Doing the Work: Seimon Griffiths and the Leadership That Holds Strata Together

To say I “fell” into the industry would be putting it mildly.

It was 1998, and Townsville was in the midst of devastating floods when I applied for a position at a real estate office. I turned up on my first day thinking I’d been hired as a receptionist. The office was chaos. Phones ringing non-stop, staff darting around, paperwork piling up faster than the floodwaters.

For the first week, I pitched in wherever I could.

Two weeks later, I discovered I wasn’t the new receptionist at all. I was the new Assistant Body Corporate Manager. I had to look up what a body corporate even was. Occasionally, I still stumble across minutes from those early days and wince at how rough they were.

But somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the work.

I loved the variety, the challenge, the people. As a people person, I thrived on working with owners and contractors alike. I still have clients today who have been with me for 27 years. Those relationships are irreplaceable. I enjoyed untangling complex issues, finding creative solutions, and watching them come to life.

Leaving the safety of a large company to run my own business was daunting. I worried about losing my support network. The buck stopped with me now.

What surprised me was how generous this industry is. Fellow managers, service providers and leaders were always willing to share advice, compare notes and reassure me I was on the right track. Those conversations became my new safety net.

As our business grew, my role changed. I stepped back from day-to-day management and focused on mentoring staff and providing strategic advice. Letting go was hard. I had nurtured those client relationships for years, and stepping out of the “go-to” role felt like losing part of my identity.

Over time, my work was recognised across Queensland. I was invited onto committees, asked to speak at conferences and share my insights. With that recognition came self-doubt. What if I wasn’t as knowledgeable as they thought? What if I froze on stage?

Eventually, I realised this. I must know my stuff, otherwise they wouldn’t keep asking me back.

If I’ve learned anything worth sharing, it’s this. You will never know everything. Be curious. Keep learning. Have confidence in your abilities, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Strata management is unpredictable, challenging and sometimes overwhelming, but it is also deeply rewarding. And when it all feels like too much, I ask myself, “Is it really that bad? Did anyone die?”