Build a Consensus-Friendly Culture
A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. -Martin Luther King This quote from Martin Luther King defines what great association leaders do best. By promoting a culture that supports working together toward common goals, they create an environment where consensus happens. A consensus-friendly culture might seem more like […]
Digital Leaders Fly Ahead of Disruption
Technology is our silent partner in the challenging job of keeping the economy moving during COVID-19. This health crisis has taught us that the more we make the digital world our world, the better equipped we will be to manage both business and life in the face of disruption. Associations who were early adopters of […]
Scenario Planning Builds a Resilient Future
Should we cancel the conference? Are layoffs needed to keep the organization afloat? How much of the reserves can we safely spend? Responsibility for the decisions that make or break an organization is the tough side of leadership. Selling a solution to everyone who must agree can be even harder. But you don’t need nerves […]
Virtual Meetings Grow Association Communities—How to Get Started
Canceling a conference is a decision that most association CEO’s never imagined they would be forced to make. But many organizations recently faced that challenge, and more will probably do so in the near future. Fortunately, technology now gives us alternate ways to continue our work, including providing members with education and fellowship. Virtual conferences […]
An Integrated Digital Strategy Is a Lifeboat in Turbulent Water
In a crisis, like the current pandemic, an integrated digital strategy can make the difference between business as usual and a meltdown. Travis Cheatham, Director of Technology Operations and Digital Solutions at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, has firsthand understanding of how the right approach to technology can impact an organization’s ability to navigate […]
Remote Doesn’t Mean Removed—Lead a Successful Virtual Team
Living in the shadow of COVID-19 can feel like being stuck in a bad science fiction movie, but there are positives to be found in this challenging situation. Many of us will have the opportunity to be our best personal and professional selves. If you are heading a remote team, you can be a leader […]
Turn Panic into Purpose—Lead Through COVID-19 with Confidence
My email and phone are burning with questions and concerns from leaders facing the tough decisions that COVID-19 is forcing upon us. Choices that plunge a budget deep into the red and threaten member engagement are gut-wrenching, but the difficult decisions are easier when you have expert advice. We looked to our colleagues Adele Cehrs, […]
The Best Solution Begins With a Beautiful Question
What do you think these three questions have in common? “How might we survive and flourish amid tensions and contradictions?” “What is it about your business today that you can’t answer?” “What if competitors worked together?” In the eyes of author/journalist, Warren Berger, each of these questions is beautiful. Berger describes a beautiful question as […]
Innovation Summit Highlights Strategies for Success in a Digital Future
If you’ve been wondering whether your organization is ready for the digital future, .orgCommunity’s Innovation Summit was the right place to find answers. We hosted some of the association industry’s most thought-provoking leaders at the February 20th event. The American Society of Anesthesiologists provided a sleek venue for a day of creativity, dialogue and connection. […]
Anticipate the Unexpected—For Entrepreneurs Business as Usual Is not an Option. Learn About Our New Book!
Introducing Association 4.0™: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Risk, Courage and Transformation. Of all the experiences involved in writing a book, and there are many—both frustrating and fascinating, what you learn is the most rewarding. Association 4.0™: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Risk, Courage and Transformation, which I wrote with my business partner Kevin Ordonez, is my […]
Fast Track Your Way to Innovation
Is your association innovative enough to survive in the roaring twenties? Before you answer, name three strategies you use to promote creative thinking. If they don’t roll off your tongue, consider this: Blockbuster— had a chance to buy Netflix and didn’t. Toys R Us—let a contract with Amazon derail their ecommerce opportunities. Xerox—never capitalized on […]
To Succeed in Industry 4.0 Become an Association 4.0™ Leader
Deploying a smart factory may not be in your future. But association CEOs who are looking for success must embrace attitudes that keep them in front of these, and other trends associated with Industry 4.0. By 2021, one quarter of the top 100 consumer goods companies will be using 3D printing to create custom products […]
Industry 4.0 is a Rocket—Don’t Let a Strategic Plan Designed for a Bicycle Leave You in the Dust
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Arthur C. Clark Industry 4.0 is killing science fiction. With each new technological miracle, the window of time and imagination between fantasy inventions and real products and services grows smaller. Here are some examples: Doctors in the United Kingdom recently created an artificial cornea using human cells […]
Style Grabs Attention/Substance Wins Hearts—A Website Content Strategy Makes It Happen
Animation, riveting images and a contemporary color palate get you noticed. But a content strategy is the secret to giving your audience a more meaningful relationship with your website, your brand and your organization. A website redesign is a significant investment in resources. The temptation to take shortcuts is understandable. But even Ferrari-sleek graphics, won’t […]
Marketers, Promote Yourselves! Get the Buy-In You Need for a Successful Content Strategy
We’ve all experienced the meeting from hell. The chair lost control. People were frantic to have their say, and nobody got heard. The same kind of communications nightmare happens when you don’t impose order on your content. A thoughtful content strategy ensures that the message you deliver will be one that makes people listen. It’s […]