management

Ethics, etiquette and excellence in management

New resources address more challenging aspects of managing condos and set higher standards for communicating
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
By Greg Fraleigh

When the Condominium Authority of Ontario introduced a set of mandatory forms to be distributed to owners of condominium units, property management offices who hadn’t thought to include a cover letter in their mailings and electronic distribution began receiving a number of calls.

“What is this form for?” callers would ask. “Is there something I need to do?” Without a proper written explanation to accompany the documents, the New Owner Information Certificate (for example) presented itself as a somewhat difficult to understand housewarming gift. With sparse information included in the form itself explaining the purpose of what was being received, owners were often confused—especially in the instance of first-time condominium owners.

The capacity to create effective and well-written business communications — letters, emails, reports and minutes — is lacking in many new managers, and even in some experienced ones. In a digital age where the craft of communication is limited to email bursts or social media blurbs, adeptness at explanation is a field requiring additional honing. To be able to both explain and interpret critical information is a fundamental skill set needed from anyone considering a career in property management.

The role of a property manager is so diverse that, while an experienced manager may have a perfect understanding of the mechanical and physical aspects of the building, explaining the hierarchy of control or aspects of the declaration limiting the corporation’s responsibility may come with tangible difficulty.

As of November 1, 2021, anyone considering a career in property management will be required to complete the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s (CMRAO) Excellence in Condominium Management course. This course will introduce some key elements to prospective managers and highlight the importance of working with an ethical mindset.

The course is devoted to opening the door to prospective managers so that they have a basic understanding of the requirements of the role, prior to beginning the course proper. In addition, more focus has now been placed on the vast array of relationships that need managing as part of a condo corporation’s governance.

Each of these relationships requires a slightly different skew when communicating. Successful management companies integrate a standard model for the presentation of monthly manager and financial reports, with an expectation ​​that communications are written in plain, easy-to-digest language.

In a world circumvented by spellcheck, there is no excuse for poorly worded, disjointed emails. Likewise, lengthy and arduous pieces of detailed explanation can be too bulky to be properly absorbed when read, or may get pushed aside completely.

One of the most important relationships is with our boards of directors, with whom we converse daily in the course of providing support and maintenance review. While the CAO’s initiation of the valuable ‘Director Training’ courses has proved substantially valuable, it is impossible to role-play all potential scenarios which come their way. For each new situation which arises, proper presentation of the problem at hand must be provided, together with clear commentary regarding possible solutions.

This is primarily a people business, with the property itself as the common ground. It also requires 24/7 commitment, with the reality being that wages are often in no way commensurate with the responsibility and hours devoted to the role. It is important to understand that anyone entering the field needs to be willing to work on their interpersonal skills. In many ways, people skills are more valuable than academic credibility when it comes to longevity in the role.

Good property managers take great pride in their professionalism when ensuring boards and owners have the tools they need to make informed decisions to enhance and improve quality of life and the assets of their condominium corporation. Established management companies rely heavily on an educated and knowledgeable support team who also understand the complexities of the Condo Act. It is important that all employees working in property management share a desire to learn. This is an industry which demands continual growth, and the evolution of the CMRAO courses are a reflection of that.

The CMRAO’s Condominium Management – Relationship Building course introduced as of November 1 addresses some of the more challenging aspects of property management that previously had not been dealt with. Now, prospective managers are provided a toolbox to handle issues such as dealing with the sudden death of a resident, conflict resolution, and mental health concerns.

Additionally, they now learn the fundamentals of etiquette in communication: how to communicate clearly and concisely, and importantly — how to adapt communication strategies dependent on the audience. It is not enough to send a chargeback letter demanding payment for reimbursement of costs incurred from a contractor — the owners deserve to understand why reimbursement is being requested, where it states within the declaration that the cost is their responsibility, when that payment is due, and what the consequences are if they refuse to pay.

When communication fails completely, the results can be tragic. Ninety-eight lives were lost in the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida — lives that could potentially have been saved if the board of directors had fully comprehended the urgency behind the engineering reports provided to them. Although occurrences such as the Champlain Towers collapse are rare, the disaster shows clearly the importance of establishing clarity and assertiveness when conveying important information.

Managers and executives have a duty to keep informed regarding their industry and to be ever cognizant of their adeptness in communication, whether it be by letter, email or report. Clarity in communication can save time and confusion — affordable, cloud-based writing assistants such as Grammarly can be particularly helpful to catch small grammar mistakes, ensuring that messages are delivered with clear intent.

It’s okay to run a spellcheck on that doc before you email it or to have a coworker take a look. Ask yourself, “If I knew absolutely nothing about condominiums, would this letter still make sense?”

As author George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” You can save the phone calls, emails and headache in the office by getting it right the first time.

Greg Fraleigh is President of The Enfield Group Inc.

One thought on “Ethics, etiquette and excellence in management

  1. This is a very relevant article. During the pandemic, the property manager did not inform residents when she was here at the condo. Pre-covid, she came two mornings a week at the same times. The president of the board is an owner and does not seem to understand the importance of privacy for owners and residents. She has sent emails without blind copying, even after being told.
    Are privacy policies a common thing for condominiums? My husband and I have owned our condo since 2018. We think a privacy policy could include transparency and identify how social media should be used. Can you refer us to any resources that may have examples of privacy policies for condo corporations?
    Thank you.

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