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 […]
Arrested Development? A Strategic Approach to Technology Reboots Association Growth
Somewhere back in the Dark Ages of IT- say two years ago, because that’s how fast the electronic world moves now ¬- we thought about technology as a tool to do business. There has been a profound shift in that concept. Technology has made the leap out of the toolbox. It is become integral to […]
At CHEST Innovation Is Called Business as Usual
The opportunity to participate in my clients’ stories is one of the reasons I love being a consultant. To write our book, Association 4.0—Positioning for Success in an Era of Disruption, we interviewed leaders who strive to stay a step ahead of the future. CHEST is one association that doesn’t shy away from bold moves, […]
Hiring a Consultant Can Be a Make or Break Relationship—Here’s How to Court Success
When you sign a consulting contract on the dotted line, the stakes are high. You’ve called in the experts to guide a project that will have a significant impact on your association’s future. It’s almost always a highly visible, big-ticket item. People across the organization are invested in a positive outcome. None more so than […]
Give Your Team Something to Shout About—Move Strategy to Execution
Watching the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team beat England, it occurred to me that the game was a perfect example of strategy in action. A great team was testing their skills and tactics on the pitch, fully prepared to meet unexpected challenges. Granted, business will never have the flash of World Cup soccer. But strategic planning […]
Liftoff or Crash Landing? Prepare to Launch a Successful Digital Transformation
The Digital Transformation Series, Part Two Reading your monthly membership report is like getting a bad diagnosis—over and over again. The meeting registration is no bowl of cherries either. But there is a bright spot. The board has agreed that it’s time for action. That tired, old AMS that’s been limping through its paces is […]
The Human Face of Digital Transformation
You installed a new LMS, CMS and AMS; redesigned the website; migrated to the cloud; and purchased the latest computers, printers and tablets for your staff. Was it a digital transformation? Sorry, you’re only about halfway there—maybe not even. You’ve got the technology covered. It’s the transformation process that’s trickier to understand. Googling digital […]
Eliminate Roadblocks to Planning—Integration Transforms Strategy into Action
Strategy Meltdown—The screen play INT. The corner office of the Association for Ad Hoc Planning – Afternoon The executive director and membership team are seated at a conference table. They are hunched over laptops. The executive director is frowning. The membership manager looks like a deer in the headlights. Executive Director These numbers are (pause) […]
A Shared Path to Success
There’s a lot of satisfaction in neatly wrapping up a project that at first glance was as messy as a teenager’s bedroom. When I started consulting I thought my biggest reward would be helping great organizations grow even better. My clients do incredible work, and I love playing a role in their accomplishments. Most associations […]
Ready to Grow Your Association? Freelancers Are Waiting to Help
What occasion was celebrated on June 28, 2018? If you answered National Freelancers Day; congratulate yourself. You are on top of the latest business trend in a big way. Actually, the event occurred in the U.K. I think U.S. freelancers have yet to be honored with a designated holiday. But, mark my words, this new […]
Association 4.0: 2018’s Transformation Imperative
Anticipating and adapting to change has always been a characteristic of successful association leaders. However, existing business models no longer seem sufficient. We are in a period of major disruption that requires more robust responses to change. Over the past year, there have been several significant signals indicating that association leaders need to think about […]
.orgCommunity – Shaping the Future Together!
As an entrepreneur in the digital technology and marketing space for more than 25 years, I can say with confidence and certainty that technology advancements are happening quicker than ever before. These advancements are affecting our identity and all the issues associated with it: our sense of privacy, our notions of ownership, our consumption patterns, […]