5 Ways to Deal with Angry Comm...

One of the most important skill sets for any profession is knowing how to handle tricky or difficult situations. Sometimes, an angry member of your community will be the most difficult part of the job. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory. Luckily, there are ways to mitigate these situations that will help reduce tension and build an amicable resolution.

1. Let Them Vent Frustrations
• Approach the situation as though the homeowner has the right to be angry. In order to evaluate the situation correctly, you can’t assume the homeowner is in the wrong from the very start. Listen to the entirety of their complaint so they feel as though nothing has gone unsaid. They may even simply just need to vent, and everything will be fine after they get it off their chest.
2. Remain Neutral
• Give all parties involved the same time to say what they need to say. It’s important to remain neutral and unbiased no matter what side you instinctively want to agree with.
3. Show Concern
• People inherently want to feel understood and related to. Even if you don’t necessarily agree with the viewpoint, let the homeowner know that you understand where they are coming from. Empathy goes a long way.
4. Focus On The Point Being Made
• Just because someone is difficult to deal with doesn’t mean they are wrong. Remove the bias that can be associated with the person or with how things have always been done and analyze just the point that is being argued.
5. Stand As One
• It’s important for the board to stand together on decisions, otherwise there will be push back if a weak spot is recognized. Gather your thoughts and decisions on matters beforehand so that everyone is on the same page when going into the issue.

Unhappy 4members of the community are just part of the job for an HOA Board Member. However, when approached and handled correctly, these situations don’t have to be a nightmare. Knowing how to respond to an angry community member can be the difference in successfully resolving an issue or creating more issues.