Copy of Master Assn Feed

What’s Blogging? Sounds Painful!

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:10:37 -0800

That title was actually the title of the first post made to this blog — or what would become this blog — exactly five years ago today. November 2004 seems like a really long, long time ago. I can’t think of a five year period in my lifetime whose start was so different from its finish, with the possible exception of 1988-1993, when we went from Cold War to New World Order to Deep Recession. (Ha! Remember that recession? It seems so cute now!)

Five years ago, you didn’t need two healthy hands to count the number of association people blogging. Most of the folks who were really active back then are less so now; we’ve all gotten older and moved on. A lot of the original clumpers are focused now on Twitter and post blogs much less frequently, and a few have left the online media sphere altogether. It’s the nature of life and of communications vehicles.

(Speaking of Twitter, my minimal work there is primarily focused on the industry in which I work rather than associations; in response to several requests, I finally caved and created a Twitter profile connected to this blog and for general stuff about association management. You will find it @associationinc though I can’t promise a whole lot of activity there.)

Anyhoo … no reflections or deep thoughts on five years of blogging to share, because hey, it’s just blogging. And to be honest, I do it in such fits and starts (having once gone nearly a year between posts) that I’m not sure I can say it’s been five full years. I see it’s been six weeks since my last full article and I never know how long a gap between posts is going to stretch. Much like the breaths we draw, I never know which post will be my last.

I don’t foresee stopping for good any time soon, though. It’s fun to have a place to explore new ideas, comment on trends, and occasionally vent or rant. (Though sometimes I think my most interesting articles in that regard have been the ones I didn’t publish …) It’s very gratifying that there are still some folks reading, and I always enjoy a good comments discussion. Thanks for coming along.

Time to RISE up

Sue Pelletier — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:47:51 -0800

I just got a note from MPI reminding me that there currently is an open call for nominations for the Recognizing Industry Success and Excellence (RISE) awards (you don’t have to be a MPI member to submit a nomination). There are six awards you can nominate an individual or a community for; nominees should have made “a significant contribution to the meetings and events industry through influence, innovation, and global reach.”

More particulars here.

Meeting managers feeling the pinch

Sue Pelletier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:52:55 -0800

And pinching the pennies harder than ever, according to this writeup of a PKF report: Meeting Planners Struggle To Control Costs. While I don’t often toot our horn here, MeetingsNet does have a great collection of cost-saving tips and budget advice in our Cost Savings/Budgets Special Report. Here are two of my favorites (both were written before the current economic slump, but the ideas are evergreen):

125 Ways to Save on Meetings

99 ways to improve your meeting’s bottom line

3 Reasons Why Every (almost) Organization Needs Social Media

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:43:23 -0800

1 - You can better manage the online conversations. People will talk about you and the issues you care about. They might as well do it on your site. 2- If you don't, your constituents will assume that you have...

Association Leadership: Oxymoron or Redundancy?

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:12:16 -0800

Years ago, military intelligence was the phrase I trotted out as my favorite oxymoron, but maybe it should be one much closer to home: association leadership.

After all, associations document the minimum standard of practice and benchmark reasonable expectations of performance. The goal is to draw a line in the sand that places ethical practice just beyond the truly unscrupulous but in easy reach of those in technical compliance. So by definition, the bar must be low enough to avoid challenges and excessive legal bills. If that's leadership, we are all in trouble.

Yet, the opportunity for leadership lies in a vigorous challenge to that minimum, the status quo. To attract new members and support, we must advance practice and aspire to be more.

How can we make sure "association leadership" is a redundant term not an oxymoron?

What if associations relentlessly sought out the thought and market leaders in our sectors and senior practitioners who have moved on, chasing them down and co-creating meaningful opportunities so compelling they couldn't say no to getting involved?

What if associations elected and groomed leaders whose business and professional practices reset the benchmark and rewrote the definition of responsible policies and actions?

What if associations welcomed critics and competitors into neutral forums or created mega-communities of leaders where we could work together to eliminate a mega-problem rather than negotiate the shape of the table?

For too long, association managers have dumbed down member involvement in search of efficiency, emulating Nurse Ratched in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, neutralizing boards and members to keep them docile. Maybe the inmates should be running the asylum. Maybe it's time to be a movement.

Here’s an airline fee I hadn’t heard of before

Sue Pelletier — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:18:11 -0800

I’ve heard of — and sometimes paid — all kinds of airline fees, but paying $14 for the pleasure of buying a ticket over the phone or online? That’s a new one on me. And not a welcome one for someone who would have to make a two-hour round trip to buy one at the airport if I didn’t want to pay it. Which I’m almost ornery enough to do. Here’s hoping this is one idea that won’t catch on!

Why are we here?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:30:03 -0800

Mission statements don’t have to be dumb. In fact, they can be very valuable, if they articulate real targets.

Nancy Lublin describes How to Write a Mission Statement That Isn’t Dumb at Fast Company. The problem is that mission statements are often sentiments and not goals, they describe a state of being rather than a benchmark for achievement.

Here is my challenge: Write a mission statement with a goal that’s an action, not a sentiment; that is quantifiable, not nebulous. If you’re trying to sell a product, how and how many? If you’re trying to change lives, how and whose? Take your wonky mission statement and rip it to shreds. Then ponder your ambitions, and write and rewrite the thing until it reflects — in real, printable words and figures — the difference that you want to make.

A good mission statement should define a benchmark and a standard against which everything the organization does can be measured. One of the ways to measure the quality of the mission statement is by how well it serves to measure the productivity of the organization activities in terms of focus towards the reason the organization exists.

If your board or committee members do not know why they gather together for your organization, they are missing vital direction to focus their efforts.

Continuing Education Webconference of Interest

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:59:05 -0800

There's a webconference coming up December 9, 2009 that sounds to be of great benefit to educators for the health professions. I'm going to try to participate so I'll share a recap after the event.

Planning a Continuing Health Care Professional Education Institute: Recommendations from the Institute of Medicine

A report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) on recommendations for the development of a national inter-professional institute devoted to the continuing education of healthcare professionals is due to be released shortly as a result from the recommendations from the 2008 Macy Foundation report on "Continuing Education in the Health Professions: Improving Healthcare through Lifelong Learning."

The purpose of establishing such an institute is to advance the science of CE by promoting the discovery and dissemination of more effective methods of educating health professionals over their professional lifetimes, by developing a research enterprise that encourages increased scientific study of CE, by developing mechanisms to assess research applications, by stimulating new approaches to both intra- and inter-professional CE, and by being independent and composed of individuals from the various health professions.

The webconference will cover the latest news on the report.

Click here to register.

The conference is dead (long live the conference?)

Sue Pelletier — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:46:40 -0800

Interesting post over at Social Entrepreneurship called “The Conference Is Dead (…Does Anyone Care?),” by Nathaniel Whittemore. It’s not that I haven’t heard before (and probably said a few times) how people just aren’t willing to put up with the old plenary/breakouts/talking heads type of conferences — or at least they won’t be in a few years as they experience unconferences and other (to me) more engaging ways to interact with experts, peers, and information. But Nathaniel makes the argument well, and the comments really take the conversation to new and interesting places from the perspectives of attendees, presenters, and conference organizers. I’m tempted to chime in, but I can’t think of anything that hasn’t already been said, and really well, by the current crop of commenters. I particularly liked this one:

“Bad organizers organize bad events. Good organizers organize good events. If the streudel is no good, don’t blame all the streudels in the world. Blame the baker.”

And this in response:

“To continue the streudel analogy…it’s ultimately about whether the consumer will eat the streudel, regardless of the recipe. If the customer doesn’t want streudel, then the Baker’s got a bigger problem.”

Ah, Associations … We Are Ancient

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:20:37 -0700

Preparing for trip and skimming through “A Traveller’s History of Paris” I stumbled across this passage: “Two booksellers, Fust and Schoffer, brought printed books to Paris in 1463. Fearful of competition from this new art, the powerful scribes and booksellers guilds had the books confiscated.”

Two ways to market hotels in a down economy

Sue Pelletier — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:48:02 -0700

It’s interesting to see the different ways hoteliers and their CVB (sorry, I mean DMO — having a hard time making the switch still) partners are marketing their wares in tight times.

On one end you have Northern Kentucky, which promotes the destination’s lack of glitz and glam with this tagline: “You won’t get the third degree when you choose Northern Kentucky.” On the other end is this Lauderdale Lux promotion of Greater Ft. Lauderdale’s high-end properties. Each is playing to its strengths, and both campaigns are pretty brilliant in their own ways.

(Thanks to Bill Geist’s Zeitgeist, where I found both links in separate posts.)

That Thing You Do

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:34:14 -0700

The November issue of Associations Now includes a “Horizons” column I wrote wondering why completely different markets all just happen to need the same kinds of things, according to the associations that serve them. I don’t see the November issue online quite yet but through creative URL typing I was able to locate the article here. Thanks to Lisa Junker for the opportunity and, especially, the help! Update: The November issue is now online with a nifty new homepage design.

Improving Online Learning Webinar

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:43:56 -0700

Educators, this looks like a good webinar from www.trainingindustry.com.

From Blah to Aha! Ten Best Practices for the Virtual Classroom
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT

Many organizations are moving rapidly to “repurpose” their face-to-face classroom for delivery online. If you are helping your organization make this change, don’t miss this webinar. Discover the possibilities in the world of engaging, facilitated online learning. Adopt ten best practices to help you move from Blah (boring, talking head presentations ) to Aha (engaging, interactive classroom facilitation). The speaker is the author of Great Webinars: How to Create Interactive Learning that is Captivating, Informative and Fun, and an experienced virtual trainer.

You will learn how to:

Avoid the ten most common errors in web training
Adopt ten best practices to make your webinars dynamic and engaging
Achieve learning transfer and performance improvement

Click here for more information and to register.

New SharePoint Track at Association Technology Conference

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:26:11 -0700

Ironworks is helping ASAE and the Center with a new SharePoint track at the 2010 Association Technology Conference (Feb. 10-12 in at the DC Convention Center). This will be a full conference track of deep-dive sessions for those who have...

Mapping out an idea

Sue Pelletier — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:29:01 -0700

When in doubt, map it out? Hey, it worked for Matt Moore at actKM 2009, a knowledge management conference. After hitting the wall on a few other ideas on how to make his session more interactive, he says:

Then the thought struck me. Get the participants to draw maps. So that’s what I did. Six tables, six maps. In each case I asked them to map out knowledge management as an imaginary nation and then identify who else this nation might interact with (through trade, war or something else).

The results were really interesting, and made me wish that someone would do something like this for sessions I go to. Johnnie Moore, who I got the link to Matt’s post from, adds,

I have sometimes found getting people to express their ideas through a medium or metaphor seems to unleash more refreshing, often less refined/polite ideas and observations. It’s as if it bypasses some of our defenses against stepping into riskier territory.

And then goes on to tell what happened when he used a similar technique for a meeting he was facilitating. It’s fascinating.

Get Started with Knowledge Sharing

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:54:22 -0700

I don't want to set expectations that knowledge sharing initiatives are easy and inexpensive but you can get started with relatively little effort and budget. I participated in a panel on Knowledge Management at the annual conference of the American...

Problem Definition

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:21:57 -0700

What does the Journal of Association Leadership need to be? That was the question of yesterday's retreat for a dozen editorial advisory board members and knowledge staff. Heroically facilitated by Dan Martinage, we finally sorted out the issues that we could address and the first was definition of terms. Among the disputed concepts was "leadership."

In the advance questionnaire, I proposed that the Journal simply live up to its name--leadership. It's not Association Now; it's Association Next. Much to my surprise, I learned that in Association Land, leadership is only an adjective as in "leadership group." My bad.

As Kerry Stackpole reminded us, the association manager's dictum is: Always place a volunteer between you and a problem. So finessing who and how you partner with members is just politics, not leadership. See, definitions are important.

Anyhoo, the good news is we ultimately agreed on the most important definition. We defined our audience, not the product. The real issue is how to engage senior practitioners--serious people who no longer have a home at ASAE and the Center--the 10% who are still having their employer pay their dues but who have disengaged.

If you've done your time on section councils, where do you go? If you are no longer a functional specialist or simply appalled by the status quo, how do you find your peers?

