I occasionally ask individuals for their permission to use items they have authored in my blog. Judi Phares' Back Porch column in the current issue of Common Ground really struck a chord with me with its themes of ethics, service, and education (and dogs, since my son recently won the long-standing debate regarding whether or not he needed a dog). Thanks to Judi for a very thoughtful piece and for permission to use it here.
What's Good For Max and Muffin....
Judi Phares, CMCA, PCAM
My goal is to be the kind of person my dogs think I am. Tails wagging furiously at supper time, Max and Muffin remind me of this truth. Dogs—more accurately, family members with fur—have an innate sense of loyalty and trust. I’m inspired by their intrinsic belief that people have their best interests at heart and that we will always do the right thing for them.
My dogs have taught me a great deal, so it’s not surprising that I’ve found a correlation between dogs and business. Being the owner of a community association management company, I often make decisions that must measure up to a goal I’ve set for myself: being the kind of person my dogs think I am. The business corollary is that it’s the kind of character worthy of trust and respect.
Doing the right thing in business is at the heart of professional ethics standards. I’m proud that our young industry has established the Professional Manager Code of Ethics to which AMS, LSM and PCAM designees must adhere. It’s a covenant with our clients. As we educate our association boards, we also model for them the reality that governance always drives home: You can’t enforce standards until you have codified and communicated them.
Our professional credentials identify us as qualified service professionals with specialized skills and knowledge in our field. We don’t earn trust based on our credentials; rather, we earn trust as a result of our actions. Designations demonstrate our degree of commitment and competence. Altruistic service proves we care.
Am I motivated by the welfare of my clients? Am I striving to serve the best interests of the community as a whole, not the special interests of one board member or developer? Let me be clear that altruism and profit are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, people don’t mind paying qualified, caring professionals to provide them excellent service and treat them well.
By serving a community’s best interests, managers affect the lives and homes of thousands of people. They need to be able to trust us.
Judi Phares is president of RTI/Community Management Associates, Inc., in
