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A project-driven membership model
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementMembership models are evolving. This article is about a unique dues model in a Ukrainian association. But first, the background in the U.S. Most associations rely on dues for half of their budget. A handful have dropped their dues entirely, surviving off of access fees for benefits, programs and services. This opens the door to serving 100 percent of the marketplace as opposed to "members-only." Though they dropped the concept of dues, they retained a mechanism to allow members who want greater access to be "investors."
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5 surefire ways to kill your company’s innovation
Steven L. Blue Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementInnovation is difficult to come by. It is a fleeting concept that eludes most companies. In fact, the odds of a new product idea reaching full commercialization are less than 4 percent. And that is the best case. But, there are five surefire ways you can make certain innovation never sees the light of day at your company.
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Handling inappropriate questions
Candice Gottlieb-Clark Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementShock. Horror. Disbelief. These are the reactions we have when asked an inappropriate or uncomfortable question. These include questions like, "How much did you spend on your last vacation?", "What brought on your sudden weight change?" or "Are you dating?" Questions like these are not just inappropriate, they are intrusive. Most often our goal is simply to bring the conversation back onto neutral ground gracefully and tactfully. Below are some guidelines and some suggestions for doing just that.
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Better meetings through technology: Will AI deliver us magical meetings?
J. Elise Keith Business Management, Services & Risk Management"My goal is to make sure no one ever has to write meeting notes again." I’m talking with a product manager working to perfect automated call transcription. I find the idea both exciting and problematic. Fully automated transcription is just the first step towards a grander vision. As an AI enthusiast told me, "Notes are just the start. Consider — what if AI could make sure the meeting goes well in the first place? What if an AI agent kept the discussion on track? What if it knew how to help a group resolve a conflict? That day may not be too far off."
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Why you should make more Instagram stories — and how to improve them
Emma Fitzpatrick MarketingLast September, Facebook accounted for 16.5 percent of all digital content consumption. This September, it was only 14.3 percent. While a 2.2 percent drop doesn’t sound dire, or even all that bad, its implications are enormous. That equates to each Facebook user reading, on average, 20 percent less content, estimates Pivotal’s Brian Wieser in a Fast Company article. Right now, Facebook is a tough place for brands. Instead, go where the getting is good — Instagram Stories! Because the people are aplenty, it's cheaper to reach your audience.
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Hello? Is anyone listening? The perils of not paying attention
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementA lecturer spends 15 minutes detailing how their business is different from a competitor, and invariably, an attendee raises his hand to interrupt with a burning question, "But can you tell us how you’re different from a competitor?" Huh? Where has this person been for the last 15 minutes? Why waste the lecturer’s time and irritate other attendees who have been listening? I encounter one-sided phone conversations, in-person conversations, emails, voicemails and lectures daily. Even those automated voice robots aren’t listening!
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Has your business explored new ‘channels’ the way Hallmark…
Bob Kowalski MarketingAt this time of year, we’re likely to bump into someone who’s hooked on the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movies. For many people, those annual holiday airings are the basis for their awareness of Hallmark. The greeting card company is a great example of extending its brand through multiple channels — literally, including TV, streaming channels and this year: a branded satellite radio channel. It shows how a business can grow by exploring unexplored — and seemingly unrelated — avenues. So where can you take your company following Hallmark’s example?
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Active reading strategies for English learners
Erick Herrmann EducationTeachers often use the practice of popcorn, or "round-robin," reading strategies in a number of ways. These include cold calling or randomly calling on students to read using sticks with student names on them or by teacher choice, calling on volunteers to read, or having one reader call on another student to begin reading where they left off. However, multiple studies prove that this practice does not work. In fact, round-robin reading likely does more harm than good, especially when utilized with English learners or students who are not proficient readers yet.
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Why directors volunteer
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementThere are many reasons why volunteers accept leadership roles. The answers are diverse and revealing. I asked a group of leaders why they decided to become directors in a nonprofit organization. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. described volunteer service, "You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." When the opportunity arises, pose the same question. This compilation is a testament to dedicated leaders.
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If you hit a wrong note, hit it again
Patrick Gleeson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementOn my first night on the bandstand in Herbie Hancock’s band, I was somewhere between panicked and terrified. As we began the first song, I made the mistake of looking out at the audience. A few rows away sat famed jazz arranger Gil Evans with his best buddy… Miles Davis. At that point I left merely panicked far behind and advanced well into terrified. One horrible mistake would brand me an incompetent newbie, not only in the eyes of my fellow band members, but in the presence of Gil and Miles, both of whom I idolized. It would have helped if I’d known what Miles regularly told his band members: If you hit a wrong note, hit it again!
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