Serious people have no ribbon to identify themselves to each other at a meeting and defy stale categories of age, title, or experience. A speaker ribbon is no longer the answer. I thought being a fellow would do it for me, but no. Then the social responsibility movement gained some steam, but that will be years before it reaches critical mass, if at all in its current home.

So what if the Journal was a process not a publication?

What if someone with an idea, a draft article or some interesting research from another field could attract other interested senior practitioners earlier in the production process, say six months prior to publication--whatever that ultimately looks like.

Would you show up?

Vampires and blood banks: Only in NOLA

Sue Pelletier — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:32:46 -0700

You have to love New Orleans — where else would you expect to find a confluence of blood transfusion and cellular therapy professionals and vampire enthusiasts, just in time for Halloween? According to a press release, that’s what’s happening right as the 2009 American Association of Blood Banks Annual Meeting TXPO arrives in town at the same time as the 2009 Vampire Film Festival. Though it doesn’t sound like the two groups will be hanging out together much, you have to like this quote:

“‘This weekend New Orleans wants your blood!” said Vampire Film Festival director Asif Ahmed, ‘We are thrilled to be in America’s most gothic city here along with AABB. Our vampire filmmakers are arriving from around the world and are already intrigued with the many charms and haunts of this city. Remember once you invite a vampire in, it’s hard to get us to leave!’”

I just got a handful of Google Wave invites

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:50:08 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

Been using Google Wave in a limited way over the past few days since a friend sent me an invite. I need more friends to play with. If you’d like one of the invites, just shoot me an e-mail: b (at) BenMartinCAE dot com and I’ll hook you up (while supplies last, some restrictions apply, please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery, offer not valid in Puerto Rico or Guam).

Preparing for an economic rebound

Sue Pelletier — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:17:19 -0700

We’ve gotten all too good at renegotiating room blocks downward as the economic crisis worsened over the past year, but are you ready for a rebound? Mike McCurry has a great post about managing room blocks when and if the economy unexpectedly rebounds higher than you anticipated. Don’t miss his three suggestions on hedging your room block bets.

Now let’s all just hope that this becomes a problem…

Time zone confusion

Sue Pelletier — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:16:33 -0700

I was baffled during my recent trip to Australia by the hour-and-a-half time zone change between Sydney and Uluru — why the half hour? I asked a few people, but I guess it’s just one of those things people don’t think about; it just is. So I asked around here, and someone told me that the only reason we have one-hour increments in the U.S. time zones was to limit confusion on our intercontinental railway system. According to Wikipedia, this is in fact the case. Still, I’ve never encountered a half-hour change before, and am wondering if this is common and I just haven’t gotten around enough?

The answer (from Wikipedia):

“Today, all nations use standard time zones for secular purposes, but they do not all apply the concept as originally conceived. Newfoundland, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Burma, the Marquesas, as well as parts of Australia use half-hour deviations from standard time, and some nations, such as Nepal, and some provinces, such as the Chatham Islands, use quarter-hour deviations. Some countries, most notably China, use a single time zone, even though the extent of their territory far exceeds 15° of longitude. Before 1949 China used five time zones (see Time in China).”

So, that’s my new thing learned for the day!

Corporate events survey results

Sue Pelletier — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:54:08 -0700

The results are in from the latest Special Events survey:

Corporate business events will recover in 2009: 17 percent
Corporate business events will recover in 2010: 32 percent
No change expected: 20 percent
It’s only going to get worse: 15 percent

Based on nothing but reading the paper and gut instincts, I’m with the 32 percent who expect to see the events picture brighten next year, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

Kinda sexy, in a Judy Jetson way

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:55:21 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

Because checking your watch during a meeting isn’t quite as rude as checking your BlackBerry, the fine folks at RIM bring you the BlackBerry InPulse Smartwatch. Now, your Pavlonian teeth-grinding response to BlackBerry buzzes can be accompanied by repeated pulls at your cuff to glance at your “watch.”

Me? I’m waiting for the BlackBerry ImPlant. Here’s a prototype photo of the control console.

More Forecasts

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:12:42 -0700

Judith Lindenau riffs on the little “predictions” from my last post with an eye toward what they may mean specifically for Realtor associations, to her usual straightforward and thought-provoking result.

Your Ability to Predict the Future Does Not Improve with Experience

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:34:23 -0700

Last week, I blurted forth a small series of tweets that, when stitched together, read as follows: “Assumptions we make today about 5 years from now are as wrong as assumptions we made 5 years ago about today. Your ability to predict the future doesn’t improve with experience, unless it teaches you that you can’t predict anything. Therefore, flexibility is a far more valuable skill than forecasting.”

Well, um … that said, Association Trends asked if I would provide a few “predictions” for associations, and they are now online along with several others from smarter folks. You need a subscription to read my full reasoning behind each of my (not-very-earth-shattering) forecasts, but here’s the short version:

Most “committees” will no longer exist
“Mobile” will be the primary association communications channel
What’s “free” and what’s “paid” will look very different
Niches will grow in importance relative to the mass market
Geography is no longer that important, and as a result local components will focus on active, valuable and sustainable products and services, or else fade away
Leadership development models will change by necessity, because few people want to make multi-year commitments
The line between “member” and “customer” will become even more blurred

(Wow, I use a lot of “quotes.”)

Thanks to Jill and Edd at Trends, and by the way — congrats to this year’s crop of Trends “Young & Aspiring Association Professionals.” Some impressive folks!

Association humor, thanks to FailBlog

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:19:58 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

Night at the Opera

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:29:31 -0700

In a cross between the Marx Brothers and Les Cages Aux Folles, the Washington Opera Company is staging Verdi's farce, Falstaff, at the Kennedy Center through the end of the month--perfect for Halloween with its goblins and witches and faeries.

Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun, has a review today that sums up the experience, including a description of the "Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo-style flock of male dancers in sylph-y ballerina outfits." You had to be there and thanks to Goldstar.com, we were, at half-price.

What's remarkable is the imagination of director Christian Räth who took the co-produced Royal Opera sets and Verdi's opera and created something new. Charming.

(Photo by Karin Cooper, Kennedy Center / March 3, 2008, appearing in the Baltimore Sun, October 13, 2009.)

Write On

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:13:30 -0700

When asked about her writing process for a video interview, a nine-year old girl carefully considers her answer and finally says: "I like to write with a red pen."

Ah, there's nothing like a great pen to inspire a writer.

October 20 is the National Day on Writing and you can celebrate by adding a favorite piece to the National Gallery of Writing. Samples are not limited to traditional essays. Blog posts, YouTube videos, almost any medium is welcome. All contributions are reviewed prior to posting to maintain the spirit of the exercise.

The National Council of Teachers of English and dozens of affiliates and partners are celebrating clear thinking and good writing by hosting this digital archive of writing from across the U.S. NCTE's partners include:

So if there's an English teacher that made you a better writer or at least a better person, contribute a sample of your writing before the 20th. I am indebted to Sr. Eleanor and Mrs. Tofoya, Miss McKeil and Mr. Z. My contribution was a 2007 blog post, Mentor for Life, about a letter I wrote to my mom when I was 18.

Get out that red pen and write on...anything!

Crowd Sourcing the Future of Associations

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:06:12 -0700

Finally, someone is using social media to reform the failed business model of a beloved membership organization, the National Geogrphic Society.

Alan Mairson, free-lance journalist and former staffer at NGS, is on a crusade to save National Geographic and, in turn, journalism. Blogging at SocietyMatters.org, Mairson offers up solid reporting and is attracting a crowd to work on the problem.

Last night, I attended the second IgniteDC event as the guest of that perennial cool chick, Rhea Blanken. It was an opportunity to experience a digital crowd in human form, giving a platform and five minutes to people with a passion. In Round Two, Mairson did his five minutes and brought the place to life.

Stories from his time at National Geographic made his point, reinforcing his credibility as a writer who worked inside that golden yellow box of images for twenty years. One story was of a failed membership campaign, appealing to subscribers to "Join the Adventure." Mairson's point? By promising armchair adventure as it had for 100 years, NGS failed to engage potential members in their own adventure.

No doubt the magazine is in trouble--all are--and those who love the magazine want to save it. But when I think of National Geographic, it's no longer the magazine that comes to mind. I think of exploration and our planet, their fabulous exhibits in Washington and maniacal love of photography and perfection. I think of the one time NGS involved me in their work--I sent my DNA in to the ongoing "genographic" project tracing our shared humanity.

I haven't looked at the magazine in years--Smithsonian magazine filled that gap--but is the National Geographic just a magazine? And is a magazine journalism?

Who Do I Want to Hear From?

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:05:28 -0700

ASAE, bless ‘em, has been pestering me like crazy with emails lately — well, not me specifically, I imagine many of you are getting the same ones. They want me to vote on who will keynote their Great Ideas Conference. I’m not going to vote because I’m not going to go to the Great Ideas Conference. That’s no swipe against the GIC, I’ve attended a few in the past and found them to be very worthwhile, it’s just not at a very convenient time for me.

This attempt to “crowdsource” the keynote selection is an admirable experiment, though I would much rather vote on workshop topics at a conference, since the workshops are of paramount importance to me as a participant, and they are also where I’m most likely dissatisfied. Besides, I looked at their list of candidate speakers and have no idea who 99.99% of them are. I’d rather vote on topics and let the experts on staff find the appropriate speaker.

But ASAE’s question has gotten me to think about who I would like to hear from at a meeting . One thing I can say has become clear to me — as I embrace my mantle of ”grumpiness” — is that the longer I work in associations, the less I want to hear from association executives or association consultants.

No,whether it’s a workshop or keynote, I’d much rather hear from people who don’t work for associations, but who have something to say that associations can learn from. Although to be honest, the people I do want to hear from probably won’t be as forthcoming (and therefore as useful) as I would like.

Who would I like to hear from?

Well, I’d like to hear from Jeff Bezos, or somebody from Amazon, with an honest assessment of where book retailing is going. I want to know more than the hype about the Kindle (which I dearly love, by the way). I want to know why, as a publisher (and textbook publisher to boot), I should embrace a monopolistic business model that provides dramatically lower margins and locks in books with DRM. I’m not saying this as a challenge or an attempt to avoid any inevitabilities with the coming e-book revolution or whatever. I will adapt with the market’s realities, because hey, that’s what you gotta do. But I want to hear Amazon specifically address the market they are working to create, and how — as a retailer that depends on product created by publishers — they believe publishers can be successful in that market.

I’d like to hear from a successful niche market exploiter, like Chris Kimball of Cook’s Illustrated, who I’ve written about several times. They turned a very specific kind of knowledge into a miniature membership empire by foregoing the obvious (advertising? nah). How? What mistakes have they made? How are they succeeding with a closed loop of expertise in a world of free-for-all opinion sharing? (Or are they?)

I’d like to hear from the organizers of TED and/or SXSW on how they built their meetings into can’t-miss festivals of eggheady-goodness (TED) or irresistible weirdness (SXSW). Not that I think much of what they do is all that applicable to association meetings. (They’re TED, you’re not. Get over it.) But some of it’s gotta be, right?

I’d like to hear from Bob Dole and Tom Daschle how they managed to reach an agreement on a contentious issue like healthcare when they began from such different places. Not that their agreement has amounted to much in terms of influencing the current debate, but still, the process of how it happened has to offer some lessons.

I’d like to hear from this little company in New Zealand that is using laser cutters to make “on demand manufacturing” a reality for people all over the world. On. Demand. Manufacturing. I have no idea if this particular company is going to flop or not, but the potential of this technology is even more fundamentally disruptive – across global borders — than the Internet was, in my opinion. Yeah, maybe right now they’re being used to create $200 wooden toy castles, but it wasn’t that long ago that the Internet was being used primarily as a way to share pornographic images via CompuServe while skirting local obscenity laws. This could affect all industries, and everyone who works for those industries. So yeah, I’d like to hear from them.

I guess that I’d most like to hear from people who aren’t necessarily professional speakers, who don’t necessarily have bestselling books, who definitely don’t work for associations, but who have something important to tell those of us who do — whether they realize it or not.

