There's one in every homeowner association: a person who details every real or imagined infraction of the board, manager and other owners since the dawn of time. People who find the cloud behind every silver lining, wreak havoc at every turn ... for lack of a better term, "explosive people." They can't be barred from meetings but much can be done to defuse their explosive personalities:
- Let them speak their minds at an Open Forum before the meeting. Venting helps.
- Hear them out without interruption.
- Don't play favorites. Allow equal time to all speakers.
- Keep cool. Don't respond to yelling or accusations.
- Show concern. "I understand you are upset ... ."
- Consider their point carefully. Difficult people often challenge the status quo and they may just be right. Think before giving an automatic "no."
- Rollback the Rules. Rules born of common sense are less subject to challenge. Eliminate those that aren't.
- Present a united front. Decide in advance how to respond to explosive people. When the unified message is "Your behavior is inappropriate and we're all in agreement on this," the challenge will fail. If the rest of the board sits and squirms, the challenge will prevail.
- Move meeting times earlier when everyone is fresher and more relaxed.
Explosive people need to be handled carefully like the real deal. If you follow these defusing techniques, these folks won't blow up in your face!
For more innovative homeowner association management strategies, see Regenesis.net
Published: June 16, 2010
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 Richard Thompson owns Regenesis, a management consulting company that specializes in condominium and homeowner associations. He is a nationally recognized expert on HOA management issues.Regenesis publishes The Regenesis Report, a monthly newsletter for HOA boards, developers and managers. To subscribe, go to Regenesis.net. He can be contacted by email at . |
