Blog
Shh … Quiet as a Planning Strategy
Who challenges your thinking? Recently, I participated in a rustic cabin retreat with two other speakers. We were there to plan, support and challenge each other. Though the work we do is different, we each had critical business strategy issues to address and...
Guest Blog: Empathy-Based Personas: Shifting Your View from Inside-out to Outside-in
by Esteban González and Hilary Marsh Correctly done, the process of creating personas is a transformative way for organizations to shift their perspective on their relationship with their top-priority audiences. Internal stakeholders can identify the audience groups...
Guest Blog: Avoid the One Word that Threatens Your Organization
By David Fry, President, Effective Advancement Strategies If I use a certain word in referencing a friend’s membership organization, I know to expect a negative reaction. However, that word holds the key to survival for most all membership associations these days....
The Difference Between Duty and Desire for Associations
By Amanda Kaiser Are the associations with the golden handcuff structure luckier than at-will associations? Some professionals have to become members to maintain their certification or license. Some professionals have to join to get the conference discount. Some...
Board Composition Matters
When I hear that a board is disengaged or ineffective, I ask how members are recruited. Not surprisingly, the easier it is to get on the board (i.e. the less deliberate recruitment), the higher the possibility for disengagement. A rigorous recruitment process often...
Your Job: Trail Guide
A recent headline in the State Journal-Register read, “As Florida citrus fades, farmers find diversity.” Citrus acres are down by nearly half since 1998, and citrus farmers are turning to agritourism (festivals, mazes, farm education and retail stores) and new crops...
Does Your Association Have a Continuity and Succession Plan?
Does your association have a continuity plan? If something happens to one of your staff members, will business continue uninterrupted? Are staff members cross-trained? Would bank accounts be accessible? Are passwords recorded somewhere? Who would be in charge if your...
Vetted Succession Planning Services — An Opportunity?
A barrage of baby boomer retirements is causing a succession crisis. This represents a possible opportunity for associations as their members wrestle with worry about what will happen to their companies after they retire. Children often don’t want to work in the...
Leveraging Current Assets While Focusing on the Future
By Stephanie Mercado, CAE, Executive Director/CEO, National Association of Health Care Quality For as long as I’ve been working in association management (18 years) I’ve experienced the pressures of keeping the membership value proposition strong. But today, I feel...