But just think — if you go to the Great Ideas Conference and the keynote’s a hit, you can take credit for it. And if it’s a dud, you can blame everyone else. Now, is that association management, or what?

A Million Instant Pundits

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:45:11 -0700

The publisher of Cook’s Illustrated has an interesting op/ed in the NYT today on the lamentable death of Gourmet magazine, the success of his own subscription (membership) model, and the modern “click-or-die” marketplace: “The world needs fewer opinions, and more thoughtful expertise — the kind that comes from real experience, the hard-won blood-on-the-floor kind.”

Microsoft Achieves ANSI 17024 Accreditation

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:09:55 -0700

Microsoft recently received accreditation for conformance to the international standard ISO/IEC 17024 General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons by the American National Standards Institute for two of its IT certification programs. The blog world is buzzing with the news since these are the first product-specific IT certifications accredited to the international standard and ANSI. Lots of individual IT bloggers responded on their own blogs and the buzz is positive, with agreement that the third-party "stamp of approval" is a really good thing for both Microsoft and the individuals certified.

See the Microsoft blog announcement here.

Scopes Trial Redux

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:56:13 -0700

Apple dropped its membership in the U.S. Chamber this week not just because of a difference of opinion on climate change, but also due to the Chamber's hyperbolic boasting.

According to Politco, "A large part of the campaign against Chamber membership stems from the group’s call to launch a “Scopes Monkey Trial of the 21st century” about the science of climate change, referring to a 1926 trial that challenged Tennessee law mandating the teaching of the divine creation and forbidding the teaching of evolution."

Rather than reaching "consensus" among its 3 million members, (see correction below) why doesn't the Chamber celebrate the differences? By promoting the division on EPA regulation vs. cap and trade legislation, the Chamber provides useful information to lawmakers of all stripes and better represents its members.

No wait. What am I saying? Gladiators like the Chambers' lobbyists need to swing a big, uh, stick and preach doom and destruction to earn their hefty salaries, don't they?

Does anyone else appreciate the irony of threatening another Scopes trial? Colonialists and capitalists embraced evolution as the rationale for exploitation, chanting the survival of the fittest slogan. Manifest destiny and all that, right? Yet now those same interests have found religion.

Who are the real monkeys here?

UPDATE: Don't miss James Surowiecki's column in the New Yorker and the October 12 blog post, Abandoning the Chamber and October 14 post on downsizing its membership from 3 million to 300,000 in The U.S. Chamber: Now 90% Smaller.

Don't miss the Mother Jones' blog post outing the Chamber and the comment from a former U.S. Chamber membership staffer dropping the dime on the actual number of dues-paying members. Oh, my.

Owning the Outcomes; Renting the Responsibilities

Jeffrey Cufaude — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:24:00 -0700

When I worked on the college campus, semester’s end was always a goldmine for dumpster divers. Actually, they didn’t even have to dive; just roam the curbs and the apartment complexes. There they would find stacks of still desirable furniture that apartment tenants willingly left behind. Departing students also often left their security deposit, seeing it as spent money not worth recouping compared to the hard work of cleaning and detailing the home they would never see again.

Most of us in North America now live in such a discard and dash world, one offering an abundance of products sufficiently constructed to last for a decent amount of time, and inexpensive enough to ditch without guilt when they break. The cost of repairing often exceeds the cost of purchasing new.

Of course, being guilt-free depends on not considering the many costs never accounted for: all that trash going to a landfill; the packaging, shipping, storing, of new goods, etc. And there is a huge psychological cost, perhaps the most important one of all. If you buy a cheap product you don’t expect to last, what’s your incentive to try and preserve it? To take care of it? To truly feel a sense of ownership? When so many purchases become impermanent, doesn’t that also make the quality of life somewhat temporary?

That’s why I find something valuable (and not just nostalgic) about objects and institutions designed to endure, ones sturdily crafted to pass from generation to generation. Many leaders say we no longer can create organizations and companies that are Built to Last as identified by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their seminal work of the same name. Fast Company magazine years ago introduced questioned if organizations instead needed to be built to flip.

I think a hybrid of the two perspectives is probably true: we need organizations that overall are built to last, but ones with products and programs that are built to flip to meet timely needs and aspirations consistent with the organization’s timeless purpose and values. But are individuals living in a world in which little is built to last prepared to thoughtfully steward an organization that hopefully will endure? If they are used to throwing something out when it breaks, how will they address the typical challenges and setbacks encountered in organizations? Will they understand the importance of taking the long view for decisions and program development, not just cranking out something good enough for now?

While stakeholders and society ultimately determine if our organizations and their initiatives are built to last, we still choose how we approach our leadership responsibilities. Let’s choose to find pride in creating or contributing to something that might stand the proverbial test of time, of being a part of not just the timely but also the timeless. Let's make the choices that will allow our organizations to be homes for many more generations. No landlord is standing by for all call when something breaks. We can’t be content to leave the place trashed and hope our security deposit will cover the damage.

All of us are temporary stewards, and we have to own the outcomes even while we rent the responsibilities. That’s the only way our institutions and organizations have been passed on to us; it’s the only way we can do the same for the next generation of leaders.

Information security, do you do what is necessary?

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:39:34 -0700

The NIST Computer Security Division has released a Draft NISTIR 7621, Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals that describes the fundamental components of an effective information security program for small businesses, including many nonprofit associations.

Nonprofits deal with membership information that may include sensitive personal data as well as financial transaction data. The account books may include vendor data and transaction detail that is confidential. Information security principles apply to them as well as to for profit businesses.

The term Small Enterprise (or Small Organization) is sometimes used for this same category of business or organization. A small enterprise/organization may also be a nonprofit organization.
…
Some of the information used in your business requires special protection for confidentiality (to ensure that only those who need access to that information to do their jobs actually have access to it). Some of the information used in your business needs protection for integrity (to ensure that the information has not been tampered with or deleted by those who should not have had access to it). Some of the information used in your business needs protection for availability (to ensure that the information is available when it is needed by those who conduct the organization’s business). And, of course, some information used in your business needs protection for more than one of these categories of information security.
…
Failure to properly protect such information, based on the required protections, can easily result in significant fines and penalties from the regulatory agencies involved.

Just as there is a cost involved in protecting information (for hardware, software, or management controls such as policies & procedures, etc), there is also a cost involved in not protecting information.

Small nonprofits, especially those depending upon volunteers for information related functions, may tend towards the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ school. The cost in not protecting information properly must be considered by the governance of the association. “Absolutely necessary” actions to be taken include policies that

1) protect information from damage by malicious software

2) provide proper security in network connections, including wireless access networks

3) keep operating systems and applications up to date

4) maintain proper backups of important business data and information

5) control physical access to computers and network components

6) train everyone who does anything with the information or the equipment used to store or process it in basic security principles.

teach them your expectations concerning limited personal use of telephones, printers, and any other business owned or provided resources. After this training, they should be requested to sign a statement that they understand these business policies, that they will follow your policies, and that they understand the penalties for not following your policies.

7) require individual user accounts for each person using computers to access information or data and make sure the account security is backed up with effective password and access policies.

8) limit access to data and information and also the authority to install software.

9) do not allow a single individual to both initiate and approve a transaction (financial or otherwise).

10) know and understand the potential risk and the costs of loss exposure.

It is important to understand that there is a real cost associated with not providing adequate protection to sensitive business information and that this cost is usually invisible until something bad happens. Then it becomes all too real (and all too expensive) and visible.

Information security is not something that should be left to amateurs. Just like your books can be maintained by an amateur but need professional accountant oversight backed up by written policy, so does your information security needs appropriate attention at all levels. Policy needs to be written with consultation of a skilled professional. Training is needed so that everyone knows and understands the policies and what they are to do. A periodic review, or even an audit, is necessary to make sure that security is maintained.

Don’t get caught closing the barn door after the horse has already escaped!

Online Community Whitepaper

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:58:31 -0700

Social Fish has put considerable effort into producing an informative whitepaper entitled "Six Online Community Vendors for Associations: An Analysis." They took the time to interview the CEOs from six companies that are active in this space and provide some...

Delegating successfully is future planning

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:23:32 -0700

Frustration often yields to the ‘if you want it done, do it yourself’ point when it comes to management. Alison Green hits this in here list of 5 Ways Managers Fail at Delegating at US News. That is number 3 on her list. The other four provide suggestions about how to get others involved in getting the job done.

First is to get on the same page and make sure you delegate to someone who understands the desired goals and outcome the same way the manager does.

Second is to manage properly by keeping at an appropriate distance. The manager must monitor progress to catch problems early without hovering.

Third is to let go. This is the ‘hovering’ where the manager is so involved that the delegation of function has no substance.

Fourth is to let others do it. Just because the manager can do it, and probably do it better, is no reason not to delegate. It is the manager’s job to get work done through others. There are times the manager must bite his tongue and let others get it done their way. The focus must be on developing subordinate skills as a part of getting the job done.

The fifth item in the list is perhaps the toughest. That is to select the right person for the job. This choice includes many factors that include not only the desired functional outcome of the immediate project but also personnel and team development issues.

At its core, delegating well – and finding the appropriate level of involvement at each stage – is a microcosm of good management. It’s about figuring out what needs to be done, finding the right people to do it, clearly communicating
what you’re looking for, following up to ensure you’re getting results, and creating accountability.

Good management is not only about getting the current project done with excellence. It is also about the next job and the one after that. Successful delegation is not just in getting one job done but also in preparing the team for the next.

Hedgehog in Paris

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:09:01 -0700

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery is ideal reading over a grand creme in Paris. I had been meaning to read it, but am glad I put it off until the trip. After pouring over Michelin guides and tourist brochures, it was a relief to retreat to fiction while staying in the place.

Born in Casablanca, raised in France, and now living in Japan, Barbery has written a fable of two outsider intellectuals, one old and one young, mixing in German philosophy and Japanese art films, to create a delightful cast of characters, satire, and inspiration in one package.

Hedgehog has been on the New York TImes Bestseller list for the last three years and remains at #14. Europa Editions, publisher of Hedgehog in paperback, also publishes Jane Gardam, author of another favorite novel, Old Filth. With two winners like these, it's enough to recommend all Europa Edition authors to me so I hunted up Alicia Gimenez-Bartlett's Prime Time Suspect at the library. Will let you know if the theory holds.

France. It's Good.

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:53:16 -0700

Enlightenment architect Claude-Nicholas Ledoux's Saline Royale was one of the highlights of our two-week, 2,000 mile drive through France last month.

The big discovery of the trip for me, though, was why terroir is such a definitive force, not just in wine but in a region's identity. The landscape is dominant, even if carefully manicured. Everyone does their part to make the world beautiful, starting with their own beautiful selves.

Some things have changed since our last trip here 20 years ago, but only the things that needed to change (like the WCs). Everyone we dealt with was pleasant, even in Paris, and we made some lovely new friends along the way.

We drove from Paris to Bordeaux then cross country via Sarlat and Millau to Avignon then north to Lyon and the Franche-Comte before heading back to Paris. To see our route, take a look at the Google Map.

Here's a link to the photo album, but be prepared. There are 40 some photos, but that's edited down from 800 or so!

There's plenty of speculation that La Belle France may be changing for the worse, though, becoming as homogenized as our pasteurized cheese. Zut alors! Never! But get there before it all turns into DIsneyland Paris.

The Realities Time Replaces

Jeffrey Cufaude — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 06:25:00 -0700

I haven't worked a minimum-wage job since 1980.

I haven't been a renter for the past 15 years.

I last supervised a full-time staff more than a decade ago.

2001 was when I last spent significant time exploring Seattle.

So do my memories of the way it was for each of these circumstances have anything to do with the way it is now and the way it will be in the future?

The present often calls on us to offer observations, make decisions, and share opinions. In doing so, we would be wise to remember the limited shelf-life of our insight and understanding and not assume our past recollection matches current reality.

Leadership, management, and getting done

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:28:28 -0700

David Peck thinks You’re Paying People Too Much to be Telling Them What to do. You may think the ‘pay’ here limits the argument to high end employees but that only means you need to rethink what (and how) you pay volunteers in nonprofit organizations. The issue is in how close to action you see your role sets the tone as to whether you are managing or leading.

