CULTURE AND PROCESS IN DESIGN THINKING
In my work as an educator and facilitator, I like to use techniques from human-centered design, and design thinking in particular. When I introduce design thinking to people, they are really eager to experience all the benefits, especially the teamwork, the very precise problem identification, and of course the often unique and really effective solutions to […]
ATTRACTING AND KEEPING YOUR MASTER LEARNERS COMING BACK
(a Two-Part Series on Master Learners) How do you know people (staff and members) are Master Learners? In order to get them to come to you for their education needs, and to come back for more, you have to know the attributes of a Master Learner. In Part One of this two-part series on Master Learners you […]
HOW TO RESUSCITATE YOUR EDUCATION
It’s no secret that traditional lecture-style educational sessions are no longer the most effective way to educate.But how do you overhaul outdated learning techniques for interactive and engaging sessions, especially when you’re working on a budget? It starts with lots of pre-planning. Your conference teams, committees, speakers and anybody else who is working on your […]
SURGE: KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
SURGE Co-Creation is our free interactive virtual conference for association professionals – and it’s happening May 1st-3rd! Here are some things to know before you go: THE BASICS What to expect: The event consists of 12 sessions, shown over three days, from 12-4PM EDT. As the sessions play, an attendee chat will run alongside. Speakers will also be […]
PROBLEMS WITH ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP
This year I joined three associations and let two memberships lapse. Since I specialize in member engagement I paid special attention to each association’s onboarding and renewal messaging. One association sent a welcome email from the executive director inviting me to reply with questions. I did have questions so I wrote back but never received an […]
THE ABC TO BECOMING A HEALTHIER HUMAN IN YOUR ASSOCIATION
As busy association executives at every level of your organization, you are required to address multiple demands at the same time. You experience change, and that change can cause chaos. I practice and teach applied mindfulness, which has changed my life. It has given me the ability to stay calm in moments of chaos, and it […]
CULTURE CLUB
It might be defined; it might not. Either case, it’s still there—your company’s culture. More than foosball tables, vending machines and flex schedules, organizational culture hits to the personality of a company. It defines the environment in which employees work, including—but going beyond—company mission, values, ethics, expectations and goals. When talking about corporate culture, it likely […]
HOW ARE YOU CHANGED BY CULTURE?
“But we always did it that way!” If you are like me, that phrase is like fingernails on a chalkboard. How an organization embraces change and evolution has a huge impact on culture. At my last association, the culture had a great balance between tradition and change. I was solidly on the change side for […]
A futurist’s view: On the Amazon of certifications
Association leaders need to be futurists and makers. It’s that simple. We can no longer bask in the effervescent glow of 100 year-old business models and think our non-profit halos will protect us from massive disruption. It’s time to reinvent. Get nervous: Be bold If you’re not designing a new future for your association right […]
MASTER LEARNERS: CAN WE MAKE MORE?
If you ask someone “What is a master learner?” chances are they’ll reply, “A person who is a master at learning.” It’s fairly self-explanatory. Master learners serve as drivers of their own learning. They are people who: self-assess regularly and look for the gaps in what they know have high self-efficacy so they will determine what they are […]