Question: Our committee has remained relatively unchanged for some time. This year, several new nominees have been added. Now that change is in the air, is it best to lobby as a group or as an individual, and what are the pros and cons of each strategy?
Answer: For larger buildings, the ticket approach is probably going to work.
You have to base that on where things are at the building. Some people would look at the idea of multiple changes on a committee negatively. They’d see it as an unnecessary change or a bit disruptive. Bear that in mind and make sure your lobbying message reflects that. The obvious lobbying message is ‘time for a fresh start’, ‘time for a fresh pair of eyes’.
As a group, it’s like having a ticket. The word ticket is used in politics a lot. You hear about putting forward the leadership ticket. Instead of promoting or voting for an individual, you are promoting and seeking votes for a team or a concept. I think it’s a little easier for a team than for an individual to promote a concept.
If there’s a big issue you want to push forward at your scheme, it is easier for three nominees to present that as a joint concept than it is for one person to do so. Then again, it might only be one person that needs to be on the committee or changed, so think about it that way.
As a group, you will have to go into some detail about what those nominees offer and why you’re putting them forward. It might be biographies, or it might be making them available. It will take a little more work because you’re herding more cats. Bear that in mind. For larger buildings, the ticket approach is probably going to work.
This post appears in Strata News #713.
Chris Irons Strata Solve E: chris@stratasolve.com.au P: 0419 805 898