The manager is the quarterback, doing nothing but running every play with the team. But the leader is the coach, guiding the overall effort from a healthy distance. The manager’s question is “How do I get them to do what I want them to do?” But a leader needs to ask a question that capitalizes on his or her investment in people: “What do I need to change in the way I am leading to launch them into effective, independent action?”

Herding cats describes a Leadership Framework based on a list from Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordan England and asks how the items on this list can be applied to project work.

how to “make” a leader:

Treat every person with dignity and respect – nobody is more important than
anyone else

Be forthright, honest and direct with every person and in every
circumstance

Improve effectiveness to gain efficiency

Cherish your
time and the time of others – it is not renewable

Identify the critical
problems that need solution for the organization to succeed

Describe
complex issues and problems simply so every person can understand

Never
stop learning – depth and breadth of knowledge are equally important

Encourage constructive criticism

Surround yourself with great people and
delegate to them full authority and responsibility

Make ethical standards
more important than legal requirements

Strive for team-based wins, not
individual

Emphasize capability – not organization

Incorporate
measures and metrics everywhere

Concentrate on core functions and outsource
all other

Can you connect these the ideas from these two resources?

“Now Is the Time on Sprockets When We Whine!”

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:44:08 -0700

In the 1980s, our culture became filled with an incessant whining from our favorite narcissistic navel-gazing generation, the Baby Boomers. (Oh, I’m not saying that all boomers are narcissistic navel-gazers, any more than all Xers are snarky eye-rollers.) But as the boomers hit midlife, there were suddenly news articles and books and columns and movies and television shows filled with handwringing angst from people who thought they were going to “change the world” back in the 1960s but had transmogrified into yuppie culture. “Have we sold out?” they cried. “What happened to our values? Our ideals?”

Well, those who argue that lifestage is more important than birth year in determining personal attitudes and behavior can take comfort in the fact that apparently this form of mental miasma is a byproduct of the aging process — because as us Xers hit mid-life, it seems now it is our turn to whine!

It’s a good thing that this conversation reminded me of the self-importance of boomers back in the day, because as I prepare to turn 40 next month you might have been in danger of receiving another slightly sappy (and ultimately pointless) post on the relentless march of time.

But you won’t have to worry about it, because now it’s clear – I need to get over myself! I’m going to turn 40, but what the hell, it beats the alternative, I’ve got great friends and family, a rewarding (in every sense of the term) career, a fantastic position where I have a lot of fun, and when I do turn 40, I’ll be doing it in Paris. Life is sweet!

Cringe Factor

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:25:00 -0700

Tuesday, the Daily Show satirized the protectors of corporations from big government--trade associations--and their fake populist ad campaigns featuring average Americans as spokesmodels. The punchline came when the coal lobby's "Faces of Coal" campaign was outed for its use of purchased photos from iStock.com.

Earlier this year, when big pharma's Harry and Louise ads came out in favor of health care insurance reform, I had started to hope that associations had turned the corner on advocacy, but the energy giants have proven me wrong. Huge cringe factor.

UPDATE: A week after this show, I saw an ad on MSNBC from the American Petroleum Institute of an interview with a woman who was clearly not an actor or model.

What does it cost to redesign a website?

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:12:23 -0700

My friend Becky Granger (Educause) recently posed this question on the ASAE and the Center's Technology listserv and sparks a barage of responses. Not unusual for Becky but may be a record for the listserv. The answers were a bit...

Have Xers Sold Out?

Jeffrey Cufaude — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:54:00 -0700

A lot of association bloggers have been sharing their own thoughts on this question, one posed by Maddie Grant of Social Fish. If the question gets your interest, you can read some of the responses by checking them out at The Association Blogoclump.

I don't feel I have much new thinking to add to others' great insights, but I did want to share my comment to Maddie's original post as it is a bit different than what I've seen on the other blogs. Here it is:

The “selling out” charge has a caustic sting to it as it implies we aren’t meeting some universally agreed-upon standard. But for anyone to level that accusation implies we had an agreement, a contract to act and choose a certain way and that I am now violating those terms. I don’t recall ever entering into such an agreement.

So cliche comments get lobbed our way: “You’re not the person you once were.” You’re right. I’m not and neither are you (that’s a universal you, not a Maddie grant you). I’m not the person I was a year ago, nor am I the person I will become a year from now. Our choices, like our identities, are fluid and in a state of fairly regular flux. Different strokes, different sensibilities.

Are we less edgy? Have we sold out? Who the hell knows? Edgy by whose standards? Mine? Yours? And if someone sees me as edgy, it says as much about how they see themselves and their work as it does about how I see myself and my work.

I think people spend too much energy worrying about being edgy, cool, and cutting edge. Do good work that you believe in and that represents as much of your authenticity as you are in touch with at any given moment. How the world talks about it really doesn’t matter all that much.

Driving Ideas on Your Innovation Highway

Jeffrey Cufaude — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:55:00 -0700

The way drivers merge from the highway on-ramp into a lane of traffic parallels how people introduce ideas into an organization's innovation pipeline:

The Coast is Clear driver waits until no cars can be seen in the first lane of traffic before even beginning to attempt a merge. The car merges safely, but often creates quite the backup at the on-ramp.

The Here I Come driver does the reverse, barreling into the lane at full speed regardless of the existing flow of traffic. Other cars often have to change lanes to avoid a collision.

The Get in the Gap driver merges at the first sign of available space, but often does so too slowly instead of quickly accelerating to the flow of traffic. As a result other cars have to slow down.

The I'm Coming Through driver flies straight from the ramp across multiple lanes of traffic instead of successfully merging into the first lane and then changing lanes one at a time.

The Fast and Focused driver accelerates on the ramp and enters the lane at relatively the same speed of other cars, merging successfully into an appropriate opening between cars.

Each of these driving approaches—whether you are trying to drive a car on the highway or an idea into your organization's menu of activity—has risks associated with it. Only the Fast and Focused approach, however, uses the time before entry to get up to speed so once in traffic you can drive without disrupting the flow of other cars or ideas.

Tourism/meeting humor

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:17:30 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

The body charged with attracting more visitors to the midwestern state will now be known as the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin (TFW), in an attempt to put a stop to the jokes.

It seems that the federation was unaware of – or unconcerned by – the modern meaning of WTF until its acronym featured on a blog that compiles unfortunate corporate logos earlier this year. [sic]

I wonder if the Official Meeting Facilities Guide is next to change its name?

The Xer Meme: Have I sold out?

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:49:38 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

Back in college I discovered this amazing acoustic guitar duo that toured regionally. My friends and I would drive all over the place following them into small music halls, bars, and college music festivals. The year before I graduated they put together a band and got even better. I followed them closer, was active on the fan listserve, and even started a Web site for the fan listserve. Then, shortly after I graduated, the band released an album on a major label, and, well you know how this story will end… Everyone’s grandma showed up at their concerts, the listserve blew up to a bazillion subscribers, their music was all over the top 40 stations, and (horrifically) turned into Muzac™.

That was it. I still listen with fondness to those old albums and bootlegs, but I haven’t bought an album or seen a show since they went mainstream.

By now you’ve probably seen this: The Xer Meme: Have we sold out?. (For the record, I am in Gen X, but depending on which model you look at, I was born less than 12 months from the onset of the Millennials and I tend to affiliate more with them) Maddie calls me out by name, wondering if I’ve sold out. The answer is (probably) no.

There are two sides to my story. I have pulled waaaay back from my blogging and social media speaking. First of all, social media has gone waaaaaay mainstream. As someone who made much ado about social media and associations early on, the fact that it has caught on in this industry is both satisfying and, frankly, disappointing. It was kind of fun being the voice in the wilderness. Today, the wilderness is overpopulated. Everyone’s grandma is here. And they’re playing Muzac™.

Secondly: Everyone’s a social media specialist these days (and some are actually quite good at it). I’ve frankly had trouble keeping up with the likes of the social fish, and so I’m less inclined to share my social media musings here on this blog. Why cover trails already blazed?

Maddie also says that I’m lost to the real estate industry. This is totally true. For all the speaking and writing that I don’t do for associations, I now do for Realtors. As for my participation in the association blogoclump, the real estate scene is a lot more interesting than the association industry. There are amazing and cool new real estate technologies released every couple of months, dozens of innovators are engaged in the social media scene, there’s no shortage of news about the industry, we have a fascinating cast of characters complete with bitter rivalries, and it’s just an exciting time to be part of it all. Plus, factor in that there are over 1000 Realtor associations, and you can see how it would be easy to get sucked into that world.

Sold out? If you don’t work with me day-to-day, I can see why it might appear that way. But Maddie’s right to guess that I’m engaged in some epic special ops on the inside, and making a lot of progress on stuff, thankyouverymuch — revolutionary stuff.

That’s all I can say. Otherwise, I’d have to kill you.

Out of Order

Jeffrey Cufaude — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:53:00 -0700

Salad, entree, dessert. That's the proper order for an enjoyable meal, right?

Except in Europe where you are more likely to end with a salad.

While we treat the salad as an appetizer in North America, Europeans see it as meal-ending digestive aid with the oil and vinegar in the dressing helping to break up the fats just consumed.

A predictable order to any common activity can be comforting to some, it can quickly become an unnecessary fixed routine that is just one step away from a rut.

Periodically going "out of order" is definitely in order if you want to surprise and reengage people's attention and interest … at a meal, in a magazine or publication, during a conference general session, in a staff meeting, and in many other events.

Multiple Personalities Order

Jeffrey Cufaude — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 02:01:00 -0700

I think we all have multiple personality disorder, except that I wouldn't call it disorder. I wouldn't call it anything. It's just a characteristic of being human.

Some mornings I wake up and while singing Sondheim songs in the shower I think about stage moments from roles long past (Albert, Bud Frump, Rolf) and leading man parts I still dream of playing.

Drawing a shot of espresso with perfect crema, I envision myself as a barista in a 100-square foot coffee bar just big enough for me and 2 or 3 of the regular customers whose lives I have become intimately familiar with since most of their days involve spending time with me.

Hosting friends for brunch and doing my best Martha Stewart impersonation (presentation really does matter) the names of the many restaurants and hotels I have thought of opening run through my mind.

Musical theatre star, barista, hospitality impresario—on any given day, these are just a few of the identities (in addition to the ones I currently embody) that I know would bring me much joy and satisfaction.

We owe it to ourselves (and others) to create space in our lives for the many aspects of our "self" that we want to authentically explore and experience. Our multiple interests and personalities only become a disorder when we don't give them a home in our personal and professional lives. The opportunity (and the challenge) is to integrate and order our many part-time personalities into full-time fulfillment.

Toward a More Sustainable You

Jeffrey Cufaude — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:38:00 -0700

One of the new keynotes/workshops I've been presenting this year explores the beliefs and habits that will support a more sustainable you … you the person and you the professional. Note: I also have a version for organizations).

Here are some of the gentle reminders often shared in the individual version of this topic. You also can download a one-page PDF with these tips.

Relinquish your need for others to see things as you do.
Recharge you physical well-being with a new habit you can definitely keep.
Resign from one activity, commitment, or organization that doesn't contribute positively to your life.
Reflect regularly on what you are learning and can apply with rgeater intention.
Release an unproductive belief/behavior that limits our possibilities.
Relax your definition of what it means to live the good life.
Reconnect with someone whose insight and perspective you value.
Renew a skill or competency to gain a competitive advantage.
Recommit to a daily or weekly habit that strengthens you as a person.
Refresh your energy and passion for something you genuinely want to help create.
Reset your clock to reflect today's realities.
Realign your behaviors with a value that is important to you.
Reframe a challenge as an opportunity with steps to address it.
Reduce what you believe you need in order to live comfortably.
Review your aspirations and intentions and adjust your time commitments.
Reboot your mental operating system and refresh you curiosity and openness.

Making use of the I’net, a personal story

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:52:21 -0700

Mark Roberts has a set of posts on his blog about How the Internet Helped My Church and My Ministry, (Section 2). His experience has much to offer nonprofit organization directors who depend upon volunteers but are pressured about their web presence.

Issues discussed include keeping the website up to date, resources, personal websites, and social media.

