To-do lists are a helpful tool for managing your association workload. Sometimes, however, instead of reducing your stress, they add to it. This seems to be a common sentiment in today’s world. Especially for association volunteers, your professional and volunteer to-do lists can get jumbled up. Everyone has too much [...]
For associations, staff turnover happens. Whether it’s a reassignment of duties best suited for the staff’s skill set, a promotion to a new position within the association, or leaving the association for other ventures. Associations need to be ready to adapt to staff change while showing no delay in [...]
The last 14-months have felt more like a daily one-hundred-meter dash rather than a marathon. While I am no runner, I prefer the steady pace of a marathon. But, like most association leaders, I can handle the occasional sprint. During the pandemic, we have missed the personal connections and [...]
Without seeing one another in-person, building connections is a difficult thing to do. How do you find the future leaders for your association while using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or GoToMeetings? The Past Art of Connecting The way we connect with each other has changed in 2020 and the opportunities [...]
While continuously adapting, we are proud to have made it through the hardships of countless event cancellations and closures over the past months. We have been able to adapt and focus, and now we may see another opportunity to pivot, beyond virtual events. In the months ahead, health authorities [...]
My husband, Jarred inspired me to write this article. Jarred is a board volunteer. Earlier this year, he became Board President of a minor hockey association. After an election where thousands of members of the catchment voted him into this role, he hit the ground running. The COVID-19 pandemic [...]
Going about our regular routine during COVID-19 is challenging since the only constant right now is change. As an association leader, you are likely a volunteer who may be working outside of regular work hours. Therefore, it can be hard for the association leader to stay organized. Currently, there [...]
Pandemic planning was NOT part of my vocabulary at the beginning of 2020. Earlier this year, an association we manage had recently welcomed a pandemic planner as a new member. Many association members didn’t understand the complexity and details of pandemic planning and how it could positively impact their [...]
Due to the changing times as a response to COVID-19, many associations have been adapting operations and seeking new solutions. Member communications, continuing education and networking opportunities have been recreated with the purpose of providing return on investment for members. With annual general meetings, conferences, and board meetings being [...]
Members of associations across all professions are finding it increasingly difficult to rationalize membership and return on investment in belonging to an organization. Associations need to identify the needs of members and adapt operations to what necessitates paying annual dues. Many times, it is either necessary to implement a [...]
