When you’re on an HOA board, it’s important to strike the right balance between being overwhelmed and doing your fair share.
If you Google “tips for new HOA board members,” you’re likely to come across several websites with notes saying something along the lines of “don’t take on too much” or “be involved.”
The reason these tips are so frequently shared is because it’s easy to do too much or too little. There are those on HOA boards that have “type A” personalities, always ready to get the ball rolling. They want to get stuff done and they have no problem taking the lead. On the other hand, every board has members that aren’t in a hurry and need a little push to jump into something.
Both types of people need to find their place on the board and strike a balance. Board members should actively care about the board and the community. They should participate when they can. They should have a voice and be willing to be involved. However, they should also be able to delegate. If it’s hard for you to let go of the reigns sometimes, it may be time to start working on this. The work of the board should be shared. No one should end up feeling overwhelmed.
When a board is unbalanced, you’ll have some people barely participating while others become overloaded with assignments. This isn’t healthy for the board members or the board as a whole. So, take time today to consider how you are behaving on your board and how your board works as a collective.
Are there areas that could use improvement? Is everyone pulling their weight or are some taking on too much while others are happy to sit on the sidelines? If you spot any issues, maybe it’s time to bring it up to the board and talk about this openly and see if there are ways to delegate out the work a little more evenly. Be careful to avoid fingerpointing!
If you see an area in which you could be improving, take steps to do so. Maybe you’ve taken on too much or you haven’t volunteered when you should have. Consider making changes if this resonates with you. A board needs to work as a team, and we all know the saying “there’s no I in teamwork.” That means each board member needs to be committed to the board, but also not overworked.
If you’d like help managing your HOA, please contact us at PMI: . We’d love to be your partner in making your community the best it can be.