Holding the line

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:21:44 -0700

Mark N. Simon, MD, describes How hospitals should deal with disruptive physician behavior by starting with UO coach Kelly’s dilemma. Whether it is your team’s football quarterback or a disruptive physician in the hospital or a volunteer on your team that acts out in inappropriate ways, you, as leader, must also act. Disruptive or inappropriate behavior is a disease and it will destroy team motivation and effectiveness if allowed to foster. Here is what the leader must do:

Expected behaviors should be clearly delineated.
Consequences for divergence from these behaviors should also be delineated.
The type of punishment should be in line with the severity of the infraction.
Consequences should increase in a step-wise fashion for repetitive infractions.
Clear communication should occur at each and every instance.

Note that there is nothing in this list about the offender. It is the behavior that is at issue; not the person. Your job as leader is to make sure that you can tell the difference and put the focus on behavior.

Figuring out what you want

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:23:48 -0700

Does the organization understand that ‘everything’ is not an option?

Seth Godin suggests Things to ask before you redo your website and puts a bit of perspective that can be applied to any major project. The focus should be on defining the goals and expected outcomes of the effort. Seth provides a list of questions that you can use to guide the focus.

And remember, keep in mind that ‘everything’ is not an option!

Is Your Decorum Just Decor?

Jeffrey Cufaude — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:27:00 -0700

No doubt the political chatterati will dissect Joe Wilson's outburst for another day or so, but I want to examine it from an organizational development standpoint while trying to avoid any political inferences. So let's look at the 4 major actions that occurred and some of the OD questions we might want to consider for our own organizations.

1. An organization has standing rules about decorum during particular types of events.

Having a code of conduct, guidelines for professional practices, or statement of shared values is fairly common among all types of organizations. These statements of ethics are supposed to guide individual behavior and reflect the ethos of the community. In Built to Last, Jim Collins and Jerry Porras found that the most successful companies were cult-like about their core ideology. And there's that old saying, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."

2. An individual behaves in a manner that violates those rules.

One of the challenges organizations have with codes of conduct is what enforcement mechanism, if any, is put into place for the stated standards. Guidelines are nice, but when they are violated you often find the parties affected to be seeking rules that have teeth. If you are going to plant a stake in the ground, you need to do so after giving careful consideration to how violations will be treated, who will make that determination, and what type of appeals process should be provided.

3. The individual apologizes.

I think at least two interesting questions emerge at this stage: (1) is/isn't an apology enough? and (2) to whom should the apology be directed? We are human beings who make mistakes. Acknowledging the mistake apologizing to those affected, and then realigning our behavior with the stated values is a fairly common way of making amends.

But to whom should our apology be directed? In the case of Representative Wilson, his initial apology was directed to President Obama since the President was the person Wilson had interrupted. But the actual rule/code of conduct comes not from the President, but the House. So in some respects the House—the community with the standards—is perhaps the body that should ultimately receive the apology.

Organizations have to decide when to make exceptions to a rule or else abide by rigid zero tolerance policies that often mete our extreme punishments for minor first-time offenses. Being clear about what variables could influence when exceptions are granted can increase the likelihood that decisions/responses will be seen as fair.

Individuals need to take a broader view of the other parties to whom they are accountable and who might be affected by their behavior. What one does often affects many more then might initially be determined.

4. The organization rebukes the individual for the behavioral violation.

Degrees of responses/punishments are always options and can include simple statements of reprimands (You broke a rule. We noticed. Don't do it again.) to stated fines and punishments as often occurs in professional sports. Organizations often get criticized for encoring their stated standards (couldn't you just look the other way) which I always find misplace. If we don't enforce what we say we believe, we essentially are violating are own code of conduct. Could we look the other way? Sure. Should we look the other way? Rarely in my book.

Doing so teaches others that it's possible to violate standards without consequences (remember not all responses have to be extreme punishments). When your members have that understanding you will find it often yields damaging consequences down the road.

How Too Much Help Actually Hurts

Jeffrey Cufaude — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:57:00 -0700

I recently attended a local volunteer meeting. Led by a very dedicated and capable volunteer, the 60-minute meeting consisted almost exclusively of him giving updates on various agenda items. Others attending then commented or responded to his questions. If someone would have been watching, but not listening, it might have appeared to be a graduate seminar in a professor's home. It was a decidedly one-sided conversation, and not one I would feel the need to participate in again.

Here's the problem, a common one in a lot of organizations, particularly at the local volunteer level. While everyone attending this meeting cares deeply and is willing to get involved, one individual drives the momentum and effort. It's not sustainable. At some point he will burn out and a leadership vacuum might emerge. And by holding too much of the responsibility for what gets done, he limits the group's productivity and impedes others' initiative. He's not being dictatorial, but his over-responsibility creates others' under-responsibility, a dynamic that Roger Martin explored in his excellent book, The Responsibility Virus.

Maintaining the right balance of responsibility between leaders and followers or contributors requires great attention and vigilance. If the leadership takes too little responsibility, others can flounder, use resources unproductively, or fail to follow-through appropriately. If the leadership takes on too much responsibility, others might think their ideas and assistance is not needed or allow the leadership to do all the work.

People with drive and commitment often find themselves promoted to (or selected for) positions of leadership. But they have a predisposition to "doer-ship." That is, their greatest gift is getting things done. Too bad they now are in a position that has helping others get things done as one of its primary responsibilities. If you find yourself in meetings where all eyes and ears are focused on one individual (maybe it's you!), it might be worth thinking about recalibrating the balance of responsibility.

Customers First, Then Product

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:35:28 -0700

Compelling theory that “startups are more likely to fail from a lack of customers than from the lack of a product.” I think this applies also to associations since I believe firmly that associations have a market, not a product (products can be developed to meet market needs and jettisoned when they don’t — what remains central is the market, constituency that we serve).

What Tennis Teaches About Strategy and Innovation

Jeffrey Cufaude — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:35:00 -0700

My competitive sport of choice is tennis, and in honor of this week's US Open, I want to offer an observation on what tennis can teach us about strategy and innovation.

Winning points is simple: either your opponent makes an error or you hit a winner. This is true for just about any business as well: a competitor offers an inferior product or service (losing) or you innovate and deliver greater value (winning).

But not all winners are created the same in tennis (or business). The points that get the most applause during a match are often the outright winners ... the service ace, the ripping return, the overhead hit out of the court. Thrilling as those are to hit, they don't represent the majority of points won in most matches.

Instead, most points are won after longer rallies in which players use each shot hit to methodically gain a competitive advantage through court position, depth of the ball, and angle of placement. The best players stay light on their feet between strokes, hovering around an approximate center point that allows them to quickly move to their opponent's return. Players often throw in a low percentage shot simply to mix up the game and see how their opponent reacts. Doing so causes their opponent to second-guess what they might do when facing a similar shot selection in the future. Points are often won (and energy is conserved) when a player sees an opponent hit a short ball or one that will rise high above the net, and they move forward to close in on the ball and hit the winner. Finally, every player has certain strength shots that they turn to when backed into a difficult situation.

That sounds like a good strategy for anyone looking to innovate, regardless of the line of business. Stay positioned close to your center (your core mission and products or services) as you look to strike. Have sufficient patience to put into place today, the processes and people whose future efforts in the future will deliver great returns. Avoid making outright errors that result from pure carelessness as opposed to the missteps that result from strategic exploration. Remain ever-ready to move forward when opportunities for quick winners present themselves. Leverage your proven capabilities when you absolutely have to win.

More on Membership

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:29:38 -0700

Scott Briscoe’s starting an interesting conversation on “the death of membership” over at Acronym. I’m having my say in the comments.

The Power of the Platform

Jeffrey Cufaude — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:21:00 -0700

Three bags of books had been readied for Goodwill when it occurred to me that I should consider selling some of them as an Amazon Reseller. After all, I often buy used books from resellers, why wouldn't people do the same from me?

It took me about 5 minutes to open a reseller account and another 15 to list the 30 or so books (and a barely used set of Mikasa Arabella china in case you're looking) that had decent resale value. It has been only two weeks, but already 17 items have been purchased totaling $400 in revenue after Amazon's approximately 30% commission on each sale.

Amazon provided the platform and tools that turned me into an active and satisfied reseller, generating revenue for itself and allowing me to turn content gathering dust on my shelves into a value/revenue stream for myself.

Too bad our professional associations don't provide a similar simple and user-friendly platform that allows members to generate a return on investment for their ideas and knowledge while simultaneously delivering value to the association and the membership as a whole.

About your bylaws

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:24:33 -0700

The bylaws are the instruction and operating manual of the nonprofit. If the manual is faulty, you’re building on a shaky foundation, and it will reflect on how others (including foundations and major donors) perceive the organization.
…
Bylaws should provide guidance to the corporation’s board of directors and reassurance to government authorities, funders, and other interested stakeholders. In addition, they allow contractual parties to verify that corporate actions were properly taken.

The Nonprofit Law Blog takes on common issues with nonprofit bylaws. There are problems that come from conflicts with superceding governance documents like state law or the organization’s constitution. Others arise from a lack of review and stale clauses due to changes in organization habits and evolved policy. Still others are just bad practice.

One of the more interesting “bad practice” problems comes from the incorporation of Robert’s Rules.

We have said it before and we will say it again: Most organizations should avoid Robert’s Rule of Order like the plague. There is nothing wrong with Robert’s Rules of Order when adopted by the right organization for the right reasons. The right organization is a parliamentary or legislative body, not your typical nonprofit charity. [Disorder from Robert's Rules of Order]

A common practice when forming an organization is to borrow the bylaws from another organization. While it is good to use existing practice to create new practice, many don’t create derivative works carefully customized to their particular needs. The result becomes taking on someone else’s problems as your own, misapplying jurisdictions, or mandating procedures and practices alien to your own organization and its values and philosophies.

An organization’s bylaws should be carefully reviewed on a regular basis. They need to be kept up with the organization and the environment in which it operates. A “common problems” list provides a good reference for such a review.

Leaders Don't Get Unlimited Minutes Plans

Jeffrey Cufaude — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:40:00 -0700

The huffing and puffing over President Obama's address to children is far too much ado about nothing (though the now-removed question from the lesson plans was an initial error in judgment).

However, it does remind us that no leader is living with an unlimited calling plan (sorry T-Mobile). The soapbox eventually gets worn down and you no longer can be seen above the crowd if your voice is always the one being heard.

Individuals in leadership need to honor the principle of limited air time, speaking only when they have a unique contribution to make or when a message will be more effectively if voice by them. Otherwise, they should allow, encourage, and amplify other voices.

As with so many other things, less again can be more.

Nonprofit starvation cycle

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:10:47 -0700

The Stanford Social Innovation review takes a look at the infrastructure problem in nonprofits.

The cycle starts with funders’ unrealistic expectations about how much running a nonprofit costs, and results in nonprofits’ misrepresenting their costs while skimping on vital systems—acts that feed funders’ skewed beliefs. To break the nonprofit starvation cycle, funders must take the lead.
…
Organizations that build robust infrastructure—which includes sturdy information technology systems, financial systems, skills training, fundraising processes, and other essential overhead—are more likely to succeed than those that do not. This is not news, and nonprofits are no exception to the rule.
…
underfunding overhead can have disastrous effects, finds the Nonprofit Overhead Cost Study, a five year research project conducted by the Urban Institute’s National Center for Charitable Statistics and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
…
In response to pressure from funders, nonprofits settle into a “low pay, make do, and do without” culture, as the Nonprofit Overhead Cost Study calls it.

Infrastructure serves several functions in an organization and these functions are not directly visible. What is seen is money coming in and not the expense for creating a mailing and printing and postage, much less all of the effort needed to compile, track, and manage a mailing list. Infrastructure provides necessary services to support the organization’s mission and it provides the continuity to carry it from year to year and decade to decade. Leadership understands that it is the things not readily seen that need appropriate attention and does what is necessary to place it properly in the organization’s priorities.

UPDATE: just heard a good example: An attendee noted many more vendors at this year’s event and suggested that it was because the unemployment rate was making for many new entrepreneurs. But more than likely the high vendor participation was due to event management, the infrastructure, that got the word out and promoted vendor participation. Things don’t just happen and an organization’s events are a mirror of its infrastructure. A good infrastructure can accommodate for unexpected external situations, even ones as significant as an economic downturn. That is why good leadership notices not only a success but also sees what makes it work.

