"I never have anything to do," is a refrain you will never hear uttered by any adult in America. Individuals lead busy lives, much more so when families and overtime hours lead to fleeting grasps at leisure time.

Anxiety over obligations is a near constant presence in the day-to-day, and the thought of adding even more responsibility onto a seemingly full plate can be quite daunting. So, it's understandable if condominium residents are hesitant to volunteer their precious time toward serving on the board of their associations.

But herein lies the rub: the experience can be quite rewarding, granted both board and owner come together to make it as painless an endeavor as possible. That means collaborating internally and with management to serve the greater good and improve their communities. It can be a headache at times, but there are pitfalls to avoid, as well as tactics to embrace when looking to assemble a capable, communicative and results-oriented board.

Scouting Talent

Rick Wood, a regional manager with Campbell Property Management—headquartered in Deerfield Beach with offices throughout the area—encourages boards to be vigilant in looking for people among the community with the skill sets, experience, and ability to one day be of service. But how can one spot these talented individuals? And what's the best way to sell them on the virtues of board membership?

For starters, a board should conduct its meetings in an atmosphere that promotes inclusion. As John Strohm, chief operating officer of Alliant Association Management in Ft. Myers says, "I have seen many instances where the boards have allowed their meetings to turn into free-for-alls. New owners or past owners who'd not attended in some time leave shaking their heads, thinking to themselves 'that is not for me.'" The alternative to casting once-interested residents away could be as simple as board members treating each other with civility, holding meetings at times convenient to the majority of both board members and owners, and giving adequate advance notice. Refreshments never hurt anyone either.

If owners are going to eventually take on a more active role in community affairs, they need to feel wanted. Jose Ponton, vice president of Associa Gulf Coast's Tampa division, suggests that boards should hold workshops with all interested parties among the community, and educate homeowners about the various operational responsibilities of their association board. At the same time, they can offer them insight as to how residents can volunteer at a less time-consuming level, should they show some interest. This could mean any one of myriad neighborhood committees, from social to maintenance to landscaping. Those who show interest early and often are probably those who will make upstanding board members down the line.

Although many board members are retired professionals from various specialized industries—some potentially serving to stay busy and keep occupied now that they're out of the daily grind—Strohm says that, come end of the day, they need to remember two things: first, while they're shareholders in a corporation, they're also members of a community. Second, the people of whom they're in charge of are not employees, but neighbors.

Holding Pattern

Once a board establishes a routine for getting owners involved, thus allowing them to groom active community participants, it's important that it continues to act in a manner that serves to retain these active and interested denizens—both on the board and off. To that end, there can be no egos among the team. As Wood notes, a board's goal is to remain "a voice of one."

"One member of a board can be on the losing side of, say, a tennis court installation against which he or she had voted," Wood says. "But the important thing is that, immediately after said vote, he or she shifts focus toward ironing out the logistics, informing the community, finding the right contractors, etc. What a good board member needs to realize is that the board's decision trumps his or her individual opinion."

Strohm warns of the hazards inherent when a board fails to effectively communicate. "When things are—or are perceived to be—going poorly, a board ends up attracting people who bring their own agendas, and may not have the best interests of the community at heart. I've oftentimes seen people with ill intent come on the board when no one is paying attention, leveraging their new position for their own financial interests or to promote the concerns of a small clique of owners who are in no way representative of the larger community."

Wood provides an interesting spin on this bad apple-theory: "Too often I see that people don't run for the board so much as they run against the board, and that's not healthy for a community. Whenever I hear someone describe his or herself as 'the voice of the property,' I usually take it to mean that they're the voice of the minority, as those owners who are content and happy in their lives rarely stir the pot. But I actually recommend getting one of these minority voices on the board; it makes the board more representative, and quiets that tiny faction of dissenters."

