Conflicts are never fun to deal with. However, in communities, they are an unfortunate part of life. There are bound to be disagreements when many individuals live near each other.
While you cannot stop conflict from occurring between your residents, there are things you can do to keep an issue from escalating. Conflict resolution skills are crucial for community association Boards and community management companies and, in this article, we will teach you how to handle conflicts between your residents.
Active listening is the key to effective conflict resolution. This technique means you allow both parties an opportunity to express their concerns without interruption. Additionally, you should pay attention to the non-verbal cues of the speaker. Use active listening to ensure you understand both sides of the conflict. It will help the residents trust your judgment because they will feel you are a non-biased and fair mediator.
Conflicts can get heated, especially if the issue has been brewing for some time. As the mediator, you must remain calm. Keep the environment calm by encouraging whoever is talking to take a moment to collect themselves if they are becoming too angry. Do not allow the argument to devolve into a shouting match. If this happens, consider rescheduling the meeting to a later date to give the issue, and the individuals, some time.
Unfortunately, most conflicts between residents will not go away on their own. If the residents are coming to you for conflict resolution, the situation has escalated enough to require help. Therefore, do what you can to resolve the conflict as soon as possible.
Online or written arguments have a habit of spiraling out of control quickly. Schedule an in-person meeting if there is a conflict between your residents that requires mediation. Meeting face-to-face tends to encourage people to be more civil and gives them access to communication nuances that are missing from written communication.
Board members cannot always resolve conflicts. You may need the help of an objective third party. This situation is where community management companies can be extremely helpful. Community managers are experts in conflict resolution and are not emotionally involved in the community, which allows them to better see the conflict objectively and resolve the situation more fairly.
In the Greater Los Angeles Area, San Gabriel Valley, and North Orange County, your best bet for stellar community property management is Partners Community Management. Contact us today to learn how we can make your lives easier and help your community thrive.