It's a Matter of Pride

Jeffrey Cufaude — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:40:00 -0700

When people are proud, they don't stop with just good enough.

When people are proud, they search for opportunities to contribute, to make a difference, to model the way.

When people are proud, they manage themselves and require less oversight from leaders.

When people are proud, they convey a deep conviction and a contagious enthusiasm.

When people are proud, they do things because they want to, not because they have to.

When people are proud, they take greater satisfaction in accomplishments ... theirs and those of others.

When people are proud, their energy is the fuel that ignites others.

Perhaps Jon Katzenbach, Why Pride Matters Most, said it best: “People who are emotionally committed to something … behave in ways that defy logic and often produce results well beyond expectations.”

—

Storytelling: The Need for Narrative

Jeffrey Cufaude — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:09:00 -0700

Big-city amenities with a small town feel. Great quality of life for the price. Amazing downtown that is clean, safe, and filled with amenities. So easy to do so much. A place that moves in new directions a bit conservatively, but when it does, it almost always does so successfully. An overall B+/A- place to call home that is relatively hassle-free.

This is the story that those of us living in Indianapolis told others (and each other) during the early years of this decade. This is the story that has produced (among other successes) the gleaming White River State Park filled with cultural destinations, the Canal Walk, an outdoor music amphitheater and much more. It’s the tale that no doubt helped us secure the 2012 Super Bowl, quite a coup given the competition and the potential for a very cold January. This is the story that made you feel good about living in a place that some still refer to as India – No – Place.

While remnants of this story still creep into conversations, they no longer saturate them. Much of this is due to the changed economic conditions that have put some developments on hold, trimmed back others, and made balancing the city budget quite difficult. This more challenging climate, however, should only have dampened the fire of what was a very compelling narrative shared by many. …

… If our civic leaders would have kept telling the story. But they haven’t. When we talk about the power of storytelling, we often reference sitting around the campfire. But any campfire goes dark unless it is provided with new kindling and timber and stirred and stoked periodically to spread the burning embers.

When our citizens elected a new mayor in November of 2007 they not only changed administrations, they voted out some of our primary storytellers. This isn’t unusual. Candidates often win elections because they tell a new or different story that voters find appealing. But our previous mayor was voted out largely due to public opposition on tax matters. People didn’t vote against the city’s story he helped cultivate. They didn’t even vote for a new story since the eventual victor didn’t really have one.

Our new mayor presents himself as a “get down to business” brass tacks kind of guy. He prides himself on being no nonsense and frequently cites lessons learned form his military career. He rightly focuses a great deal of energy on addressing the significant infrastructure needs that any major city has, and he is indeed making some progress.

All this is well and good. But his story isn’t our story. Sidewalks and safety fall at the base of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Important as they are, they aren't the narrative fuel that unites a community, inspires passionate and vibrant nonprofits, fully engages corporate generosity, and helps continue to shape a world-class convention and tourism destination.

And in the absence of a shared story whose flames are stoked by very visible storytellers, we are left with many smaller stories told on smaller soapboxes to more isolated audiences. It's fragmented. Pockets of pride can be found from some storytellers, but the waves of momentum and synergy are much smaller. And some stories and storytellers are not so positive. Some don’t contribute to our growth and development. Some even suck the energy out of the civic fabric. And worse yet, many people now have no story that they believe in or tell to others.

Every successful institution—company, school, community, association—has at one time achieved great things because of the stories its leaders, and more importantly, its members, residents, or stakeholders have told. People need a future to believe in and need to know that others not only believe in that story, but are working together to make it a reality. CEOs don’t necessarily have to be great storytellers, but they do need to insure that a great story is being told.

What’s the story being told in a place you care about?

Conflict

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:01:40 -0700

Check out Jamie Notter on Managing Conflict With Confidence: 7 Tips for Getting Unstuck next time you get stuck going in circles trying to resolve a bad situation. Know yourself and your hot buttons and realize that others may be different. Accept that humans are emotional. That means you need to know when your feelings are hijacking your own behavior and you need to be tolerant of others who may be acting from an emotional basis. Be active in dealing with conflict as it won’t go away if you try to ignore it. Put learning as a first priority in conflict management as that helps all sides see the big picture.

The really hard conflicts are not resolved by getting the facts straight, but usually by clarifying and sharing the assumptions, data, and meaning we make of it all.

Go for feedback and consequence rather than judgment and demand. Focus on your own behavior and what you need to change to lead the conflict towards a productive resolution.

There's More than One Way to Score Runs

Jeffrey Cufaude — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:15:00 -0700

The over-the-fence homer is a guaranteed crowd pleaser at a ballgame. One crack of the bat can send the fans to their feet and put another run on the scoreboard.

Far less thrilling, but equally valuable when it comes to winning games, is the slower and more methodical approach of putting people on base and then advancing them to home plate. The final score doesn’t denote how the runs were earned … just that they were.

When it comes to organizational innovation, too many people think only of home runs, of the star player who takes a turn at bat and hits it out of the park. Read any of the research about how innovation actually occurs and you learn it results from a mix of striking out at the plate and a lot of singles and doubles to finally earn a run. And periodically a sacrificial bunt is required to get just the right product or service created.

Organizational executives and strategy consultants do a huge disservice to the innovation process when they focus too exclusively on just the big swings, the home runs of idea generation and implementation. It falsely defines innovation and makes it appear out of reach for some of the game’s most important players.

Just as no baseball manager can make having a star player hit a home run a defining strategy for a game, neither can any leader rely excessively on one or two individuals, committees, or divisions, to deliver the game-winning hit on demand. Organizations instead need a deep bench of players with varying capabilities and a clear strategy for advancing ideas one base at a time. That’s what puts runs on the scoreboard and delivers value to members or customers.

Saving time or time to savor?

Jeffrey Cufaude — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:54:00 -0700

Saturday morning found me chopping vegetables and making homemade bread ... aka, "trying to use up everything in my CSA box before another one comes this week."

I probably spent about 2-3 hours total cooking away, knowing full well that the farmer's market sells the very bread I was making and that I could pick up a bag of chopped frozen vegetables anytime at the grocer's.

And I remember my first association job where four professionals with graduate degrees gathered around a small table every other week to label and stuff envelopes for a member mass mailing. Mundane work indeed, but the time together was filled with lots of laughs, informal brainstorming, and periodic deep dives on strategic questions we needed to address.

In their great book, The Experience Economy, authors B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore use the example of birthday cakes to explain how our economy has evolved from extracting commodities (flour, eggs, butter) … to making goods (using a pre-made cake mix) … to delivering services (buying a cake from the bakery) … to staging experiences (outsourcing the bday party to Chuck E. Cheese).

But we're starting to see numerous examples of people "regressing" from being spectators at staged experiences to becoming more involved in the creation process once again … some because of economic realities and some because of a desire to reconnect with the craft itself.

Perhaps the time-savers in our life might actually be depriving us from investing time in activities and relationships we can savor.

IDEO Puts the "I" in Community

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:58:25 -0700

Enabling the individual enables the community, writes IDEO's Patrice Martin in the current issue of Patterns. Powerful communities emerge when individuals are encouraged to take ownership and find their voices.

"Funny how an emphasis on “I” leads to a more coherent sense of we," she notes, adding a list of three ways we can put the "i" in community:

1. Make your customers co-owners

Let your customers own the experience with you. Push past the comfort zone of control and see how far your experience grows.

2. Attract personality with personality

Want to attract passion? Be passionate. Dare to show your personality in order to encourage others to put just as much or more into the experience.

3. Practice stealth facilitation

Edit in the background. Authenticity and spontaneity should appear in the forefront, not control.

Doesn't that sum up the best advice for handling communities of practice? Easy to see why I love the people of IDEO! BTW, if you'd like to play with them, and talk more about building community, don't miss The Vine Salon at IDEO on November 17 at IDEO's HQ in Palo Alto.

Swifferize Your Routine

Jeffrey Cufaude — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:16:00 -0700

For millions of people, Swiffer products have been a game-changer, offering a quick and convenient way to clean your floors on a more regular basis between deeper cleanings. I love being able to catch all the dust accumulating in just a few minutes.

Every now and then we all stop and sort through the stacks of clippings, unread professional publications, notes from conferences attended and the like. To be truly effective though, we need to complement these episodic organizational deep dives with more ongoing review and action.

Example: While I use an electronic calendar and organizer, I go low-tech for my daily routine. On a 3x5 index card, I note my appts. and tasks for the day on one side. As things come up during the day that I need to remember and/or act upon, I note those on the other side. The card is my key to portable productivity. At the end of the day, I clear the card, reviewing both sides and taking the necessary actions.

Take 10 minutes right now and figure out one way you can Swifferize the way you manage your desktop (actual desk, mental, and/or computer).

The clutter you remove just might lead to the clarity you seek.

Virtual Ribbons for ASAE Annual Meeting in Toronto

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:00:29 -0700

Thanks to Jeff De Cagna for coming up with virtual ribbons for those who cannot attend the Annual Meeting of ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership in Toronto. I'm only able to be there over the weekend this year...

Garage Sale Economics

Jeffrey Cufaude — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:59:00 -0700

A complete set of Aunt Martha's cherished china that has been passed on from generation to generation? $15.

An heirloom puppet you once used to entertain all the neighborhood kids? $3

The plastic patio table and faded umbrella under which so much laughter with good friends occurred? $25

This is the time of year when so many look to reduce the clutter in their lives and use cheap prices to entice us to increase ours. It's a time-honored ritual in which we ignore the sentimental value and meaning attached to objects and instead opt for the joy of empty shelves and a bit more breathing room.

So many companies and associations would benefit from having a garage sale of their own, purging themselves of the programs or services that have little value but people just can't seem to part with yet. Only by letting go does new space become available for what we have yet to create.

August Reading Marathon

Jeffrey Cufaude — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:33:00 -0700

Heaven help me.

August 1 marks the first day of my 35 books in 35 days professional reading marathon. Thank goodness I have a hiking/writing vacation planned immediately after the marathon concludes. In three cases, I will be doing a deeper read of a book I have previously skimmed.

I've selected seven themes for the reading, and my plan is to post interesting quotes and insights via Twitter as I read each book. Once I've finished all the books in a theme, I will compose a longer blog post that highlights the various texts, compares and contrasts, etc. Here are the themes and titles:

1. Work and organizations

Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin
Elsewhere USA by Dalton Conley
Why Work Sucks by Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson
Saving the World at Work by Tim Sanders
The Levity Effect by Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher

2. Internet culture and its impact

Free by Chris Anderson
And Then There’s This by Bill Wasik
Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky
Grown Up Digital by Donald Tapscott
Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff

3. Creativity, design, and innovation

In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew May
The Element by Ken Robinson
Ignore Everybody by Hugh MacLeod
Get Back in the Box by Douglas Rushkoff
The Laws of Simplicity by John Maeda

4. Society, the world, and the economy

Life Inc. by Douglas Rushkoff
The Tyranny of Dead Ideas by Matt Miller
The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz
The Age of the Unthinkable by Joshua Cooper Ramo
The Necessary Revolution by Peter Senge
Deep Economy by Bill McKibben
Enough by John Bogle

5. Decision-making

Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein
Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths & Total Nonsense by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton
The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Judgment by Noel Tichy and Warren Bennis
Crowdsourcing by Jeff Howe

6. Thinking and attention

The Starfish and the Spider by Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom
The Opposable Mind by Roger Martin
A Perfect Mess by Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman
Five Minds for the Future by Howard Gardner
Rapt by Winifred Gallagher

7. Leadership

Tribes by Seth Godin
Leading with Questions by Michael Marquardt
The Introverted Leader by Jennifer Kahnweiler
Sala, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age by Juana Bordas

The saddest part of it all? It still leaves me about 40 books unread.

A second opinion on Google Wave

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:14:41 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

From all indications, Google Wave looks to be a game-changing group collaboration technology. If you haven’t already watched the video from the Google I/O event earlier this year (caution, it’s long) you really should set aside some time to look into this, especially if your organization does a lot of online collaboration.

