“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
 Winston Churchill
Community Scheme living can present challenges to the many owners who find it increasingly difficult to adapt to living in close proximity with others, but in well managed schemes it should mean living a quiet and peaceful existence in relative harmony with their fellow residents. Given the ongoing shocking news reports of gender violence, rising levels of all manner of crime, political intrigue in our municipalities, and the many issues surrounding the collapse of our State Owned Enterprises, some might find it hard to be optimistic about the future of our country and wonder if we don’t already live in a failed state.
At times like these I am reminded by the words of Desmond Tutu that we can and must “do your little bit of good where you are; for it is those little bits of good put all together that overwhelms the world.” If only this could be practised in general in our country by our politicians and in the community schemes where we live by all who live in them, so that they become places of refuge, restoration and respair ( “fresh hope; a recovery from despair”).
Owners in community schemes are advised to use caution when participating in community scheme social media platforms or when communicating with the trustees or trustees with an owner. They should choose their words carefully to ensure they do not commit an act of defamation by writing something that impairs the dignity, good name or reputation of another. Rather do your little bit of good where you are.
If we maintain a sense of optimism and hope in the face of any difficulty or malice that presents itself, rely on the fact that the truth is incontrovertible and will always come out, and seize every opportunity that presents itself then this should inform how we shape our future, for ourselves, for the good of the community where we reside, and for the country as a whole. 
As leaders, scheme executives are facing the increasing need to adapt to the changing circumstances in their schemes, and to become willing learners about the changes needed where they learn to accept that they ‘don’t have the answers’. Having accepted this leadership role in their scheme, they must learn to accept that it takes courage to acknowledge they don’t have all the answers and to seek the advice and input of those who may know better than they do.
In a world where the prevailing conditions that we are faced with are growing in complexity, and being faced with ever increasing volatility and uncertainty, scheme executives need to reassess their understanding of their leadership practices and their understanding of what it means to be a scheme executive in their scheme, and to work at becoming more inclusive, transparent and less dictatorial in the way they do things and how they interact with the residents in the scheme where they have been elected to lead.
At Whitfields we endeavour to listen, care, and deliver, through serving the members of the community schemes we manage. We undertake that we will by our best endeavours and best practise, provide relevant and updated information to the scheme executives on the applicable governing scheme legislation and how such impacts the scheme where they are appointed, and to give them the necessary direction and advice as to how they can best manage their schemes.
We hope we will always be able to meet your expectations as we endeavour to do every day! At times we may fail, but we will always try our best to do better and to improve in the service we provide. We have done so for the past 25 plus years and look forward to doing so into the future!