Non-members can also can help maintain a thriving and vibrant board via good old appreciation and moral support. Regular attendance at board meetings, vocal affirmation that a board is performing at a high standard, and friendly interactions around the property can go a long way toward making board members feel vindicated in their choice to serve. According to Wood, "There's always going to be a better person for the job out there, so it's important that owners let the people who are actually doing the job know that they're doing it well."

Pushing the Limits

One way to keep a board firing on all cylinders is to impose certain regulations regarding term limits in order to keep things fresh with new people and ideas coming in, while long-serving members who need a break can bow out. (That's not to say that some boards don't have members whose tenures rival Strom Thurmond's. It's case-by-case). As Strohm notes, term limits are often determined in the association's bylaws, whether that be via one-year auto-terms, two-year stagger terms, or otherwise.

Ponton also supports limits, emphatically suggesting that staggered terms are the best way to have appropriate turnover amongst a board with minimal interruption. "You minimize burn-out, yet maximize stability for the community." He also notes that, while on the job, it's important that a board be provided continual education opportunities. "A well-trained member, by participating in industry-related seminars, will likely be encouraged to participate longer, and share their positive experiences with others."

Management Matters

One surefire way to make any gig more appealing is to make it easier by relaxing the hours and adding more manpower. So while the size of boards may be set in stone via an association's governing documents, reinforcements are never far when that association aligns itself with a reliable and thorough management company. With a trusted specialist watching over a community, board members can act as a guiding hand at meetings—the representatives on the ground amid their neighbors—while the brunt of the labor is outsourced. Having a conduit through which to direct owners' questions and complaints can make serving on a board infinitely more appealing.

"A board that's forced to do a lot of its work without a management company, or with a management company that gives inadequate guidance, is usually a board that's not going to hold onto members," says Strohm. "Most board members don't experience burnout if they have a good strategic partner that is handling much of the work that they would have had to had they gone it alone."

Ponton agrees, noting that "the typical hassle expressed by board members stems from folks coming to them outside of meetings to complain about something or to make demands. Creating the appropriate working partnership with a professional management company, and allowing the manager to address these problematic issues, can go a long way toward increasing a board member's enjoyment while minimizing any regrets."

Board Bonafides

If there was a dating service for qualified board members, some traits would immediately pop out as the marks of a qualified contender. Ponton cites integrity, compassion, reliability, lack of bias and patience as his top five. And, clearly, ego has no place in meeting spaces. Team players excel while lone wolves get frustrated.

"It's very difficult for some people to check their egos. When someone voices an opinion one way, and another side of the board voices the opposite, the ego-centric person is going to have a hard time when their opinion is being discounted." This type of temperament, coupled with an inability to facilitate a dialog, can result in arguments, hostility, or even with people leaving the community out of frustration.

In regard to specific backgrounds that lend themselves toward good board management, financial experience is quite potent, especially in regard to the treasurer position. "You're dealing with multi-million-dollar communities now," says Strohm. "Even over the last ten years, budget sizes have grown significantly. You need someone who can explain complex things to the community in an accessible way."

Wood recommends mining current or former business owners for open positions. "These people tend to know a little bit about everything," he says. "They understand the financial aspect, and they also know that every decision involves a little bit of chance. Engineering and construction backgrounds can be helpful, as well, especially in older properties. But they may find themselves with too little to do in newly constructed communities."

But the most important trait that a board member can bring to the table is a humble, inquisitive nature. "As a fiduciary, it will actually hurt a board member if they try to render an opinion when he or she is not an expert," explains Strohm. "If an arbitrator, mediator or judge is looking into a potential breach of fiduciary duty, one of the first things they'll investigate is whether or not a board member consulted the appropriate experts. A board exists to ask the right questions, not render its own answers."

Thus the most valuable board member is a facilitator who is not afraid to research and ask questions, and always prioritizes the interests of the greater community. “What you do for one,” says Strohm, “you do for all, and what you don't do for one, you don't do for any."

Michael Odenthal is a staff writer at The Western & Central Florida Cooperator.