Google does a pretty good job putting a good face on its products, and Wave is no exception. Here’s a review from ZDNet about Google Wave, which points out a few of its shortcomings. A good read.

Study Reveals High Levels of Twitter Use at Conferences

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:33:00 -0700

How People are using Twitter during Conferences is a research report about the use of Twitter before, during and after a conference. It also covers uses from the conference organizers and attendees.

Nothing groundbreaking here, but it may help someone trying to convince conference organizers to promote hashtags and social media use during a conference.

Case Study in Social Media: Lupus Foundation of America

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:48:09 -0700

SmartBrief has done an insightful interview with Wick Davis, director of online services for the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), on their creative use of social media to reach their constituents, help them network with each other, increase advocacy efforts,...

Time to Move from "If Only" to Only If"

Jeffrey Cufaude — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:20:00 -0700

They must be the two most frequently spoken words on the planet: if only.

If only we had more time, we could develop better strategies for the future.

If only we had more money, we'd be able to add lots of special touches to this project.

If only we had a few different board members, we could be much more innovative.

But we don't have those things and most likely we won't have those things. So letting what we know we can't have get in the way of managing what we do is a copout.

It's time to move from if only to only if.

We'll develop better strategies for the future only if we create systems and have conversations that effectively use our limited time.

We'll add lots of special touches to this project only if we make better use of the dollars we have available or identify creative additions that don't cost much at all.

We'll be more innovative only if we develop a better relationship with the board so they will feel more comfortable supporting ideas they currently see as risky.

Powerful Presentations Tip #7: Prepare to be Present

Jeffrey Cufaude — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:54:00 -0700

I hope you've enjoyed these seven tips/steps to more powerful presentations. Currently I am designing a PDF booklet that expands on each of the tips and provides additional examples and supportive material. I'll announce on the blog when it is available.

I'll be doing a three-hour workshop exploring the 7-step design process on Monday, October 19, from 1:15-4:15 p.m. in Washington, DC. Registration is limited to 30 participants and information can be found here. It will be an interactive afternoon filled with lots of idea sharing and additional tips to strengthen your your workshop/presentation design and facilitation capabilities.

Now on to the final step/tip: Prepare to be present.

While the previous six steps/tips are each critical to creating a more powerful learning experience, they must be buttressed by the power of presence, the ultimate presenter gift to participants.

We’ve all been in a session in which the room crackled with energy and insight. That doesn’t happen when presenters are so tied to their slides, notes, and outline that everything runs according to script. In the best sessions the learning happens in the center of the room, in that space where participant and presenter contributions collide, mix, and form new meaning and understanding.

That only occurs when you as the presenter have prepared exhaustively resulting in your ultimate command of the content and your total ease with modifying format and focus on the fly based on participants’ needs and energy. Facilitating learning is an improvisational skill. The best presenters take every offbeat line and curve participants throw at them and respond, “Yes, and” just as great improvisation requires. Saying no stops the energy, the flow, and ultimately, the learning.

This is why great presenting is so difficult, but so worthwhile. It requires you to prepare so thoroughly that you can effortlessly reorder your content or change the learning format for a particular segment without participants knowing you have done so. It demands the deepest listening and awareness … to what is being said now, to what has been said before, to what is not being said … and to connect these thoughts in real-time to the overall content you are presenting. On days when I have been most successful as a presenter, I finish the session completely spent from the external conversations I have had with participants and the internal discussions I have had with myself.

So once you complete a session design that you find satisfying, direct your attention to all the questions you need to answer and the actions you need to takes o that you can be 100% present during the presentation. Turning off your cellphone isn’t enough. You have to turn off the rest of the world so that nothing interferes with the incredible opportunity you’ve been given … to turn on the learning and understanding participants come to us seeking.

Taking Care of Yourself

Jeffrey Cufaude — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:23:00 -0700

What you eat matters.

Building your strength, endurance, and flexibility through exercise matters.

How much sleep you get matters.

Taking time to relax and rejuvenate matters.

Laughing matters.

Time with people important to you matters.

Hobbies matter.

You can read professional journals, participate in webinars, have the very best mentors, and attend all the conferences you want, but if you don't take good care of the person behind the professional, it won't matter.

Ask the CAE: How do you create a viral status update link for Twitter?

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:18:16 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

A few people have seen some of the viral status update links I push out through Twitter and have wondered how I did it. It’s actually really simple if you know what you’re doing.

Start your link URL with http://twitter.com/?status=
Then, everything after the equal sign will be the status that appears in the update box when users land at Twitter.com. For example: http://twitter.com/?status=I just learned how to make a viral status update link from @bkmcae at http://BenMartinCAE.com/viraltweet <– Check it out!
Important side note: Twitter users must be logged into Twitter.com for this to work.

To see how this works, go ahead and log into Twitter.com and then click this link.

Redesigning the RFP Process

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:33:47 -0700

I proposed two sessions for the Association Technology Conference 2010. The first is on Intranet Best Practices. We all get to see lots of good and bad web sites but most have little exposure to intranet sites as they are...

A Kinder Garden for Better Thinking

Jeffrey Cufaude — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:12:00 -0700

I've been doing a lot of reading on the power of play and the positive role it plays in learning, strategy development, creativity, and innovation.

Doing so caused me to do a little research on the word kindergarten. German in origin, it literally means children (kinder) and garden (garten). Friedrich Froebel, the German educator who coined the term, created in 1840 a Play and Activity Institute. He renamed it kindergarten two years later, envisioning the kindergarten educational experience as a garden for children where they could grow and develop, as well as interact with real gardens and nature.

I like the origin of the word and think the garden metaphor is ripe with opportunities for talking about how ideas are planted, nurtured, and harvested in an organization.

But what has most stayed with me is seeing the word split into its two roots: kinder and garden. While the Germanic meaning of kinder is clearly children, seeing the word for its other meaning—being more kind—also holds great relevance for the power of play.

We will only produce breakthrough thinking and innovative solutions if we treat our colleagues, stakeholders, and thinking partners with greater kindness and respect and increase our willingness to play and think with just about anyone instead of the usual suspects or the proven partners whom we may now favor.

Powerful Presentations Tip #6: Great Slides Are By Design, Not Default

Jeffrey Cufaude — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:22:00 -0700

Many conferences no longer provide handouts as they green their meetings, and I’m all for anything that reduces paper waste. That said, well-designed handouts (not just slides reprinted in handout form) can be a valuable interactive tool to engage participants in notetaking and other written exercises. While I don’t use handouts for all my sessions, I do see them as integral to many presentations and lament others who forget their potential to enhance learning.

If you are going to do handouts, do so with great intention. Design printed materials that will support and supplement the overall learning experience you are trying to create. Use page layout programs like Pagemaker or InDesign so they are more visually appealing and varied than slide output. Always ask yourself: Is what I am creating worth the paper and ink it will take to produce it? If not you might make it a supplemental file that can be viewed online. You can download a one-page primer on standout handouts (designed no less in model handout form) that I originally published in the September 2007 issue of Associations Now.

So what about slides? Three brilliant books already cover this topic better than I ever could hope to do: Beyond Bullet Points by Cliff Atkinson, slideology by Nancy Duarte, and Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds. Clicking on the book titles takes you to Amazon; clicking on the authors takes you to their web sites where you will find lots of free resources. But let me offer you a few tips I think can be helpful right away.

Just as with the other visuals discussed in tip #5, only create slides to support your overall learning objectives and to help create the desired environment for the presentation. Less will almost always be more when it comes to slides, both in terms of your total slide deck count and the amount of info on a slide. That being said, highly technical talks often require far more information to be visually displayed than other types of presentations, so no one rule fits all situations.

Four types of slides are commonly found in my decks: information, illustration, instruction, and ignition.

Information slides convey key facts, details, and supporting points for what I am discussing.

Illustration slides contain images that support assertions I am making verbally, providing a clear example that enhances the understanding of what's being said.

Instruction slides give participants the information they need for exercises/activities I have them do. While I also verbalize such instructions, having them on a slide is helpful for visual learners and those who didn't catch everything I said.

Ignition slides typically are images, words, or quotes that serve as catalysts or springboards for stories or key sections of my talk. They help ignite participants’ interest in what will follow.

These distinctions might not be how you would divide your own slides, but I find them helpful in clarifying my intention for the slides I create: to inform, to illustrate, to instruct, to ignite.

While having some design skills or intuitive visual orientation definitely is an asset, it’s not a requirement for creating good slides. Just as you might tear out magazine pages illustrating home designs you like, you can do the same thing for slides. I have file folders (both in hard copy and on my laptop) containing slides, handouts, newsletters, and other publications containing examples of good design. I use them for inspiration as I create my decks. I regularly check out slide decks uploaded to Slideshare.net (think YouTube for slides) to see what others are doing.

Having coached a lot of presenters on slide design this year and having redone more slides than I would care to remember, let me give you a eight simple reminders:

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Slide programs offer lots of options for animations, sound effects, and transitions, but the best decks use these judiciously. Too many slide decks are filled with annoying sound effects and jarring transitions or animations just because they were there to use.
Only work with the top 70% of your slide. While the recommended percentage may vary, the advice never does. The bottom of your slide won’t be readable from the back of a large room, so don’t put critical information there. It’s a great place for conference or company logos though I find having those on every slide an unnecessary visual distraction.
Limit yourself to only a few fonts or colors and try to use them consistently. Magazines typically use a headline font and a body text font. They also sometimes have a different font for certain sections. Good slides do the same, using any differences consistently as a way of subtly helping participants understand the organization of your slides.
Don’t rely on the software’s default settings, particularly with bullet point text. Manually inserting or adjusting line or paragraph spacing can help unite lines of text that are better read together while allowing appropriate white space between points so that the eyes get a breather. And don't let one or two words get orphaned on a separate line because the word wrap kicks them over.
Avoid clip art, particularly the art included with the software. Everyone has it. Everyone can use it. As a result, your deck is not distinctive. Plus so much clip art is juvenile or cheesy. Not all of it. But a lot of it. Look instead to royalty-free or low cost photo sites to get high quality images or take pictures yourself with a digital camera.
Use text reversed out of colored boxes/shapes for emphasis. It’s a simple way to introduce a lot of contrast into a slide and give prominence to a key point.
Don’t use bullet points unless no other design choice will work. Bullet points aren't inherently evil, but they aren’t far from it. Because they are a default software setting they are often overused. If you are talking about four separate points, you don’t necessary need a bullet point or number in front of them. Turn off the bullets on one of your existing slides and see what happens. Often it is just as readable. Or it can be made even more visually appealing by playing with the line spacing or other layout options.
Finally, don’t forget white space. Intentional use of white space creates breathing room on your slide and provides variety and contrast. Play with the width of various text blocks so they don’t cover the complete horizontal line of your slide. Move them around on your slide to create open blocks of space.

These are just a handful of the dozens of pointers others found helpful in our slide design efforts. The bottom line? The best slides help tell stories. They reinforce your key points and enhance participants’ understanding and retention of your talk’s content. Ruthlessly review your deck because any slides that aren't doing just this, just don't belong.

BFF Alert

Jeffrey Cufaude — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:41:00 -0700

Before you send out a letter and stack of material ...

before you invite me to be your friend on Facebook or join your network on LinkedIn ...

before you type in your letter or email to me something along the lines of "it was so good to spend some time with you at the meeting last week" ...

you might want to think about whether or not I was actually at the event and whether or not we ever met or spoke.

Just because my name was on the list doesn't mean I actually made it to the event (I didn't), that we met (not a chance), or that we had a pleasurable interaction (perhaps in your fantasy life).

When you take any of the actions listed above solely working off the pre-registration list for a meeting, you run the risk of using really personal language in the most impersonal and generic (and in my book, offensive) way.

Tweet Summary from #AssnChat

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:36:55 -0700

Here is a summary of the tweet stream from our weekly #AssnChat Twitter chat from today (6/23/09). These chats are open to anyone interested in association issues. Today's topics included: Integrating Social Media with other marketing efforts Balancing your own...

Buy “The Fogdirog” and be association geek chic

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:05:20 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

So I had a little fun on Zazzle tonight. I made and bought one of these. If you want one too, go ahead and buy it, and we can coordinate outfits at ASAE. It’ll be so much fun. What the heck is fogdirog, you say?

