Delegating is one of the important skills people on an HOA board need to have. But delegating successfully can take some know-how. It needs to be handled strategically.
When you’re determining who to assign to a certain job, you’ll want to choose wisely. Pick someone who seems best suited for the task at hand. It could be the person with the most experience, passion, or skills to get the job done successfully.
If you’re looking for a job to assign to a new person on the board, consider pairing them with a more experienced board member first. That way they can learn the ropes from an informed resource.
When assigning certain jobs, you’ll want to take into consideration various factors, including timeliness and importance. You’ll want to choose people who you feel can handle the weight of the project and get it accomplished by the deadline. It can be easier to assign projects with fewer restrictions and protocols to follow, as it allows you to be more hands-off.
Speaking of being hands-off, when it comes to delegating, you want to find a healthy balance between backing off from the project, and yet, still being available for questions and feedback. Just be sure that you’re giving the person all of the details they need to get the job done proficiently. Don’t make assumptions that they know what you mean. Let them know any deadlines, protocols, and other things that they are expected to follow-through on.
Also, provide some wiggle room for their own creativity (as long as they’re following the rules and regulations required for the project). Everyone works differently, so encourage outside-the-box thinking. You can also check-in once in a while to see how they’re doing and if they have any questions or need any additional assistance.
When a job is done well, make sure to recognize the effort of the fellow board members. You can thank them and mention how well they did in your next meeting. Everyone likes to feel appreciated, and people who are, tend to want to chip in more often. If there are any helpful tips or advice you have for future projects, handle them with care. You can address these tips by first giving them positive feedback and then offering a few notes that may be helpful going forward.
Delegating can be a great tool on an HOA board. We hope, with these tips, that you’re able to delegate successfully and that your board continues to run smoothly. If you’d like more help with your HOA, please reach out to us at PMI: https://www.pmiprincewilliam.com/. We love partnering with communities.
