Digital Strategists, Innovators, and Drivers Build a Relevant Future
Remember Blockbuster? Technology eats business models for breakfast. In 2016, I wrote a post titled, “Could Membership Organizations Become a Dying Model?” This article still has a top slot in my site’s analytics. It seems the question isn’t settled. But time and technology have me looking at the issue through a different lens. Six years […]
Build a Mission Worthy Team
When the first crew of astronauts departs for Mars, Suzanne T. Bell’s work will play a large role in their success. Bell is an associate professor of industrial and organizational psychology at DePaul University. She studies team composition. During the Mars mission, astronauts will be confined in a space the size of a studio apartment for more […]
Tired of Operational Surprises? Ask These Strategic Questions
Surprise parties can be fun. If the balloon tower featuring your age got cancelled—even better. Surprises in business aren’t so welcome. When the membership director springs a dashboard on you with every indicator trending south, it’s not a good day. Distraction is an invitation for the unexpected. If you’re playing Whack a Mole with details, […]
The Right Facilitation Skills Make Meetings Meaningful
We’re all challenged for time. If you wonder why members aren’t more engaged with your association, that’s one big reason. There aren’t enough hours in the day. When you want volunteers to serve on a committee or support an initiative, it’s critical to give them a rewarding return on the investment. A skilled facilitator can […]
Don’t Be Afraid to Move the Rug! Seven Steps for Organizational Excellence
Consultants see everything—from organizations that make Dunder Mifflin look like a tight ship to associations that could teach us a thing or two. We focus attention on what the most successful groups do right. At .orgCommunity’s June 9 Innovation Summit, Kevin Ordonez, .orgSource President and Managing Director of Digital Strategy, and I gave a presentation on excellence. […]
Turning Ideas Into Action
The 2022 Innovation Summit When I was looking for something unique to say about innovation at .orgCommunity’s June 9, Innovation Summit, I came across these quotes. “Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.”— L. Duncan “Success doesn’t necessarily come from breakthrough innovation but from flawless execution. A great strategy alone won’t win a game […]
Get Everyone Singing Together—Align Content to Strategy
You invested in the right technology and developed a solid strategic plan. Now, the team is rolling out new member-success initiatives. Why aren’t people paying attention? The numbers are still slipping. It might be because customers aren’t hearing your important story. Content, or the words, ideas, facts, and images, that you use to promote your […]
Build a Culture To Fit the New World of Work
May 31, 2022Sherry Budziak Who on your team is spending the lunch hour scrolling the job sites? I can guarantee that someone is seriously searching for their next opportunity. And, the most likely candidate is probably one of your rising stars. If that thought gives you an uncomfortable shiver, read on. In a world where […]
Recharge Your Imagination at the Innovation Summit
Sponsored by Impexium, Association.TV, and .orgSource Could your imagination use a recharge? Do you want the rush of a fresh perspective? If the answer is yes, I have a suggestion. Join me and some of the savviest association leaders in our industry at the Innovation Summit on June 9. This signature event is curated by .orgCommunity especially for professionals […]
ENA Makes Culture a Magnet for Talent
I once overheard a volunteer at a nonprofit organization say that replacing a key staffer would be easy. Not only did this employee have impressive credentials, she also was making significant contributions to the group. However, in this board member’s view, there were plenty of eager young professionals who could step into that important spot. […]
Hitch Your Wagon to a Star—Find the Right Partner for Success
A comment Adele Cehrs, CEO and Founder of When + How agency, made stayed with me. Adele, who thrives on a healthy dose of risk, said this, “Chutzpah is what drives me and other entrepreneurs to keep reinventing ourselves. If you could bottle that it would be a wise idea for association CEOs to take […]
The Big Shift—A Conversation About the Impact of Change
The Association 4.0 Podcast allows me to do something I love. I’m able to exchange ideas and opinions with the savviest leaders in the industry. Recently, Jacqualine Price Osafo, MBA, CAE, and I had a wide-ranging conversation about the need to shift and the impact of change. The adjustments we made to manage uncertain […]
December Update – Latest White Paper and Events to close out 2021!
Hello and welcome to the December update of our .orgCommunity Events Newsletter! We hope that the Thanksgiving break brought you rest and good health. Thanks to all of you, our annual Solutions Day event held last November 10 was a huge success! So much learning and networking happened, and we can’t wait to apply all […]
Faced With Challenge, ENA Delivers Value
To say that emergency nurses must be ready for anything is an understatement. This is a profession that routinely prepares for the unexpected. As CEO of the Emergency Nurses Association, Nancy MacRae knows how to be sure-footed in a volatile environment. She and her team keep their balance by adapting to change and delivering value. […]
When the Team Travels to the Future and the Board Lags Behind—How Do You Develop Leaders for the Digital Era?
What happens when your team drives the DeLorean Back to the Future and the board isn’t along for the ride? The office might boast the latest technology with a staff that is ready and able to grow and change. But if the board is stifled by narrow perspectives and retro thinking, do those other pluses […]