What is your board’s financial IQ? That’s a question every association CEO should be able to answer. While you may not have a Warren Buffett in the group, hopefully, there are some above-average number crunchers. To adequately fulfill the three duties of a nonprofit board member—Care, Loyalty, and Obedience—a solid
Is your marketing team hanging out at the North Pole while the membership group chills in Antarctica? If these two drivers of engagement are a world apart, it will be challenging to deliver the seamless experience customers expect from their favorite brands. There was a time when associations didn’t think
Value is the association industry’s word of the hour. Customer expectations for online commerce are driving the preoccupation to deliver tangible member benefits paired with exceptional experience. Tired thinking won’t get you to your value happy place. To meet the moment, make an ongoing commitment to innovation. .orgSource senior consultant,
You learn a lot about consumer preferences by reading the reviews on Yelp. Thousands of users are eager to tell you what they love and what makes them crazy. You don’t have to spend much time on the site to understand the difference between outstanding and dismal. Whether it’s a
AI, which once lived on the far horizon, is making a swift and dramatic entrance into our daily lives. The technology promises to upend the way business operates. Yet no one is sure how that new reality will unfold. It’s certain that jobs, which are ubiquitous in the current economy,
The boardroom is the last place where CEOs want to rock the boat. But good governance shouldn’t be comfortable. If too many heads bob in agreement, you might want to take a closer look at who is seated at the table. Collegiality among leaders is a good thing. It can
Have you ever visited a psychic? Just for fun, of course. I wouldn’t suggest that association executives take their cues from tea leaves or the Tarot deck. A little mystery is exciting, right? And, it wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining if those predictions didn’t occasionally ring true. Far be it
Now that “disruption” is a business catch phrase, is “resilience” an equally common term in your professional vocabulary? It’s a word that deserves a prominent place in every management team’s playbook. A global biological disaster was unique in our current experience. It introduced the idea that disruption is more like
Your CMS, LMS, and AMS are chatting happily together. The team is using the new analytics software to plan more effective outreach initiatives. And, members are enjoying your responsive and customized approach. Is it time to put a wrap on digital transformation? After all, you’ve been working to improve your
While some businesses are writing their final pandemic chapter, the healthcare and restaurant industries continue to feel the aftershocks of seismic disruption. Nancy MacRae, MS, CEO of the Emergency Nurses Association and Kristine Hillmer, MBA, CAE, and President and CEO of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, are leaders who guided their
If your membership numbers are marching into the red, you and your team are probably focused on trying to identify the cause of the bleeding. Is technology tying your audience in knots? Perhaps it’s content that’s missing the mark. Maybe stale programming is stopping the love? Something flashier might be
Imagine you’re teed up for a jackpot question on Jeopardy. Mike Richards gives you this clue—“It revolves around mission, vision, and values.” An ear-to-ear grin lights your face and you answer, “What is an association?”—That win would be a no-brainer for anyone reading this post. Mission, vision, and values are
If your association is lucky enough to have an investment portfolio, a discussion about risk has probably been on the board’s agenda. Financial managers make understanding the group’s risk tolerance a defining component of their strategy. These conversations are limited to bottom-line issues. But risk doesn’t always come with
If your brand was a person, who would it be? Wait, before you stop reading, this question isn’t as silly as it sounds. There should be someone in your organization who walks in your brand’s shoes and always puts the best foot forward. This representative should be dedicated to building
What can you learn from Charli D’Amelio? Don’t know who Charli is? You definitely need to keep reading. Charli D’Amelio rules the nanosecond video clip. She is a TikTok star influencer and was the first of those ephemeral luminaries to reach 100 million followers. Even Charli is baffled by her
