Associations rely heavily on their conferences to bring together members, provide professional development opportunities, and to generate revenue for the valuable work they do. Not all associations have staff to get the work done so they need to assess the value of leaving it to a local organizing committee [...]
Not all chairs are created equal! Being an executive director at an association management company (AMC) gives me a valuable perspective on what an “effective” chair for a Board or committee meeting looks like. The job of a Board or committee chair is not easy, and it is getting [...]
Building on my July 2024 blog, To Meet or Not to Meet. That is the Question, let's explore a process your Board can use for a meaningful discussion on this topic. Recently a client talked about their annual conference (or do you mean AGM?) and felt overwhelmed by all [...]
I remember fondly, the activity of setting up the water pump to draw water from a nearby lake every spring at the family cottage. This activity would ensure that we had enough water on hand for the entire season. My dad referred to this activity as “priming the pump.” [...]
https://www.strauss.ca/top-10-tips-successful-association-task-force-meetings/How associations do business is changing and evolving. How does your association navigate the change? As an association management company (AMC), we are involved in many conversations related to the changing landscape of industries with our clients. Value of The Meeting One of the value propositions that [...]
Is there only one way to lead an association? One of the challenges and benefits of working for an Association Management Company (AMC) is that you get exposed to many different styles and forms of leadership. No “one” style or form is correct and effective for all associations but [...]
Who is your customer? How straight forward and easy a question is this for your association? For some associations, this is easy, members. For others it isn’t as simple, so Boards need to stop, assess, and ask this important question. Associations spend money on strategic planning. Post pandemic, strategic [...]
Clarity is a cornerstone to working with associations. It is hard to function well without it. Being an Association Manager and working for an Association Management Company (AMC), I find myself using the word “clarity” constantly when working with Boards. During a recent Board meeting, we referred to clarity [...]
The pandemic has all Association Management Companies (AMC) working with their association clients to rethink how to get back to “normal” or define the “new normal” for their operations. Connecting In-Person vs Virtual Many associations have returned to in-person meetings and conferences while maintaining the virtual attendance option. Depending [...]
Each Board member brings to the Board a special set of skills and life experiences. Volunteering is the lifeblood of not-for-profit associations, and attracting qualified leaders often attracts people that may have conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest with the association they are involved with. So, how [...]
