Transform Culture

Learning happens everywhere, all the time. Opportunities for education and professional development are not limited to formal events like conferences and certifications. Thinking about learning as an anytime, anywhere activity means getting comfortable with the process not being perfect. When you are creating a learning resource for members or colleagues, start small, play with it […]

Picture the scene: it’s six weeks before our annual conference. Preparations are in full swing. Members are registering through our websites as usual. Then, our main site and all of its components are hacked. End of the world, or an opportunity for improvement? The Special Libraries Association (SLA) has 107 component websites hosted on WordPress, for geographic […]

Part One of this series introduced Peter Dudka to the ACE conversation, and looked at the basics of Lean Startup methods and tactics. The question remained: how do we apply these concepts in a real-life challenge facing associations? Back to the ACE meeting: Peter sketches out a possible path. The scenario: A trade association (with organizational membership) […]

I work with ARMA International, a completely virtual organization. In the fall of 2016, we transitioned from our brick-and-mortar office with the option for employees to regularly work remotely into a completely virtual environment. How did this process work out for us? And is the future of work virtual beyond our organization? THE STATE OF THE […]

Culture has become a hot topic as of late. It affects our workplaces and, in associations, it affects our membership. We have experienced a culture shift. When I was researching my book Talent Generation, one of the main conclusions I came to was that we have been operating for quite some time according to a 20th […]

I started bringing my dog Amy into the office shortly after adopting her. Being an older dog, with a laid-back personality and an affinity for people, I had a feeling she would be a good fit with the team. To be quite honest, I had other, more selfish, reasons for wanting her with me at work: […]

What is the aesthetic and overall experience that members have with your association? How do communications play into that experience? Do you need to shake it up? At the Greater Kalamazoo Association of Realtors, we realized that while our meetings and services were of value to our members, we weren’t doing enough to make them exciting […]

What exactly do we mean by digital transformation? It’s clear that transformation represents a break with tradition – but this break in terms of technology could be manifested either in what we do or in how we do it. Digital transformation proper, in my opinion, happens at the intersection between the what, the how, and the technological developments at play. This […]

SURGE is our free interactive virtual conference for association professionals – and it’s happening this week on November 7-9th! Here are some things to know before you go: THE BASICS What to expect: The event consists of 15 sessions, shown over three days, from 12-5PM EST. As the sessions play, an attendee chat will run alongside. Speakers will […]

Revamping can revitalize and grow all aspects of your organization. There are unlimited ways that the concept of revamping can be used in the association arena. However, it comes with risk and uncertainty. To help you prepare for this process, I have compiled a checklist of things to think about as you embark on any […]