Teamwork is important for a homeowners’ association (HOA) board of directors. As elected community leaders, residents trust board members to make smart decisions, effectively manage finances, and set the community up for success—and it’s hard to do all of this when people aren’t aligned and on the same page. Read on to learn how to foster teamwork in your HOA, so your community thrives for years to come.

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Key HOA Team Players

To foster teamwork, you must understand who’s on your team and what they do. Here are the key people in an HOA:  

• HOA residents. When you move into a community with an HOA, you automatically become a member. As a resident, you’re responsible for paying dues, following rules, and participating in your community.
• Board of directors. All HOAs are typically required to have a volunteer board of directors to lead the community, run operations, enforce guidelines, maintain amenities, make decisions, and more. The board may consist of an HOA president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer who are elected by residents.
• Committees. Often, the board delegates tasks that need additional oversight to a committee comprised of residents. Popular committees include the social committee, welcome committee, architectural review committee, and neighborhood watch committee.
• Community management company. Boards may hire a professional community management company to handle tasks they can’t perform themselves or don’t have time to complete.
• Community association manager. Community managers are the face of the community management company. They’re on-site to help with operations and administrative tasks, take direction from the board, and ensure compliance.
• Vendor partners. Many communities partner with third-party vendors for professional support, like certified public accountants (CPAs), attorneys, insurance agents, and maintenance experts.

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HOA Teamwork Tips

When everyone works together to achieve the same goals, your board and community will be better and more productive. Here are five ways to promote teamwork in your HOA:

1. Choose the right leaders

Strong communities have strong leadership. Take HOA elections seriously and choose your board wisely. If board members possess the following traits, they’re likely to work well together:  

• They want to learn. Most HOA board members come into the association with little to no prior knowledge. Certain aspects may be confusing at first, but a natural leader should have a desire to learn and jump right in.
• They’re transparent. Board members should be honest and upfront about what’s happening in the community and behind the scenes. They must value communication and sincerity and always have the HOA’s best interest at heart.
• They’re positive. HOA board members should lead by example. This includes inspiring community involvement, being available and open to feedback, and giving timely responses.
• They manage risk well. Board members may experience high-risk and high-stress situations. Leaders should see beyond the problem and proactively manage risks. They must think on their feet and be able to provide a plan of action.

2. Have clear roles and rules

It’s crucial for board members to know what they’re responsible for and what is and isn’t allowed in their community. When everyone has clarity and understands their duties and the duties of others, it drives accountability and minimizes conflicts and frustrations.

3. Prioritize communication

Board members are busy, and it’s easy to get distracted and lose focus. To stay on track, make sure to communicate well and often. Establish dedicated communication channels—in-person or virtual meetings, community apps like TownSq, a community website, or social media—and use them regularly. Be open about progress and never hesitate to express concerns or ask questions. As a result, this will create a sense of unity and willingness to help one another.  

4. Plan ahead

Proper preparation is essential to collaboration. When teams lack proactive behavior, projects and tasks can fall behind, and engagement can suffer. Set goals, make your calendar at the beginning of the year, and connect with vendors in advance. Always come prepared to meetings with an approved agenda and talking points and leave with defined action items.

5. Encourage consensus

The stress of being a board member can be overwhelming, but community leaders shouldn’t let it build up and cause disputes. When making decisions or discussing sensitive topics, remain professional and give everyone time to speak and share their opinions. Practicing quality conflict resolution skills and mutual respect is instrumental to teamwork.

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Work Better Together with TownSq

Every member of your HOA must constantly strive to make the neighborhood a great place to live. By implementing our tips for how to foster teamwork in your HOA, your community will have a bright future.

If you want to take community collaboration to the next level, check out TownSq. TownSq is the top technology choice for community management companies, community managers, board members, and HOA residents across North America. Explore our wide range of communication, financial, document storage, violation, and voting features by requesting a 30-day free trial here.

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