Let's Build a Roof!

After a lot of conversation, research and debate, we got a vote of 25-0 in favor of assessing $2,600 per unit in order to build a new roof on the complex in 2008. 22 yes votes were needed out of 32 units.

I'm no great negotiator, but a few things stood out as lessons in influence:

1. During last month's meeting, one owner claimed that he needed to see more financial information before he could vote yes. Like many, finding the funds was an issue for him. At that meeting we'd proposed a particular roofing company and the majority of owners were much in favor of them. A couple of days later the dissenting owner came to me with a new contractor. Since we'd had the bidding open for months and I'd worked hard to research and get comfortable with them, I had the option to refuse at this point, but agreed enthusiastically instead. The new contractor met with us for an hour and put forward a competitive bid. At the meeting, I altered the proposal to suggest that if we came in under budget, then the difference would be refunded to unit owners. When his firm "no" vote became a "reserved yes" vote, I felt that it was in no small part due to the fact that his input was heard and acted upon.

2. Another dissenting owner was confusing when I tried to reason with him. He said that in order for him to vote yes, we'd need to have a plan B, and we'd need to have a "substantial majority." To help understand, I asked him what type of wording would lead him to a yes vote, and he couldn't answer. As part of the half-hour conversation, he mentioned that we might not want to include the name of the roofer in the proposal, in case a better one came along and we didn't want to have to muster another extensive voting process. During the meeting, I credited him with the good idea, and modified the wording accordingly.

3. I just finished writing 25 thank-you notes.

I've seen it before where people reverse surprisingly well when listened to, responded to, and thanked. It's simple on paper, harder in reality, and worth every minute!