What I Learned as President of Lenbrook’s Residents Association
(Gracie is pictured right in the picture above.)
This month is my last as President of the Lenbrook Residents Association. So let’s pretend this is an exit interview and you ask me, “What have you learned this past year?”
I have learned many things: The first is that time is flying. I inhaled in June 2015, I exhaled and now it is June 2016! But what a wonderful and enriching year it has been!
I have learned the job of President of the Lenbrook Residents Association is not a one woman (or one man) job. It takes a strong Resident Council and community willing to work together and share ideas.
No less importantly, I learned that it takes the support of the Lenbrook Management Team. One of my big take-a-ways this year is the importance of collaboration between the Residents Association and the Management Team. It has been one of my most valuable learning experiences to meet with Chris Keysor (President & CEO of Lenbrook) for an hour or more every Friday afternoon to go over issues important to the residents and the Management Team.
I learned that decisions regarding life at Lenbrook are not made rashly or in a vacuum, but very deliberately. I learned that decisions regarding the budget are made only after a lengthy process to balance Residents needs and wants against the available funds, I learned that the Management thoroughly debates each budgetary decision, and presents to the Resident Finance Committee, the Executive Committee of the Residents Association, the Lenbrook Board of Trustees and to the residents. There are no secrets.
Chris and members of his team meet each month with the Council to hear reports from the Chairs of the 12 Standing Council Committees and to brief us on issues important to the community. He and his team are always open to questions from the Council, and his door is open to residents.
I have learned by attending the Lenbrook Board of Directors meetings what an active, caring and involved board Lenbrook is fortunate to have. Each member is chosen to represent a profession that is essential to good management and is needed to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board and the Management Team.
Most importantly, I learned that my job has been made easier by the many residents willing to share ideas and advise me, and the many friends I have made. I have learned that when you strip away the titles, the Board, our Leadership Team and residents want the same thing and that is for our residents to live engaged and satisfied lives.
My sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you, residents, executive committee members, council members, management team, and board members from the bottom of my heart for a most rewarding and interesting year. I especially thank John Nixon, our President-elect. He has a memorable year ahead and the Residents Council is in good hands. Long live the Lenbrook Way!!
Gracie Phillips became a Lenbrook resident in 2012. When she’s not attending various resident council and committee meetings, she enjoys Lenbrook’s water aerobics and chair aerobics classes along with many other Lenbrook events. A mother of four, grandmother to five and graduate of Agnes Scott College, Gracie has been an active member of the greater Atlanta community since 1955.