Forget ‘QUEENSLANDER!’, the State of Confusion exists in a territory where a fog of uncertainty weighs down on everything. The State of Confusion muddles through every strata problem unsure of what they are doing, throwing out random references to legislation, cases, authorities, and individuals along the way.
Catch cry: ‘Oh look, I’ve spoken to so many people lately I don’t know my Regulation Module from my CMS…or is that CTS?’
Red Flags: some State of Confusion red flags to watch for include:
- Excessive use of ellipses (…) and ‘etc’ in communications – these tend to suggest things being made up or vaguely referred to, rather than something concrete; and
- Communications going for 3 or 4 pages, when perhaps 2 paragraphs might have done it.
The Good: can confusion be good? We think yes, in limited circumstances: it presents an opportunity for learning and development. Particularly if the State of Confusion is willing to be honest about their confused state.
The Bad: in a strata scheme, the State of Confusion can delay or stop things in their tracks and make it very difficult to get it all restarted. Having to wade through unstructured and illogical communications, be they written or verbal, takes considerable time and effort, which then detracts from other, pressing strata priorities.
Making the State of Confusion Work For the Scheme: we think that the State of Confusion is probably more about the feel of things, rather than specifics, and that might make them a useful resource for things such as reporting problems with common property or maintenance that might need to be done. Quite apart from anything else, multiple States of Confusion might be useful in alerting the body corporate to a need to communicate in a clearer – or different – way.
What Can We Do When It Becomes a Problem? There may be a tangible reason, such as a medical condition or cultural barrier, leading to the State of Confusion’s state. Discreet, sensitive enquiries could be made to determine these reasons and, if they do indeed exist, it might make it simpler to engage with the person thereafter.
Fun Fact: the State of Confusion may not in fact be that confused – instead, they may be used to writing 100 words when 10 would do. People who fancy themselves as creative writers or ‘artistes’ may be States of Confusion, and vice versa.
Think You May Be in a State of Confusion? Start getting informed and try to avoid generalities. There is a plethora of resources out there to help you get educated and get a minimum of understanding about your strata issues and priorities.
Can Strata Solve Assist? Sure can! Drop us a line to see how we can assist with this and related strata issues.