Earlier this year, The New Yorker magazine celebrated its 100-year anniversary. One of its editors famously observed that “it is better to be perfect than done.” As the end of the year approaches, like many people, I find myself reflecting on what has been achieved and what remains unfinished. This year also marked my 25th year in strata management, which prompted a broader reflection—not just on the past year, but on the long-held pursuit of perfection itself.

I grew up in a household shaped by high standards and the drive to get things exactly right. With experience, however, comes perspective. Striving for excellence is both admirable and necessary, but expecting perfection—particularly in complex, service-based professions—is neither realistic nor helpful.

Strata management is a service industry, and perfection is not an appropriate benchmark. The role involves managing ageing buildings, complying with increasingly complex and evolving legislation, coordinating multiple stakeholders, and responding to issues that are often urgent, unforeseen, and outside a managing agent’s direct control. Outcomes are influenced by committee decisions, contractor performance, funding availability, weather events, regulatory approvals and resident behaviour. These variables cannot be fully controlled, making consistently “perfect” outcomes unattainable.

The professional and legal standard applicable to strata management is the exercise of reasonable skill, care and diligence, within the agreed scope of services and authority. Our role is to manage risk, prioritise safety and compliance, and deliver practical, defensible solutions that serve the Owners Corporation as a whole. Excellence in strata management is measured by sound judgement, transparency, effective communication and compliance—not by flawless outcomes in every circumstance. This standard aligns with legal, regulatory and insurance expectations.

In recent years—particularly since COVID—strata managers have experienced a significant increase in communication demands. Email has effectively replaced letters, phone calls, faxes, in-person meetings and formal notices, consolidating multiple communication channels into one. Smartphones now allow immediate, 24-hour access, often resulting in reactive, fragmented or emotionally charged correspondence.

At the same time, regulatory expansion over the past two decades has led to increased requirements for written evidence, formal notices, documented responses and record retention. Email has become both the primary communication tool and a compliance record. Heightened legal awareness has further increased the emphasis on “paper trails,” with greater involvement of lawyers and expectations for detailed written responses.

Instant communication can blur boundaries. Serial questioning, multiple committee members emailing separately, and informal legal interpretation—sometimes referred to as “backyard lawyering”—increase the likelihood of misunderstanding and error. As accountability and regulation have increased, managers are often required to respond with immediacy, in greater detail and, at times, defensively.

If unreasonable or unrealistic demands are left unchecked, the risk of burnout increases—an outcome that benefits no one. Looking ahead, our focus is on reviewing, implementing and enforcing clearer and reasonable communication protocols, response-time standards, and defined service boundaries within standard management agreements. Just as over-accommodation is not a sustainable strategy in parenting, unchecked enablement is not a sound business practice.

The path forward is clear: defined boundaries, formal processes, realistic fee structures and disciplined communication governance. Anything less creates unnecessary risk, inefficiency and fatigue. The professional obligation of strata managers is to practise with reasonable skill, care and competence—not to guarantee perfection.

Strata management is ultimately about delivering reasonable, compliant and practical outcomes within the agreed legislative and contractual framework. We sincerely appreciate the cooperation and understanding of owners and committees throughout the year, which allows us to focus on managing your building effectively and responsibly.

On that note, we wish all owners, residents and committee members a safe and enjoyable Festive Season, and all the very best for the year ahead.