Wisdom Through The Ages

By Betsy Barbieux, CAM, CFCAM / Published January 2019

Many of us will agree that there have been people throughout our lifetime whom we considered wise. Some were family members, teachers, coaches, pastors, neighbors, and friends, most of whom are not known to the world. Then there are those people throughout history many of us have read or heard about who are considered wise. Here are some of those words of wisdom handed down through the ages and how they might apply to us today.

     Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. ~Abraham Lincoln
     Immediately I think of the board president who makes unilateral decisions, holds the agenda hostage, and has run off three CAMs in the past five years.

     Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. ~Mark Twain
     There is a difference in arguing, debating, and discussing with someone who wants to understand or learn. Then there are those who don’t care what you say, they just want to win you over to their side or simply defeat you. Wisdom is knowing the difference between the two types of people.

     Try not to take things personally; what people say about you is a reflection of them, not you. ~Unknown
     In other words, people who point out your faults have identified their own. The reason they can see the faults in you is because they have the same ones.

     You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. ~Abraham Lincoln
     This reminds us to do the task today. Just do it—now!

     A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool. ~William Shakespeare
     The fool could be the loudest, angriest person at the board meeting. Usually, everyone is embarrassed for him or her.

     Whatever you are, be a good one. ~Abraham Lincoln
     There are hundreds of Florida CAMs whose goal is to learn more, improve, and be an asset to their communities.

     The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands. ~Anne Frank
     Each of us is totally responsible for who we will or have become.

     Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. ~Abraham Lincoln 
     What people say about you when you are not present is your brand.

    Angry people are not often wise. ~Jane Austen
     There is an anger stirred by righteous indignation over a harm done to another person that causes a healthy response or action. Anger that is not wise is stirred by blocked behavior usually initiated by the word “no.”

     No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar. ~Abraham Lincoln
     If you tell the truth every time without editorializing, exaggeration, or assumption, you won’t have to remember what you said.

     Children must be taught how to think, not what to think. ~Margaret Mead
     The ability to think through cause and effect is a critical skill. The community association whose manager is a critical thinker and analyst has found a jewel of great value.

     Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. ~Abraham Lincoln
     When you know you have made the right decision, stick to it.

     Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world. ~Helen Keller
     Self-pity and unhappiness stem from comparison. That is, comparison to others, to hopes and goals, to expectations, and to self-imposed rules.

     Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time. ~Theodore Roosevelt
     The wise person knows the difference in tasks and demands that are urgent, important, not urgent, not important, and all possible combinations. Making timely decisions is critical in community association management.

     A wise man does not chatter with one whose mind is sick. ~Sophocles
     Wisdom is knowing when to walk away.

     Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~Jesus (Matthew 6:27, 34)
     Worry looks around, regret looks back, hope looks forward. Worry drains your energy. Hope gives you energy.

     So, wisdom could be defined as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. And, wisdom is the appropriate application of that knowledge, judgment, and skill.

     This sounds somewhat like part of the statutory requirement for community association managers (CAMs).

     Section 468.431(2), Florida Statutes, states: “Community association management” means any [one]of the following practices requiring substantial specialized knowledge, judgment, and managerial skill when done for remuneration and when the association or associations [cumulative] served contain more than 10 units or have an annual budget or budgets [cumulative] in excess of $100,000:

• Controlling or disbursing funds of a community association,
• Preparing budgets or other financial documents for a community association,
• Assisting in the noticing or conduct of community association meetings,
• Determining the number of days required for statutory notices,
• Determining amounts due to the association,
• Collecting amounts due to the association before the filing of a civil action,
• Calculating the votes required for a quorum or to approve a proposition or amendment,
• Completing forms related to the management of a community association that have been created by statute or by a state agency,
• Drafting meeting notices and agendas,
• Calculating and preparing certificates of assessment and estoppel certificates,
• Responding to requests for certificates of assessment and estoppel certificates,
• Negotiating monetary or performance terms of a contract subject to approval by an association,
• Drafting pre-arbitration demands,
• Coordinating or performing maintenance for real or personal property and other related routine services involved in the operation of a community association, and
• Complying with the association’s governing documents and the requirements of law as necessary to perform such practices.

     Our Florida CAMs are indeed knowledgeable and skilled people whose desires are to learn more, improve, and be an asset to their communities.

Betsy Barbieux, CAM, CFCAM

Florida CAM Schools

Betsy Barbieux, CAM, CFCAM, guides managers, board members, and service providers in handling daily operations of their communities while at the same time dealing with different communication styles, difficult personalities, and conflict. Effective communication and efficient management are her goals. Since 1999, Betsy has educated thousands of managers, directors, and service providers. She is your trainer for life! Betsy is the author of Boardmanship, a columnist in the Florida Community Association Journal, and a member of the Regulatory Council for Community Association Managers. For more information, contact Betsy@FloridaCAMSchools.com, (352) 326-8365, or www.FloridaCAMSchools.com.