Strata Council Member Skills: How To Be A Better Listener

Why Listening is Important in Strata Corporations

Effective communication has the power to drive the future of a community. Facilitating a positive and cooperative spirit, communication can create a pathway to improved partnerships, successful negotiations, and constructive decision-making. Part of being a good communicator includes being an active listener—someone who hears, understands, and acts on the wishes and needs of the community they serve. When a strata council is actively listening:

• Homeowners feel heard.
• You promote transparency.
• Teamwork improves.
• Homeowners see that their Strata Council cares

How to Become an Active Listener

In a strata corporation, quality communication can bring speedy solutions, minimize confusion, prevent gossip, and build trust. As a council member, when you don't just hear the words spoken, but take the extra step to understand them, you can craft messages, notices, and information that resonate with the community. And connecting with community members makes it easier to shape and improve the strata operation. When thinking about how to actively listen, look at the concept through these three categories:

• Cognitive: Active listeners pay attention and take the time to comprehend messages. Conversations aren't just in one ear and out the other. Take notes during conversations, and always think of how you can directly respond to what someone is saying.
• Emotional: Active listeners understand emotions and react with appropriate emotions. This could mean showing concern for a resident's maintenance issues or excitement when meeting a new neighbour.
• Behavioral: Active listeners express themselves with eye contact and verbal and nonverbal comprehension. Stay focused on the person speaking with eye contact and avoid distractions.

5 Ways to Listen to Homeowner Feedback Better

Being an active listener can improve your interpersonal skills and your relationship with community members, fellow council members, and more. Because you care and are thoughtful, relationships become stronger, and you can drive positive change for the Strata Corporation. To encourage homeowners feedback and cultivate an atmosphere for active listening, you should:

1. Provide opportunities for communication.

Always provide a way for community members to speak up and get in contact with you—whether that's by phone, email, or in person at a council meeting. Emphasize to residents that you want to hear from them. It not only shows that you value their thoughts and feedback but are also focused on a collaborative approach to building a successful community.

2. Ask questions.

The more you know, the better off you'll be. When you ask questions about a situation, you're able to gain information on the factors that may affect your community. Knowing the extra details allows you to find the most appropriate solution.

Make sure you're asking the right questions. Open-ended questions invite discussion and idea sharing. Remember that your tone and body language should also be welcoming and helpful. Here are some general questions you might consider asking concerned residents:

• Can you describe what happened?
• How have you been impacted by this?
• What do you suggest we should do moving forward?
• What ideas do you have that would meet both our needs?

3. Keep an open mind.