THE ROLE OF THE BOARD

By Rafael Aquino

Published June 5, 2019  

 

Serving on the Board of Directors comes with many challenges; however, understanding what your role is can make it a bit easier. Within your associations' documents, you will find a section which outlines the duties and responsibilities for each officer on the Board. A good board will know each other’s role so that each board member can stay in his/her lane. In doing so, more can be accomplished by the Board and the professionals they have hired.

 

Unfortunately, more often than not, Board members become micromanagers, and as Eric mentioned on Monday, don’t allow the professionals to do what the Board hired them to do. This kind of approach irritates employees or contractors, reduces productivity, and creates an environment of higher than normal staff/vendor turnover. So why does this happen?  In my humble opinion, it is TRUST.  Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, and without it, neither party can indeed have a successful relationship. As Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”

 

If you find yourself in this kind of a situation, a meeting should be held so both parties can identify what the root of the problem’(s) are.  Once identified, I recommend taking the following steps, create clear procedure’s (SOP) that outline what his/her responsibilities are and what they are accountable for. Identify what actions should and shouldn’t be taken. Break down the responsibilities, who’s assigned to them and when are they due.  Finally, mutually agree upon meeting dates to check in on the process that is being made. Once these steps are taken, the Board should allow the manager/vendor to do what was assigned. Please note, that the Board should not swing to the other side of letting go of all responsibilities but rather to learn to allow the managers or professional to do what they were hired to do. 

 

Remember your role as a Board Member is to lead, and the best leaders support their team members by acknowledging and providing positive reinforcement for work done.

 

I’m curious to hear from our readers. Do you micro manage your manager/vendors? If so, why and is it working? 


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As the Co-Founder and CEO of Affinity Management Services, Rafael P. Aquino leads his team to redefine excellence. They serve community   associations   efficiently

and effectively with dedication and passion. Rafael’s energy and positive spirit is the foundation of Affinity Management Services’ company culture, which instills enthusiasm and excitement when providing expert advice to its board members and relieving the day-to-day burdens of running a community association.

 

Since 2007, Rafael has developed a work culture that values responsive and high-quality services. He has led his team by following a proactive vs reactive philosophy. The same approach Rafael instills in the day to day operations of each association. Today, Affinity Management Services maintains its success and benefits as a result of the foundation Rafael has built and continues to foster by providing educational seminars, continuing education classes for association managers and board members alike.


Rafael and his team help condominium and homeowners’ associations save money and improve their communities. His calm, personable, and service-oriented nature helps him to establish strong relationships with ease. Rafael is known as a sincere and honest leader who looks out for the best interests of his clients and communities, and he strongly advocates for their needs. His role requires coordination and communication, as such he takes logical and intelligent steps to approach challenges head-on.


As a graduate of Florida International University’s electrical engineering program and a licensed community association manager, Rafael’s education and skills equip him with unique insights to tackle complex problems through critical thinking. He understands how each component within a system works together in order to effectively arrive at solutions, techniques, and conclusions. Therefore, as he manages the multiple challenges of running a community association management company, he understands how each property is its own unique system and tailors’ specific services to assure that all their needs are met.

For more information about Rafael P. Aquino and Affinity Management Services please visit www.ManagedByAffinity.com or call 1-800-977-6279

Doral Office: 8200 NW 41st ST

Suite 200

Doral, FL 33166

Broward Office: 150 S Pine Island RD Suite 300

Plantation, FL 33324

O: 800-977-6279 ● F: 305-325-4053


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