Ever thought that you were not 100% across the absolute minutiae of strata legislation? Never fear – the Stickler will make sure you don’t miss a single thing. With their slavish devotion (some would say pedantry) to process, the Stickler is a strata gatekeeper that you sometimes wish you did not have.
Catch cry: ‘Sub-section 4 of clause 3 of By-Law 10 of the CMS registered at 10:29 am on 7 May 2001 with dealing number…”
Red Flags: someone may be a stickler if you hear the following:
- ‘Our meeting is scheduled for three months’ time, and we cannot possibly alter that scheduling’
- I have come across six different citations which we will need to consider over the course of this discussion’
The Good: there is a lot for a strata scheme to be aware of and the Stickler can make sure things stay on track. The Stickler is also great at ensuring that new developments (e.g., new forms, new decisions, things being reprinted or redrafted) are brought to the attention of an otherwise time-poor set of strata participants.
The Bad: it is virtually impossible for there to be 100% compliance with strata legislation – even the Courts agree that strict adherence is not likely. So, it can feel extremely unhelpful to have someone constantly searching for that absolute compliance to the exclusion of practical, constructive outcomes instead. The Stickler makes it easy for things to get bogged down.
Making the Stickler Work For the Scheme: the Stickler will likely work best in a role which involved extensive, perhaps tedious, research, especially where a dispute or deadlocked situation has arisen. The Stickler might also be really good in dealing with government agencies (government agencies are also prone to Stickler-isms…)
What Can We Do When It Becomes a Problem? Maybe first, check that it is a ‘problem.’ The Stickler might appear to be that way because, frankly, things are not being done either the ‘right’ way, or the most optimal way, which in turn is having detrimental impacts for others. Perhaps the Stickler is right, in other words.
Fun Fact: every strata player can be a stickler, including the Committee. Can a strata manager be a stickler? Absolutely. Should they be a stickler? We think there are times when a strata manager will need to step out of the Stickler Zone and instead put their practical, common-sense hat on.
Think You May Be a Stickler? You are unlikely to change any time soon, if ever, so instead of altering who you are, realise that little of strata is black and white and give yourself over to ambiguities. That is tough, but it will make life for you – and others – easier.
Can Strata Solve Assist? Sure can! Drop us a line to see how we can assist with this and related strata issues.