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 […]
Don’t Look for a Streamlined Future—Innovation Piles on Options
If you imagine that AI, robotics, and automation are launching a future where you issue commands to mechanical workers while relaxing with a cold one, I’ve got bad news. A recent conversation with Kim Robinson, President of FrontlineCo, highlighted the idea that the business changes we’re experiencing are not streamlining work. Innovation is adding sophistication, […]
Drones, Robots, and Farmers—Prepare Your Association To Meet Fast-Moving Technology Trends
To make a point about technology and its impact on the future of work, Hugh Lee, Co-Founder of Fusion Productions, told me this story: “Several years ago, we invited some young presenters who were developing cutting edge farming technology to digitalNow. They were using drones to fly over fields and analyze the irrigation and fertilizer […]
Make Change Your Most Significant Advantage
This idea from an article in the “Harvard Business Review” caught my attention. “As the shelf life of business strategies grows shorter, a corporation’s transformation capability becomes its only enduring advantage. Authors N. Anand and Jean-Louis Barsoux go on to ask: “With serial transformations becoming the norm, a key strategic question for any corporate leader […]
Don’t Look for a Streamlined Future—Innovation Piles on Options
If you imagine that AI, robotics, and automation are launching a future where you issue commands to mechanical workers while relaxing with a cold one, I’ve got bad news. A recent conversation with Kim Robinson, President of FrontlineCo, highlighted the idea that the business changes we’re experiencing are not streamlining work. Innovation is adding sophistication, […]
Understand the X, Y, Zs of Member Connection
If a girl scout in your house is selling cookies, who are the top prospects on her list? That’s a no-brainer. Even friends who have sworn off sugar will probably say yes to a box of Thin Mints from your fledgling entrepreneur. An emotional connection paves the way for an easy sale. That advice is […]
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 […]
It’s Not About You—Put the MarCom Focus Where It Belongs
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 information at our fingertips is […]
Heroes Shaping the Future of Education Technology
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 in grades K through 12 […]
Good Culture Makes Good Sense
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, I look to .orgSource consultant […]
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 […]
The Bright Side of Disruption—.orgCommunity’s 2021 Initiatives
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 goal is to connect association […]
In the Midst of Uncertainty, Expect These Trends to Rise
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 as a carefully considered hypothesis. […]
Lessons Learned from a Black Swan—Solutions Day Presenters Explore Pandemic Insights
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 and is used to describe […]
Go Beyond the Challenge!
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 significant offering—They are an invaluable […]