CAI-NJ May 2020 (w)

THE MANAGER TRANSITION By Terry C. Wagner, ARM, Associa - Community Management Corp., AAMC

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It happens, maybe more often than you realize —The Manager Transition. Several years ago, I made the difficult decision to leave a community I loved. It was a career move, and while I was excited about the road ahead, I was leaving with great sor- row. I am not ashamed to say, that last day as I handed over my keys to the new manager, wished her well, said my final goodbyes; I shed more than my share of tears driving away. I still have such fond memories of that community and have been blessed to continue many friendships there. Still I wonder, did I have enough time and impart enough information to truly allow that incoming manager to succeed? Let’s face it, for most managers the goal is to find the right assignment, set down roots and become part of the team for the long haul. Each community’s structure may vary, but most have a team made up of board members, committees, a manager and management company, all working to keep things running smoothly. For the manager, either on-site or portfolio, becoming part of the team means building relationships. Those relationships become gold for the manager, management company, and the community

as they develop. People collaborate better and produce better results when they are happy with their job, feel appreciated, and can look forward to going to work. A good relationship with a community does all of that for a manager. If the manager is accepted, liked or even loved, the management company is sure to enjoy a long-term con- tract. But what happens when that changes? What could and should happen when a manager, for one reason or another, must move on? Behind the scenes of the board meetings, the industry events, the educational classes; behind the budget prepa- ration, the maintenance work orders, and the pool open- ings — managers come into communities and managers leave. Whether for retirement, relocation or a career move, leaving may not be easy. While we all know the process- es and difficulties of a community association transition, do you know what the process looks like when one manager moves out and another moves in? Do you know what it should look like? If you as community members or the management com- pany are lucky, your current manager will give you plenty

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