board usually results rancor (no one likes you) and ineffectiveness (you still need a majority of votes to get anything done, and you won’t because... no one likes you).

Be able to manage conflict The Board member will work to minimize conflict between Board members and themselves, and themselves and residents.

The first step in managing conflict is to understand that overall, conflict and confrontation (between people or between you and an issue), is often a net-positive, and that without that confrontation many important issues will fester and grow worse.

Maintain self-awareness The Board member will be able to (a) recognize their own emotions, and (b) how they affect the member’s thinking and behavior.

Board members must always understand that their essential duty, the administration of property of behalf of others, is always an emotionally-charged environment; they are dealing with others people’s money and living conditions, as well as their own. For example: If, as a Board member, you are aware that the assessments are woefully low and reserves haven’t been funded in years and an increase in dues to meet this funding necessity will cause you personal financial and emotional distress, you cannot allow that emotion to color your decisions as a Board member.

Have social awareness The Board member shall be able to understand the emotions, needs and concerns of other people, be able to “pick up” emotional cues and recognize the power dynamics in a group or organization.

A Board cannot and will not be successful if they are unable to understand what is going on amongst the populace and indeed the Board itself. Think about it: How can you bring the community with the Board in meeting its goals and objectives if you are unable, or unwilling, to see and understand what motivates the folks you need to bring along? The Boards that fail in this area wind up highly autocratic (simply forcing their will on the community) or highly ineffectual, or both; as usually one follows the other to the detriment to the community. These social abilities are critical for Board members to have, or develop.

Be adept at self-management The Board member shall be able to control impulsive feelings and behaviors and manage his/her emotions in healthy ways.

Being a Board member means being exposed, at times, to unpleasant people and circumstances, which can cause one to want to lash out in one form or another; however, this behavior, though momentarily satisfying, is almost always counter-productive for the member, the Board as a whole and the community. A lack of self-control on the part of even one Board member can cause anything from un-needed distraction to the halting the overall agenda of the Board for long periods of time.Ugh.

Be able to follow through on commitments and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances The Board member? shall always endeavor to keep their promises and commitments to the Board and the community, indicating personal trustworthiness and integrity.

As a Board member, you cannot be swayed away from your fiduciary duty and commitment to the betterment of the community by external circumstances, such as the torch-and-pitchfork crowd that shows up at a meeting to protest a $15 increase in assessments; you must have the courage of your convictions and the fortitude to follow through with what you know is the right course of action for the community as a whole. Folding like a lawn chair at the first sign of conflict doesn’t help your credibility whatsoever, and will keep you from being an effective, TRUSTED member of the Board.

Each individual Board member is an integral part of community leadership, and is charged with caring for and maintaining the real property and investments for the community as a whole; and not just for today’s residents, but for those 10, 20, even 40 years down the road. In a very real sense, being a good Board member requires attention, thoughtfulness, and the will and foresight to execute the short- and long-term business of the Association. It not only sounds important, it IS important. The “hard skills” (here) Board members should have are very important, but even more important are the “soft skills,” of leadership - without which a Board will never be successful: These “soft skills” are what bring others along through inspiration and influence. Can the “soft skills” be learned? Yes indeed they can, and there are myriad publications to assist anyone willing to take the time and learn them. These skills, these elements of Emotional Intelligence, are what allows the Board to manage a community well, and most importantly, do so in a more harmonious manner.

c. 2023 Julie Adamen Adamen Inc. all rights reserved