General Standards: for a condo board member
Honesty – don’t violate the trust of other board members and owners; don’t misrepresent facts by withholding, distorting, twisting or making up information; don’t use Association funds for personal matters. Honesty really is the best policy. If a Higher Power were to have a seat on the Board, you wouldn’t want to fudge the facts, engage in creative explanations and omissions, or use OP’s* money for personal goodies. It would be downright embarrassing, or worse. So imagine that the H.P. is always there, and the rest will come easily. *Other People’s
Good Faith – (not the H.P. kind of faith) Make sure you think first about what’s best for the Association. This will help you avoid unpleasant events, such as residents marching on the Board with torches and pitchforks.
Diligence – work to best of your ability with a reasonable degree of care. You don’t have to be Super Person. Remember what your mother used to say: Just do your best, that’s all anyone can ask of you. That was great advice, and it still is. If you don’t, that’s just when something will come back to bite you, so it’s really a matter of self-preservation to do this.
Integrity – don’t accept bribes, kickbacks or condone acceptance of them by others. OK,
here’s where the H.P. comes back. When you’re tempted, imagine the H.P.’s right next to you. Don’t ask, don’t take. If you know someone’s asking and/or taking, look for help from a trusted person to get the situation under control.
Don’t be swayed by flattery, either. Unless you’re a former entrepreneur or used to making executive decisions and getting the experience that comes with it, you’re like most residents of associations; you’ve worked hard to get enough to retire on, and you’ve taken orders from lots of bosses along the way. So the offers you may get from vendors and others looking for an advantage with the Board will be tempting. Be prepared to be wooed, but don’t fall for it. They really won’t respect you in the morning!
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