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Oct
13

See the steps 1 association took to transform its culture

I have always been a student of organizational culture. I’m intrigued by how groups of people operate together and curious about how different leadership styles and management techniques can produce dramatically different outcomes from the same group of people. You’ve probably heard the old adage attributed to nonprofit management guru Peter Drucker, “Culture eats strategy […]

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Oct
12

Why secrets are bad for business

Organizational transparency isn’t a very new idea in the business world. Whole Foods, for example, shares all of its salary and bonus data internally with everyone. Yes, everybody knows what everyone else makes. When I tell people this, they usually freak out. Don’t worry — you don’t have to share your salary if you don’t […]

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Oct
10

3 misconceptions that expose associations to hackers

Cyber attacks haunt our headlines so often these days, even major hacks around the world don’t always make the evening news. The toll of the 9 largest hacks last year added up to $1 billion and 480 million leaked records. These numbers are obviously staggering, but as you read them, do you consider these facts […]

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Oct
07

What ‘Star Trek’ taught me about technology

“Star Trek” is pretty cheesy. You’ve got your spoon fed lines, terrible costumes, ridiculously fake sets and a list of horribleness so long Santa wouldn’t have time to check it twice. With that said, I am a big fan of the ideas and concepts brought to us from the series and films. Those who watched […]

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Oct
06

How to make an association member keep coming back

Have you ever put any thought into the products that are now habits for you? Think Twitter, Facebook and even email. There was a point in time when you didn’t know they existed, and now you use them every day. How did they make it into your life, and why weren’t they abandoned at some […]

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Oct
05

How to create a chapter toolkit

This is an excerpt from the free eBook, “How to Create a Project Toolkit for Your Local Chapters” An often overlooked resource at the national level of an association is the value and impact of its chapters. While the relationship between the national and local levels can take many forms, ultimately both share the common […]

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Oct
03

Why you should connect performance management with culture

I know it would be hard to just get rid of performance reviews, as I’ve suggested in an earlier post. In the back of our collective minds, we’re still thinking “yeah, but the truth is I want to make sure the individuals in this organization are doing the right things and doing them well, so […]

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Sep
29

How to create a ’boutique’ sponsorship program

With sponsorship dollars down and withering vendor enthusiasm for legacy sponsorships (i.e. the coffee break), a different approach to revenue growth is desperately needed. A trend I’ve seen developing (slowly) is presenting prospects and long-time sponsors with a customized or “boutique” sponsorship opportunity. The problem is no one on the sales side is being proactive […]

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Sep
27

How do we get more association industry recruits?

I ended up a career in associations the same way everyone I’ve met did: By happy accident. I worked for a large advertising company right out of college and went back to my alma mater, the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), and visited its alumni website to look for new opportunities. I knew I […]

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Sep
22

What Adidas can teach your organization

As football season started this past weekend, one commercial jumped out at me (and it wasn’t even the Superbowl!)D The world of sports isn’t the only one. Associations Need Creators. Membership needs more than another long list of benefits. Marketing needs more than another email sent out to the masses, with members tasked to find […]

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