Governance

October 16, 2024 Published by Golden Horseshoe Chapter - By Craig McMillan

My Shovel Isn’t Big Enough, Digging Deep for Volunteers

From the Volume 21, Fall 2024 issue of the CCI GHC Condo News Magazine

“My Shovel Isn’t Big Enough, Digging Deep for Volunteers” at this year’s conference discussed the critical issue of community involvement and succession planning within Condominium Boards with panelists Craig McMillan, Colette Ertel and Mike Mullen.

How do Boards address the challenges that arise when there's a lack of volunteers. Why do some owners shy away from Board roles? Are they unaware of the opportunity, intimidated by the commitment or simply don't care? We explored these questions and more, fostering a grassroots conversation to uncover the root causes of apathy and inaction faced by many Condominium Corporations. The discussion focused on the newer director education requirements as well as an understanding that these requirements will continue to evolve as the CAO’s sphere of influence continues to grow in the condominium sector.

Real fear of harassment concerns, as these volunteers are subject to the possibility of ongoing harassment in their own homes, liability issues and duty of care as a director also add to the challenges in getting people to volunteer.

Through interactive discussions and real-world examples, the panel offered strategies to deliberate on how to reignite community engagement and cultivate a culture of participation. From demystifying the role of the Board of Directors to highlighting the importance of succession planning, we empowered attendees with practical insights and actionable steps to drive meaningful change within their own communities.

The session also explored what motivates individuals to step up, how to nurture future leaders, and ultimately, how to build stronger, more vibrant communities from the ground up.

Mike Mullen discussed how long is too long to serve on any Condominium Board of Directors. A great volunteer is like a great employee – they need to be valued by the community they serve, and the desirable length of service depends on many variables including whether these long-term Directors are still contributing to the community in a positive manner.

Colette Ertel provided insight into her own personal experience from the viewpoint of being a long-serving Condominium Director with over nine years on the Board of her high-rise condominium in Burlington. Colette spoke on what makes a good Director, from being approachable and empathetic, to having a backbone when faced with the tougher decisions. She touched on the rapidly changing industry through her nine years of service and the importance of timely and concise communication in the Boardroom, with the residents, management, and vendors.

Colette also spoke about building the Board of Directors like developing a professional business team, looking for skills that can enhance and complement the Board’s performance with intent, making sure the Board has a representative with great financial acumen, another with great interpersonal skills, and a detail-orientated person who can communicate effectively. These skills, among others, will be beneficial to outcomes for the Corporation as the Board navigates the challenges of the community.

Overall the audience came away with both practical and real life examples of how to deal with succession planning in their own communities.

Craig McMillan, RCM, ACCI, LCCI, CMCA, CAPM - Maple Ridge Community Management

Craig McMillan is President of Maple Ridge Community Management (MRCM) an Associa Company. He has been a Condominium Professional since 2003. Craig holds his RCM designation from ACMO, and his ACCI and LCCI designation from CCI-National. He is a member of the Project Management Institute and holds his Certified Associate in Project Management designation CAPM.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for ACMO and ACMO’s Membership & Programs Committee as well as the Condo Conference Committee hosted by ACMO & CCI-Toronto.

He also serves on the Professional & Business Partners Committee and the Communications Committee with CCI-GHC, as well as an inaugural member of CMRAO’s Advisory Committee. He is a frequent speaker at industry events & conferences, as well as contributing articles for various industry publications.