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1 great idea, 3 conferences improved
Molly Marsh Association ManagementAs association meeting professionals, we know that for real learning to occur at our conferences participants must be active contributors to the educational experience. It’s a core principle of adult learning theory, right? But when you leave "time" in the agenda for discussion, reflection or group work, so much can go wrong. How do you ensure there’s enough to discuss, but not too much? Sometimes creating a dynamic learning environment simply seems like leaving too much up to chance.
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Create your leadership niche: The how
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementSimilar to organizations, when leaders carve out a niche, they open themselves to new opportunities. As discussed in part one of this article, specializing allows us to further strengthen our skills, grow our expertise and refine our approach. It also reinforces our position within the organization and our marketplace. Here are three ways we can create our leadership niche.
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Association hijackings by consultants and hybrid solutions
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementHijacks and hybrids seem unrelated to associations. In this article, they have an impact regarding recommendations by a hired consultant. An association hijacking is the consultant who disregards the culture and politics of the organization in favor of making changes he or she prefers. In an association, a hybrid solution may be taking the advice of a consultant and then adapting it to fit the organization.
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Think positively for positive results
Maryann Lesnick Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementStudies have long shown that not only does success at work lead to individual satisfaction and happiness, but that happiness leads to successful outcomes at work. From personal experience, I have seen that teams are happier when they have a happy leader. I am happier when I work for and with happy people. Attitude is everything. I think proposals are fun. And when I convey that message — when I live it — they become fun for everyone in the company.
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Create your leadership niche: The why
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementA niche can be a scary thing for a business. It seems counterintuitive to narrow the focus of the organization, yet it is a proven way to propel new businesses and reinvigorate organizations languishing on a plateau. In this age of social media, personal branding and embracing our why, successful leaders are taking a page from the business playbook and creating their own leadership niche to propel their careers forward.
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How to have a great first day at your new managerial position
Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementNo matter how experienced you are, starting a new managerial job is bound to give you a butterfly or two. The good news? Preparing yourself with a calm mindset and an effective game plan that you can implement on your very first day will guarantee you have a smooth entry, and positive productivity from the get-go. Use these easy, science-based tips to excel from the start.
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How to create a culture shift in association governance
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementAssociation executives are frustrated by boards characterized as the "lunch-bunch," a group that meets to hear reports, receive updates and enjoy friends. Symptoms of an underperforming board may be a lack of quorums, disengaged directors, ill-preparation for meetings, and little concern for impact. The phrase you hope never to hear from directors is, "But we are just volunteers." In reality, they are a team serving as trustees of the corporation.
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Help your employees boost their creative thinking skills
Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementCreativity — it's one of the most vital and valuable traits any employee can bring to the table. Unfortunately, creative thinking can be a little elusive at times. But new research is shedding light on ways managers can boost creative thinking and inspire their staff to come up with fresh and exciting ideas and solutions. This piece will cover easy-to-implement strategies you can start using today.
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3 secrets of natural leaders
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementSome people seem to float through life effortlessly. Promotions come to them. Raises are provided. Direct reports and those on other teams naturally follow them. And people like them. What’s the difference between a leader with an advanced degree, certificates in leadership and no loyal team members and the leader down the hall who everyone turns to for real direction and guidance? Here are three secrets of natural leaders.
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Risk management: What could derail your project?
Deborah Ike Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBusiness and projects are fraught with risks. While it’s tempting to bury our heads in the sand and hope everything goes smoothly, that’s not going to help when something inevitably goes awry. The wiser choice is to consider what could go wrong and take steps to prevent as much of that risk as possible. Since the first step is identifying potential risks to your project, here are several items to consider.
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