In our quest to identify the traits that make a director highly effective in participating in the governance of their homeowners’ association (“HOA”), a quick recap of the traits we have explored so far is in order:
Trait #1: It’s all about the HOA and not about their personal agenda.
Trait #2: A highly effective director never attends an association meeting without having the governing documents of the association close at hand and routinely consults the documents for guidance.
Trait #3: A highly effective director asks constructive questions and is an outstanding listener.
For those of you who remember the radio show the Lone Ranger, you’ll have to forgive me for using the hero in this next trait of a highly effective director. While I may not have the concept of the show quite right, I hope you will give me a pass on this one!
Trait #4: A highly effective director never acts as a Lone Ranger.
A highly effective director understands that he/she is only one member of a board of directors and has very little (if any) authority to make independent decisions on behalf of the board. These directors (including officers of the HOA) understand that any individual authority they may have is set forth in the governing documents of the association or is conveyed to the individual through formal action by the board. A highly effective director never makes promises to homeowners or others on how the board will act on any given issue. Instead, these directors invite homeowners to attend meetings of the board to provide constructive input on issues that are important to them. A highly effective director never enters into contracts or binds the association to any particular action unless the governing documents provide the director with this authority or without first obtaining board approval.
What will be the 5th trait of a highly effective HOA director? Stay tuned to find out!