Is Your Board-Manager Relationship Dysfunctional? If you’re constantly butting heads or just can’t seem to get things done, you’ll need to examine each other’s individual management styles and find common ground.
This topic involves the management style of both the Board of Directors and the Manager and for each one there are two different styles. A newly elected Board on the same property may be very different in its preferred style from the previous Board, so this is a dynamic condition. The Board may be very involved, very practical and prefer to direct their Condominium Manager with specific and detailed instructions; or the Board may prefer the Manager to be very proactive and deal with things with as little involvement as possible. With either management style, you as a Board must understand that regardless of your preferences, decision-making remains the responsibility of the Board, not the Manager. Let me reiterate this: decisions are not the Manager’s responsibility, even if he prefers it that way.
For the Board Involved, your Manager will take direction and carry out specific tasks that you (reasonably) request (an example of this involves the Vice President who regularly walks the property and submits a list of maintenance items and bylaw violations ). to the Administrator to hire contractors and send letters to offending residents). For the Board Less Involved, your Manager must report maintenance items and bylaws violations to you and while they may act within the authority given to them by the Management Agreement, they must still report to the Board and such actions must be ratified by the board.
Whatever your style, make sure both your Board and Manager clearly understand your preferences and the specific procedures and expectations involved on both sides. The real caution in all of this is the style of the Manager. I have worked with many managers over the years who, though, may have the knowledge and experience to tell you what the “right” decision is or how to handle things or who can even step up and do it on your behalf. Many, for the sake of expediency or ego or both, forget that the Board must make the final decision. This should not be confused with the Manager’s job to provide solid information (or to complete certain tasks for which he has the authority or is responsible to perform according to your agreement); this is intended for actual decision making.
Your Manager should provide guidance, professional advice, experiential reasoning, and all the research the Board needs to make an informed decision, but should never lead, signal, or otherwise influence Board decisions. We are talking here about decisions such as: which of the three quotes to choose; whether or not to evict a tenant; or if a contractor’s work has been completed satisfactorily. Although some boards prefer that their manager tell them what the best option is, your manager is a facilitator, not a dictator, and should be competent to help you make the best decision, never to tell you what the choice should be. Because the final responsibility rests with the Board, its duty is to draw a line and to be careful that this line is not crossed.
The Board has big responsibilities: If the manager you pay doesn’t fit your style, find someone who does.
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