Are you using binoculars or a mirror to create communications? It’s more than an understatement to say that we have the tools to focus on our members. The ability to know our customers down to their preferred publications, favorite conference destination, and hot button issues has never been easier. The
I’d like to introduce you to a group of unsung heroes. While the pandemic was making kids cranky and parents crazy, members of the California IT in Education Association (CITE), were on the frontlines restoring order. They worked tirelessly, often putting their health at risk, to ensure that every child
Smiley or sad—which describes your culture? Some people work on a dream team. Others are ready to be a statistic in the Great Resignation. What makes the difference? If your answer was people, go to the head of the class. When I want to explore interpersonal dynamics in the workplace,
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
The challenges of 2021 also brought opportunities to learn, grow, and shift perspective. .orgCommunity’s goal is to advance this bright side of disruption. The organization, our professional development and networking affiliate, was launched by my business partner Kevin Ordonez and me to help our colleagues solve their toughest problems. Our
Dust off the crystal ball, slosh the tea leaves, and toss the I Ching. It’s that time of year when the pundits make predictions about what’s in store for the next 12 months. Based on our last two turns around the sun, these more intuitive schemes might be as reliable
Celebration isn’t a word I would typically use to describe a conference, but there was a festive feeling at .orgCommunity’s Solutions Day. Gathering with colleagues again was inspirational. Even online, the participants could sense the excitement. Presenter, Dean West, called the pandemic a black swan. The term comes from finance
When I have a tough problem, my go-to for advice is often one of our corporate partners. For years, association leaders viewed their industry counterparts as more like distant cousins than family. Today we are beginning to understand that the companies we look to for sponsorship or service have another
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
Mike Moss isn’t a mechanic, but he and his team spent the last year tinkering in a garage. They weren’t taking engines apart and rebuilding them. But the work they did paid off big time. Moss is president of the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP). What he refers
“A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry What do Spotify, Robinhood, and HelloFresh have in common? Here’s a clue. The word “easy” has pride of place throughout all their
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
What magic will– Define your association as the go-to source for education and career development? Engage members to click, like, share, download, purchase, and participate? Generate revenue, increase recognition, and build reputation? It’s a tall order, but no wands or capes are involved. A publishing strategy that unifies mission
When marketing got hitched to technology and changed its name to MarTech, their relationship caught fire. That marriage is making an indelible impact on the way associations operate and their ability to engage with members. The MarTech stack, or the digital platforms that professionals use to understand and reach their
I frequently write the words digital and success in the same sentence. Technology is important. A weak infrastructure at the beginning of 2020 meant it was a very hard year. As much as I value electronic connectivity, culture or the human side of business will always be the imperative. We
