7 minute read
Managing The Manager Transition
BY HAMLET VAZQUEZ, MCAM-HR
- Howard Schultz
PASSING ON YOUR SUCCESS
If you’ve ever had homeowners express that they are sad to see you go and can’t imagine what it’ll be like to not have you managing the property, then congratulations, you have managed well and have been a successful manager. I recently experienced this as I left a property that I had managed for almost 12 years and was humbled by the comments from homeowners that filled my inbox and the farewell cards.
As I prepared to leave, it became clear that I had a lot of institutional knowledge that I needed to pass on to my replacement in order to help them succeed, since there would be no overlap training period. With this in mind, below are some practical suggestions on how to help set the stage for your replacement’s success:
ANNUAL CALENDAR
The annual calendar is probably the most underrated aspect of association managing. There’s nothing sexy about an annual calendar, but as someone who just started at a new community that did not have an annual calendar, I can tell you that it is invaluable when you have it and a challenge when you don’t.
Before you leave your community, make sure that you have such a calendar in place which indicates what important association and maintenance items take place each month. From the mundane like “When do the trees get trimmed?” to the vitally important like “When is the annual meeting?,” these kinds of events are key to the smooth transition in manager.
Current & Upcoming Projects
Before you leave your community, it is important that you summarize the current and upcoming projects and indicate where they stand.
The pool re-plastering project, when is that scheduled?
The automatic door opener installation, which vendor is supposed to pull the permits?
When will the parts arrive?
Contractor Contact Info
Who are the contractors involved with the upcoming projects?
What is their contact information?
Who are the regular contractors and the points of contact?
What are the account numbers?
Username/Passwords
What username/passwords do you need to document for your replacement?
The Minutiae
If your property is managed by a management company, then they will usually train on A/P, A/R, Payroll, etc. Otherwise, you will need to have training material prepared or set aside time for one-on-one training during the overlap period, if any.
- Anthony J. D’Angelo
GETTING YOUR BEARINGS
What if you arrive at your new property and the previous manager did not leave you with an annual calendar, summary of upcoming projects, or was not available to train you in the administrative minutiae of the association? How do you go about getting your bearings in order to succeed at this new assignment? It will take some reading and some learning.
Circling back to that less than sexy annual calendar
You need to develop one, so you don’t come to the shocking realization that that the trees needed to be trimmed when your holiday light vendor asks you when you want the lights up. And, since the holidays are right around the corner, it’s too late to trim those trees or put up lights. No big deal, right? I’m sure the residents won’t miss the holiday lights this year.
So, assuming you don’t want to be known as the manager responsible for ruining everyone’s holiday spirit, how do you craft that previously non-existent annual calendar?
You need to review three sets of documents:
The previous year’s board meeting minutes
Invoices
Contracts
These three sets of documents will help you put together the much-needed annual calendar that will set the foundation for your success.
Getting to know your board, in particular your board president
One of the main questions you need answered is how involved the board president likes to be in the management of the association. Was he accustomed to weekly (or daily) meetings with the manager or was he simply available as needed? It’s important that you find out early on in the transition since the board president is key to your success.
Getting to know your staff team
Another important relationship is the one with your staff team. It is imperative that you make decisions early on that communicate to them that you care about them. Even with a large team of 30+ individuals, it’s important that you get to know their names and get to know them early on.
If you’re a high-rise manager, then you know that probably the most important staff relationship is the one with your building engineer. Get to know him and how he likes to operate and communicate. For example, how does he like work orders to be communicated to him? How involved does he expect/want you to be?
Getting to know your residents
Of course, no association manager can be successful unless if he or she has built up trust with the residents. How quickly do you respond to their concerns even if the response is simply, “Great question! Let me look into this and get back to you.” No one will promote you better than your residents, and the alternative is just as true. So take the time to build up trust.
- John C. Maxwell
MANAGING CHANGE
One of the most challenging aspects of starting out in a new community is gauging the community’s tolerance for change. Change has already happened – they have a new manager! What else can you (should you) change? And how soon? This will all depend on two factors.
First, how long was the prior manager in the community, and how positive was their experience with him/her? The longer the manager was there, the more positive the experience and the less change people will tolerate. This does not mean that if the previous manager had been fired, you can change everything, but it will certainly give you more freedom to make changes.
The second factor is how urgent are the changes needed? Are there changes that need to be made in order for them to be in compliance with Davis-Stirling or current employment laws? Are there technological improvements that are available to them that they have not taken advantage of or may not have known about?
Whatever the change may be, it goes without saying that you must have the board’s support. Be sure to communicate with the board and take direction from the board, especially with big changes. At the end of the day, the goal is for the changes to make the community better, but they won’t see it that way unless you are patient and wise in your implementation of the changes.
Whether you are the manager who is leaving or starting a new role (or both!), this time of change is a great opportunity for you to grow and develop as a manager. Keep this in mind, and the success you had at your previous property will follow you wherever you go.
Hamlet Vazquez, MCAM-HR
Hamlet Vazquez, MCAM-HR, is the General Manager at Wilshire Terrace Co-op in Los Angeles.
