Leland Insider, Fall Edition Fall Insider 2017 - Final Draft | Page 7

Finally, teamwork is probably the most important part
of your relationship with your management company.
Within Leland Management, we promote teamwork
in our company culture. We find many ways
throughout the year to encourage positive team en-
gagement. Our annual corporate training event focuses strongly on team building skills. As
a result, our accounting managers, community association managers, and support staff
work strongly together as a united front with the common goal of serving our boards and
residents to the best of our combined abilities. We bring this team approach to working with
our boards. Collaboration between board members, residents, and management company
staff is the keystone to building and maintaining a successful community association.
You may wonder how you can strengthen team relationships with your fellow board
members, vendors, residents, and your management company. The most important prac-
tice in moving towards positive teamwork is clear communication. Make sure that your in-
teractions make others feel safe sharing ideas and thoughts with you. If people feel safe
sharing, you are on your way to working together as a cohesive team. It can also be helpful
to define responsibilities. Decide with your fellow board members who should take the lead
on which role. This also goes with vendors. What do you expect on their end versus what
do they need from you? Once you have decided these things, everyone will have a clearer
expectation of their responsibilities. Of course you will all help each other, but each person
can at least know how to best use his or her strengths. Finally, be positive. Positivity is
contagious! As one of the leaders in your community, your positivity will go a long way to-
wards diffusing tough circumstances and promoting long-term trust and engagement with
those you work with on a day to day basis.
While all of us know about teamwork and sense how important it is, sometimes we
forget to foster it. Like most things in life, maintaining a positive team environment takes
self-awareness and a little bit of effort. With practice, these principles will become more and
more natural to you in your communications. Before you know it, your fellow board mem-
bers, vendors, residents, and management company will all be working together seamlessly
as one powerful unit with the sole purpose of making your community the very best it can
be.