Smarter Group Decisions Lead to Stronger Communities

What Every HOA and Condo Board Should Know About Structuring Better Decision-Making

Serving on a homeowners association or condominium board is a meaningful way to give back to your community—but it’s rarely simple. Most decisions are made in groups, often under time pressure, with limited information and competing opinions. The process matters just as much as the outcome.

Research and real-world experience show that how a board makes decisions—how agendas are framed, how discussions are guided, and how diverse views are surfaced—directly impacts both the quality of the decision and the community’s confidence in it.

At AMG, we’ve spent decades supporting HOA and condo boards across the Carolinas. One key insight we’ve gained: Boards don’t need more opinions—they need better structure.

Keys to More Effective Board Decisions:

Clarity Before Consensus: A good meeting starts with a clear understanding of the issue, the context, and the options available. Board members need space to ask questions, raise concerns, and examine trade-offs before feeling pressured to align.

Participation, Not Just Attendance: The best decisions happen when all members—not just the most vocal—contribute. Simple tools like open-ended discussion prompts, equal speaking time, or anonymous polling can change the dynamic.

Outside Expertise, Well-Timed: Legal, financial, and technical issues often require outside professionals. But the value of those experts is greatest when boards are prepared—when they’ve defined what they’re trying to solve and where they need guidance.

Supportive Facilitation: Having a professional manager who knows how to frame issues, guide discussion, and track follow-up can be the difference between a meeting that meanders—and one that moves forward.

AMG’s Board Empowerment Framework™ is built around these principles. It reflects not just our decades of community management, but the leadership of our CEO, Paul Mengert—a former national Educator of the Year for the Community Associations Institute, a frequent lecturer at Wake Forest Law School, and an instructor in decision-making at the Harvard Business School alumni program in Charlotte for over 19 years.

Does every board meeting run perfectly? No. But over time, boards that invest in stronger processes tend to make better decisions—and communities that make better decisions tend to be more satisfied.

That’s why AMG places such a strong emphasis on manager quality, decision facilitation, and long-term partnership. We don’t just manage properties—we help boards govern. And while no system guarantees perfect results, our clients tend to stay with us—many for over 40 years. In fact, our average client tenure exceeds industry expectations, and so does our manager retention.

If you’re curious how your board could benefit from this approach, we invite you to take the first step.

Schedule a Complimentary Management Assessment. Better decisions start with better structure—and that’s something every board deserves.