Does your staff take cyber security seriously?
A long time ago, in an IT department far, far away, I managed a wide-area network comprised of about 120 users. This was during the havoc-filled days of the budding Internet, where new worms and viruses cropped up almost daily with names like “LoveLetter” and “Red Button.” These malware packages, exceedingly virulent and easy to […]
Should you hire a freelancer? Here are the pros and cons
Have you ever had difficulty financially justifying a new hire, despite your staff feeling a little overwhelmed and at max capacity? A full time employee might not be the answer to your staffing challenges. In fact, a full time employee can be a potential risk – if they don’t work out, you’re back to square […]
6 must-read books for every CEO
If you are the CEO, one of the most important things you can do is read, and read constantly. You have your leadership methods that stem from your own experiences, but reading offers new perspectives and ideas that will ultimately make you better at what you do. Here are six books that have had a […]
7 steps to future-proofing your organization
Over the past few weeks, I have spoken with volunteer and staff executives who, facing an age of an ever-increasing rate of change, feel like they are struggling to be nimble in their attempts to keep up. As we dove deeper into what factors were emerging, the conversation kept coming back to a focus on […]
Are you safe to be yourself at work?
What makes some associations high-performing and the rest so-so? Why do some teams reach or even exceed their goals and why do some fail? How do some organizations embrace change while others can’t seem to get out of their own way? These questions are coming up more and more in the association community. And the […]
Information overload: Sipping from a fire hydrant
How do I stop the insanity? Monthly, I get about 60 trade magazines mailed to my office. Daily, I receive about 10 electronic newsletters to my inbox. And, via social electronic networking — between Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter — I’m bombarded hourly. How about you? Are you finding it hard to decide where to dedicate […]
I run a small business. Here’s how to recruit me to your association.
During my 25 years in the association business, I’ve seen organizations discuss the value of recruiting and retaining small businesses, and the frustration of servicing growth enterprises. But now I have a unique perspective as a small business. Dilemma #1. Most associations can make the case that I need to be interested in government relations. […]
Is your job a little too easy? Here’s a challenge
If you can do your job with your eyes closed, then chances are you aren’t getting a lot of satisfaction from your day-to-day. Here’s a challenge to kick it up a notch. Watch the video here, or check out the transcript below. Today I was at the gym lifting weights in total autopilot mode. My mind […]
Stop asking ‘why’
Has your supervisor ever asked, “why did you do it that way?” or “why do you want this posted on social media?” How did that make you feel? Did you instantly get defensive? Did you feel like you had to justify your reasoning? Now turn that around. Have you ever asked a fellow staff member […]
Try this creative way to align your national and local chapters
If you work for a national association that also has local chapters, it is extremely important to align these two different but related entities. Doing that can be tricky, especially because the formal and informal relationships between the national (or international) and local levels can take many forms. While there is no panacea, one way […]