Quarterly Report - Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario

Get Criticized and Like It!
CRITICISM: Just the word can create a
negative reaction for some of us.
Some of us fear being criticized and,
whenever possible, we avoid occasions
like performance review meetings or family
events where this may occur. For some
of us, giving criticism is as difficult as being
criticized.
In the disputes I mediate, sometimes
the giving and receiving of criticism has
fuelled the fire of a conflict already simmering.
Sometimes, in a mediated discussion,
I hear a participant expressing feelings
of hurt by blaming the other person.
Whether the criticism is motivated by distorted
self-interest or a genuine desire to
help, a defensive kick-back by the person
being criticized serves to make the experience
a negative one.
One of the two most frequent responses
to criticism is to fight back and
attack even more vehemently. The other
frequent response is to run away, literally,
or by closing up and feeling hurt. The
challenge is to handle the experience of
responding to criticism so that you feel
positive about it, even if you do not go so
far as to like it.
The first step in responding effectively
to criticism is to manage your reaction.
You may find yourself in that first rush of
anger wanting to fight back or run away.
Do not follow that rush of anger and react
based on your instincts. Take a break. You
need to make some space for yourself to
think about what is being said and about
how you wish to react. You can also use
the “time out” space to talk it over with
someone who is outside the situation and
able to be objective. You can let your critic
know that you do want to talk about the
subject and that you want to do this at a
later time when you can focus on it more
clearly. If possible, make a specific plan
with the other person about the time that
later discussion will occur so that it does
People, Places & Products
THIS IS THE SECTION of the newsletter where we need to hear from you. Do you
have a new product that you want people to know about? Have you changed
companies or received a promotion? Corporate merger in the works? Drop us a
line and we’ll print your “news” in the next issue of the newsletter.
Companies
Maxium Condo Finance Group reports it is now offering progress payment draws
for constuction that have cost-saving benefits, 10-year fixed-rate loans for equipment
and a review of a condominium’s funding plan, requiring significant increases,
that can incorporate financing over 5 to 10 years to ease the burden on
owners…. Crawford Roofing has moved to 85 Bakersfield Street, Toronto, M3J
1Z4. No change to phone or fax numbers…. Keyser, Mason, Ball is now located
at 4 Robert Speck Parkway, Suite 1600, Mississauga, L4Z 1S1. Phone and fax
unchanged…. Regal Aluminum’s new address is 177 Drumlin Circle, Concord
L4K 3E7. Same phone and fax numbers.
People
Brian Horlick of the law firm Horlick Levitt in Toronto, was recently accredited as
an Associate at CCI.
Calendar
The 9th Annual ACMO/CCI Condominium Conference, November 4 and 5 at the
Doubletree International Plaza Hotel, Toronto…. ACMO luncheons, all at the
Richmond Hill Country Club: September 16 and October 21.
not become a variation of running away.
Better yet, avoid the rush of anger by
thinking positively. Believing that it is possible
to achieve a positive outcome from
being criticized is an important prerequisite.
If you have a meeting scheduled in
which you expect to be criticized you can
start the positive self-talk in advance. Here
are some positive ideas to keep in mind:
• This person is not necessarily trying to
hurt me;
• It’s OK for me to make mistakes and not
be perfect;
• I could learn something from this;
• This person cares enough about me to
give me this information;
• Listening may improve this relationship;
• This is not about who is right or wrong;
• I can listen, then choose whether or not
ACMO MEMBERS
SPONSORED AGM
LUNCHEON
THREE Associate members recently
sponsored the annual general meeting
luncheon. They are: Belanger Engineering,
Mississauga; the law firm
Gardiner, Miller, Arnold LLP, Toronto;
and the law firm of Fine and Deo,
Vaughan.
Associate members are invited to
sponsor other luncheons, beginning
in September this year, to encourage
new property managers to attend
along with company representatives.
For more information, call 905-826-
6890 or 1-800-265-3263.
A C M O
E V E N T S
Luncheons
Friday, September 16
Friday, October 21
Both at the Richmond Hill
Country Club
Conference
9th Annual ACMO/CCI Condominium
Conference at the Doubletree
International Plaza Hotel on Friday,
November 4, and Saturday,
November 5.
12 Third Quarter 2005