By Ritika Sharma, Condominium Manager, Duka Property Management
Condominium site managers often face a familiar challenge: board members sharing differing views, vendor preferences, or informal directions—all outside of scheduled meetings. Without the right approach, this can lead to confusion, pressure, and risk for the manager and the corporation.
Here’s a practical guide to handling these tricky situations while upholding governance, transparency, and your own peace of mind.
Scenario 1: A Vendor is Referred by a Board Member
Potential Issue: Conflict of interest
Manager’s Response: Ask that all proposals be presented formally, with any personal relationships disclosed Any conflict of Interest should be disclosed, and manager should ensure the disclosure is documented properly in the minutes. Avoid expressing personal support unless directed by the full board. Maintain neutrality and confirm that the board, not management, makes final decisions
Scenario 2: A Vendor Was Approved, But New Quotes Arrive Later
Potential Issue: Board backtracks, vendor confusion, delays in onboarding
Manager’s Response:
- Confirm that no contract is signed until the board reaffirms or formally revises the earlier decision
- Communicate clearly to the Board:
- What is considered formal direction: either a decision passed in aduly convened board meeting by motion or provided in writing with majority consent from all board members.
- Use a memo or summary note to ensure documentation.
- That informal discussions, side emails, or verbal requests from individual members are not actionable.
- How delays in formalizing direction can hinder onboarding by affecting vendor availability, pricing, and scheduling.
- Recommend scheduling a special board meeting if there is a need to revisit the decision.
- Clearly communicate a deadline by which the Board should provide revised direction or request a meeting. In the absence of any action, management should proceed based on the most recent board-approved decision.
Scenario 3: Board Members Start Giving Direction Separately
Potential Issue: Fragmented communication, pressure, inconsistent instruction
Manager’s Response:
- Stay consistent in reply: “I’ll wait for the full board’s direction.”
- Redirect to group email: “Please share this with all board members to ensure alignment.”
- Refrain from implementing partial instructions.
Scenario 4: A Director Asks You to Reaffirm Their Preferred Vendor
Potential Issue: Manager is placed in a position of perceived bias
Manager’s Response:
- Respond diplomatically: “This puts me in a tough position—I’ll respond once the board aligns as a group.”
- Do not confirm or deny support without formal board consensus
Scenario 5: Emotional or Heated Conversations One-on-One
Potential Issue: Emotional burden, blurred roles, stress
Manager’s Response:
- Keep tone supportive but firm:
“I understand your concern. Let’s wait to hear from the full board.” - Protect your neutrality:
“To be fair to everyone, I need to follow group direction.”
Scenario 6: A Board Member Challenges a Decision After a Vote
Potential Issue: Undermining board cohesion and confusion for management
Manager’s Response:
- Acknowledge that board decisions may not always be unanimous, and directors have the right to express dissent during the meeting.
- Once a motion is passed, it becomes the official direction of the board, and the board has an ethical obligation to support the boards decision outside of the meeting .
- If a director strongly disagrees, they can ask for their opposition to be formally recorded in the meeting minutes.
- However, ongoing attempts to revisit or contradict the approved direction outside the meeting can erode governance.
- As a manager, act only on the collective board decision, and avoid being pulled into side discussions after the fact.
Pro Tips to Stay Protected & Professional
- Never act on individual board member direction
- Board decisions must come via formal vote on a specific item, and approval by majority of directors present at the meeting.
- Always redirect informal input to group communication
- Document key conversations and decisions
- Use memos, clear language, and deadlines
- Our role is to implement direction, not to mediate board disagreements
“Our ethical obligations require us to keep comprehensive records and to act with honesty, keep the Board informed of significant steps, and diligently fulfil our contractual duties. When we see conflicts of interest or informal direction, we must speak up and guide the Board toward proper governance.”
Professional boundaries aren’t barriers—they’re protections.
By holding the line, we safeguard ourself, our corporation, and the board’sability to function effectively.