Do you remember playing follow the leader as a kid? We all stood in a line behind one child who was the leader. We followed that leader around the room mimicking every action s/he took. When the leader squatted and quacked like a duck, we squatted and quacked like a duck. When the leader skipped forward, we skipped forward. So many of today’s conference and learning programs are like follow the leader. We secure successful leaders to speak and share their best practices and solutions. Then … [Read more...]
The Achilles Heel Of Association Leadership
One of the ironies of associations is that the strengths that led to their initial success may actually be detrimental to their ongoing growth. Most associations start with a group of passionate volunteers that serve in many roles. They are intricately involved in all the functions of the association. These core volunteers oversee the organization’s daily operations, make all the decisions, manage each committee and approve every purchase. While the role of these early volunteer leaders is … [Read more...]
Developing An Association Community That Evolves Into Action
Belonging precedes believing. It’s true for our association members. It’s true for our organization’s leaders. The ways we include or exclude others influences their thoughts and actions. It’s more than what we say or write. It’s how we invite others to join and belong, how we greet them, how we appreciate them, how we accept them. Belonging is vital because belonging precedes believing which precedes people behaving together. Meaningful Belonging Leads To Shared Beliefs And … [Read more...]
Dear Association Leader Who Defends And Champions Status Quo
Dear Association Leader: The status quo does not have your best interest at heart. It feels safe. And familiar. And comfortable. And even successful. But it’s not. It’s a very enticing powerful force. It can seduce you into a seemingly logical yet inadvisable present-forward mindset. You project today’s business into the future and expect yesterday’s success tomorrow…although the world continues to change. Pondering Things That Make You Go Hmmmm So ask yourself: Do I buy status quo … [Read more...]
The Rise of the Gig Economy and What It Means for Conferences
Work and life are transforming at a rapid rate. When considering long-term conference or organizational strategy, it’s wise to future-cast the impact major workforce trends may have on your profession, particularly because conferences are about people first and content second. You need to determine who (target audience) you’re designing for before you address the what (content) and how (experience design). Here are three workforce mega-trends that I believe will significantly impact our … [Read more...]
Six Issues Associations Are Having Difficulty Responding To
Many associations are slow to change. Often association leadership views change as something that disrupts the peace. They want to maintain the status quo. When beliefs that we lean on and build programming around change, we flinch. We deny. We fight and scream to maintain the past. Yet, sometimes, these changes proceed forward like waves on the beach. Nothing will stop them. Six Disruptive Issues Associations Must Face Here are six disruptive 21st Century issues that associations are … [Read more...]
Our Increased Distrust Of Institutions And What It Means To Your Association, Conference
“I’m done with __________________!” Go ahead and fill in that blank with any type of institution. Big business, conferences, education, government, medicine, membership associations, nonprofits, professional societies, religious organizations, trade organizations, etc. We are witnessing the rise of the Dones, as Dr. Josh Packard calls them. Groups of people that are done with traditional, outdated institutions. And before you dismiss this post…know that Packard’s research applies to your … [Read more...]
Many Organizational Leaders Prefer Dysfunction
Your organization needs to change because it’s broken! Or is it? “There is no such thing as a dysfunctional organization, because every organization is perfectly aligned to achieve the results it currently gets,” says Jeff Lawrence. The Illusion Of A Broken Organization? So is your organization broke? Or is it working just fine… Even though some of its stakeholders feel it is dysfunctional in some areas… Even though it faces some turbulent waters and potential danger just over … [Read more...]
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