-
The connection between leadership and dysfunction
William D. Pawlucy Association ManagementWhat does dysfunction look like? How do we fix it? What characteristics are necessary in a good volunteer leader and staff? All of these questions were explored on a rainy Sunday morning not too long ago when I had the rare opportunity to discuss this with a group of passionate and talented volunteer leaders and staff of a major nonprofit organization where the focus was leadership. Here are the questions we explored and here is what they had to say.
-
Savvy nonprofits raise awareness and donations via social media
Jim Alvarez Association ManagementNonprofit organizations are driven to provide meaningful support to those they serve. Many nonprofits have unique and compelling stories that illustrate the impact of what they do. Savvy nonprofits embrace social media to highlight stories punctuated with engaging images along with video and audio clips to evoke emotional responses from supporters. Adding a distinct call to action puts nonprofits in the driver's seat to increase revenue opportunities.
-
Improving the board experience
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementMeetings of the board can be dreaded or difficult to endure. Listening to reports, watching individuals promote personal agendas, and enduring a lack of focus on outcomes and bad behavior leaves some board members wondering if it's worth their time. It is no wonder it's difficult to get a quorum.
-
Strategic planning: Testing the trends
Randall Craig Association ManagementA key part of any strategic-planning process is understanding the underlying trends. Yet how often have you read a prediction, statement or trend, and began to wonder if it were true? Sadly, with so many instant experts, pundits and self-serving gurus, it is sometimes difficult to tell fact from fiction.
-
Vertical resources for association executives
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementThe United States has more than 150,000 associations. Nearly 3,000 national associations reside in the Washington, D.C., area, while the majority of associations are state and local in scope. Where do association professionals turn for help?
-
Use board orientation to refresh and blend
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementBoards often scoff at the idea of an annual leadership orientation. They say, "We had a good one three years ago," or "There are only two new members on the board — we'll do something for them next year."
-
Small meeting dilemma: Large or small hotel?
David Gabri Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementWhether you're planning a large convention or a small meeting, there are many decisions to be made. But one of the first decisions the planner of a smaller meeting needs to make is whether to stage that meeting at a small hotel or at a larger hotel or resort. In fact, there are advantages to both.
-
Relevance and value: Focusing the board on what matters most
William D. Pawlucy Association ManagementRelevance and value. These two words, when combined, are powerful in any organization that is looking to deliver a blockbuster member experience. "Important to the matter at hand" and "relative worth, merit or importance" is how Dictionary.com defines these two words. How do we define relevance and value in our organizations, and how do we keep our boards focused on what matters most?
-
Does your association offer the right memberships?
Shawn Smajstrla Association ManagementThe best recruitment marketing ever invented won't be fully effective if your association's membership options aren't appealing. Consider the types of memberships you offer. Membership in associations cannot be a one-size-fits-all proposition. Different types of members will have different needs and may have different designs on what they expect to gain from membership. They may also have different budgets.
-
Improving your social media member service
Randall Craig Association ManagementMany organizations struggle with setting up a social media (or email) response strategy. How can you trust front-line staff to answer properly, if they don't know the policies? How can you have a consistent response, no matter who responds, or when? And how do you minimize service costs, while maintaining service quality?
All Association Management Articles