Community Communication Corner
by Bob Gourley, MyEZCondo Founder, Member of CAI CT Board of Directors

Telling the Story of Your Community Leaders

Is there any non-paid job more thankless than that of a Volunteer Leader in a community association? Sure, there are moments of satisfaction and occasional rewards but, by and large, most community leaders deal with conflict much more than they deal with simply presiding over the business affairs of the HOA for which they serve. Is it any wonder that so many communities struggle to find their next volunteer or volunteers to serve on their Board of Directors? Does your community use its communication resources to acknowledge the sacrifice and hard work put forth by these volunteers? You should if you want to find future volunteers within the ranks of your community members.

At the heart of the matter is why volunteers choose to serve as Community Leaders. CAI has suggested that there are numerous reasons for community members to volunteer, ranging from adding to their leadership skills to protecting their own interests. While I don’t dispute any of those ideas, my interaction with many community leaders also reveals another quality to me. They like it! They like working with people, even in conflict resolution situations. They feel they have a calling to serve. I suggest that if you are not already doing so, you should acknowledge the work of these volunteers in your community newsletter, your community website, even a press release to your local newspaper.

Every community has future leaders within its membership. Helping these leaders find their calling to serve is a duty of every volunteer leader currently serving on the Board. Using your communication resources to attract these leaders makes good sense. Best of all, the stories of these volunteers can make for some interesting content for your newsletter, website, etc..

I am recommending that you showcase your community leaders as a regular feature in your newsletter or website. A column that highlights there personal and professional background as well as their achievements of the Board will make for a lively topic and will provide a reminder to the volunteer of why they give back to their community through service. It will also inspire other community members to serve and seek similar recognition. Be sure to close the article with information on how other community members can serve the community by joining a committee or running for the Board.

Finally, when the Board or a particular Board member has performed a service or task particularly well, use your communication efforts to heap praise upon the group or individual. The community should be told about dramatic cost saving passed on to them because of the actions of a volunteer. Good news is welcome news in all communities and praising a volunteer is always good news, for both the community and the volunteer. The cost is minimal; the returns are substantial.

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