Buy this shirt.

Buzz 2009

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:03:10 -0700

If you are like me and can't afford to get to Cannes Lions later this month, I recommend that you consider Buzz 2009 on July 9th in DC. Maddie and Lindy of Social Fish have pulled together a great agenda...

Wanna speak to +/- 1000 Canadian & American Realtor Association Execs?

Wed, 20 May 2009 11:29:11 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

If yes, fill out this here form. The meeting is in April 2010 in Quebec. If you decide to put in for this, please drop me a line. I’m on the selection committee for this conference of association executives, so you have a friend on the inside. I’ll see what I can do.

Really? Totally free association marketing conference

Fri, 08 May 2009 19:56:01 -0700

[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

Two free nights at a Disney resort

Free association marketing conference

Free food and beverage

All you have to do is get there

This is what the crazy economy has brought us.

Continue the Conversation

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:48:42 -0800

BackType lets you “find, follow and share comments from across the web.” Whenever you fill out the URL in a blog’s comment form, BackType tracks it. You can use BackType to keep track of your own comments, follow the others of leaders in your industry, or keep track of what is being said about your association in blog comments.

[ via pr-squared.com ]

Lessons from innovation’s front lines: An interview with IDEO’s CEO

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:14:58 -0800

Many companies claim to be innovative, but few can claim innovation as their raison d’être. One such company though is IDEO—a designer of products, services, and experiences ranging from Apple’s first mass-market computer mouse to aspects of Prada’s store in New York City to the patient-care delivery model at SSM DePaul Health Center, in St. Louis, Missouri.

IDEO’s single-minded focus makes it a good case study for those seeking insights on innovation. Yet as CEO Tim Brown is quick to point out in McKinsley Quarterly, what works at IDEO won’t work everywhere.

Obama’s seven lessons for radical innovators

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:09:27 -0800

Regardless of your political persuasion, you must admit that Barack Obama is one of the most radical management innovators in the world today. His team built something world-changing: a new kind of political organization. Obama's presidential bid succeeded, in other words, through the power of new DNA: new rules for new kinds of institutions.

For the full story from Harvard Business Publishing, click here.

Obama To Post Fireside Chats On YouTube

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:47:56 -0800

The weekly radio address that every president has done since FDR will be videotaped and put onto YouTube. These “fireside chats” were started by FDR during the depression as a way to reassure Americans that everything was going to be all right.

The Presidential radio address (which will still be broadcast over the radio) is usually only about four minutes long, a perfect length for YouTube. The videos will be posted on Obama's Change.Gov web site, as well as its dedicated YouTube channel.

[ via TechCrunch ]

All it takes

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:39:39 -0800

“If anything goes bad, I did it.
If anything goes semi-good, we did it.
If anything goes really good, then you did it.
That’s all it takes to get people to win football games for you.”
~ Bear Bryant

Announcing the Pixelated Blog Conference Series

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:49:12 -0700

OK, if we in the association world can't put on a killer conference, who can? So get to work.

My Twitter friend, Mitch Joel, created what he calls the Pixelated Conference: a business conference you can watch at your desk (or from home on the weekend). He stole the idea from Future Now.

Since turnabout generally equals fair play, Chris Brogan then stole the idea from Mitch. And he wants you to steal it from him...

Here are the steps:

Decide on a theme
Find videos from YouTube, Blip.tv, Magnify.net, Google Video, whereever
Write a blog post and call it Pixelated- (and then your topic)
Insert the videos as if they’re your speakers at the event
Tag the post “pixelated” and also “conference”
Link to http://www.twistimage.com/blog (as homage to Mitch)
Spread the word, and we’ll all come “attend” your conference

20 Free eBooks About Social Media

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:36:47 -0700

The only thing better than books is FREE books - and Chris Brogan has rounded up 20 free e-books for us all to peruse. (In all cases, the first link is to a PDF file, the second link is to the site where it’s hosted.)

Now if you could only figure out how to use Excel...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:16:49 -0700

Bizzwords covers "the emerging vocabulary" of the business world - the buzzwords of business you need to know to be in the know on the cube farm.

Chainsaw consultant - an outside consultant brought in to fire employees

Brightsizing - downsizing by laying off the brightest workers

Layoff lust - the desire to be fired from one's job

to Nasdaq - to sharply decline in value or quantity

bozo explosion - a rapid increase of incompetent employees at a particular company

mucus trooper - an employee with a cold or the flu who insists on showing up for work

prairie-dogging - the sudden appearance of people's heads over the top of the cubicle walls when something interesting or noisy happens

jetiquette - the flyers' code of polite behavior

clickstream - the virtual path a person takes while surfing the Web

Zen mail - an e-mail message without text or attachments

Dorito syndrome - dissatisfaction felt after wasting time surfing the Net and accomplishing nothing

ohnosecond - the little bit of time it takes you to realize that you've just made a huge mistake

$9.95

[ via Charles Harrington Elster, Wall Street Journal ]

The Cost of Free

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:05:18 -0700

The ABC Evening News recently aired a segment on companies using Twitter to handle customer service issues (in response to long hold times on phones). Comcast, which handles customer service issues on Twitter too, was spotlighted in the piece. But it clarified for me exactly why I have not jumped on the Twitter bandwagon for the association.

I had considered using Twitter to push advocacy updates to members' mobile phones during our legislative session but had hesitations because of Twitter's excessive downtime. My fear is that most members (the majority of which have never used Twitter) would not be able to understand the difference between Twitter's "downtime" and the association's. So if I, as a member, miss an important advocacy update because Twitter is down, I don't think, "Twitter is down. What a bummer." I think "My association let me down. I missed an important advocacy update."

But I'm thankful for Twitter's downtime really, because it has made me examine all of the "free" third-party apps that I jumped at quickly because they were "free." And free is good.

But it has made me examine a little further: What cost free-dom?

Meeting Evaluation

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:01:28 -0700

I attend a lot of board meetings. Some are good, some aren't very good. But I love the fact that, if you have two different meetings that are productive and successful, they may not be anything alike. A group here at work came up with this meeting evaluation that gets at some of this, and I thought it was interesting to be so transparent about these points that usually people don't even articulate to themselves. What do you think, dear reader?

• The purpose of the meeting was clearly stated at the outset. (Y/N)
• The meeting's agenda was available to all attendees. (Y/N)
• The agenda was followed during the meeting. (Y/N)
• The meeting's objectives were met. (Y/N)
• My personal objectives were met. (Y/N)
• Everyone was encouraged to actively participate in the meeting. (Y/N)
• What part of the meeting was most valuable to you?
• Which part of the meeting was the least valuable for you?
• What recommendations do you have for conducting future meetings?

This kind of takes me back to my days teaching French. Every blue moon my boss used to come in and observe. When she did, she used an evaluation similar to this. For me, I hated the process but it did inspire me to improve things.

That Was Fast!

Marc — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:34:00 -0700

I can't just stop blogging about marketing - did you really think I would? I didn't either! I've had this bizarre personal blog since 2001 called "Mindnumbing Thoughts" and lucky for me, it turns out the URL was available!

My new blog, the one that replaces this one is now live! Visit www.mindnumbingthoughts.com to subscribe to the feed, read up and get all the goods. This new blog will be focused on more general social media, online community building and of course, my own mindnumbing thoughts.

I hope I'll see you there!

The reading pile

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:14:03 -0700

Making it through my pile again. Actually, I think this is older than that. But Fast Company has this really fascinating article on "generation debt." The article features online money-management applications, mainly mint, which it calls the "Axe Bodyspray of personal finance." Yucky image. But interesting statistics in the article, e.g. "Americans under 35 spend 16% more than they earn, on average." That is depressing. They quote Ramit Sethi, saying "there's this dull throbbing sense of guilt that we should be doing something, but where do we start?" The problem is it's not an easy answer, it's one that comes with hard work, discipline and knowing oneself. But hey, if a website helps someone, I'm all for it.

That issue also published a list of huge blogs, most of which I had heard of but here's a few that are new to me: Blog di Beppe Grillo, Icanhascheezburger.com, for the lolcat-inclined, and TMZ.com.

Haitus

Marc — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:19:00 -0700

As many of you know, I've had a major shift in career strategy about a month ago. I took a job with Microsoft (yea, yea, I know... evil empire, borg, assimilation etc...) and am leaving for now, the non-profit arena after 7 years.

I'm sad to write that this blog is on hiatus until perhaps I join the board of a non-profit (it could happen!) or decide to come back.

I *may* be starting a new blog, focused on social marketing, but haven't come up with a good name yet. I'm also busy finding my way at the giant known as Microsoft. Comments remain open, thought it seems that my blog has become ground zero for Runescape gold advertisers. Feel free to chime in or peruse the archives.

You can always follow my adventures on Twitter if you feel so inclined. Somehow, I am sure this is not good bye but more like a pause in programming.

Three things associations should drop, IMHO.

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:08:29 -0700

And the sooner the better. There are three things that drive me crazy when they come up in board meetings. Things that I have to stop myself from grabbing the person who suggested it and shaking them vigorously. However, I wanted to post it here to see if anybody has a differing opinion, and why.

First off is the whole silent auction thing. These make me want to scream. Somebody donates something that is worth $100 and it gets auctioned off for $15. Yay, the organization made $15!! Does anyone spot the problem with this plan? Do these ever make sense?

Second, the "let's do a scholarship" phenomenon. Do people ever stop and think about the end users here? If they did, they would probably perceive that, for a strapped student, yes $300 is worth jumping through a hoop or two. However, if you're a student, you also think that there are tons of other people applying for the same $300. Yes, the $300 is nice, but in the mind of an applicant, it's kind of like a slot machine.

The third piece of the trifecta has gotta be mentoring programs. Now, do I think mentoring is awesome? Yes, I do. Do I think organizations should facilitate it? Yes I do. But does that ever happen when someone says "let's do a mentoring program"? I have my doubts. In theory they should work but lots of factors have made them basically unimplementable for these groups.

So I don't claim to be the fount of all wisdom, but in general, I wish these things would go away.

Nonprofits in trouble

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:17:01 -0700

So there's these pieces in the Washington Post about the nonprofit sector failing to nurture its future leaders. A lot of the points people are talking about look really familiar. The generational divide is a really big deal.

True Blue

Marc — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:44:00 -0800

Regina Spektor
Joss Whedon
Neil Gaiman
Kevin Smith

What those four have in common is that I'm a true fan. I buy and see everything they do and I subscribe to their blogs and friend them on Myspace (or Facebook). I didn't realize how important that was (but had a notion) until reading Kevin Kelly's recent 1,000 True Fans post.

This is so, so applicable to non-profits it's scary.

Other than aim for a blockbuster hit, what can an artist do to escape the long tail?
One solution is to find 1,000 True Fans. While some artists have discovered this path without calling it that, I think it is worth trying to formalize. The gist of 1,000 True Fans can be stated simply:
A creator, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author - in other words, anyone producing works of art - needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.

Non-profits must consciously develop their fan bases - and being a once a year donor isn't enough. By consciously developing 1,000 fans, non-profits will discover their voice and figure out new ways to reach into communities and networks to find lifetime supporters.

At a loss for blog topics?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:03:29 -0800

Heh. My buddy Chris Brogan has this awesome list for what to do if you're looking for inspiration for things to do online.

Marketing as a Conversation

Marc — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 01:30:00 -0800

Phew! Just got done this morning over coffee reading Joseph Jaffe's "Join the Conversation."

Jaffe is relentless (yay!) about the new marketing and how it is transforming marketing and brand management/building.

If I had been lucky enough to get to put a quote on the book jacket (maybe he can open that up to a wiki on his next book, why stop at the cover?) I would have *maybe* said this:

"This book (and the author) is so relentless and passionate about new marketing that it practically forces you to start a blog and a conversation with your customers before you even finish it."

Ok, seriously though, Jaffe lays out the case and makes it time and time again with examples, case studies and a workbook like approach that includes manifestos, checklists and planners.

As I was reading, I took a few notes knowing that I was going to blog about it when I finished. The problem is, my notes ended up being pages and pages long, almost every chapter had a nugget or thought I wanted to capture and remember.

That said, I will simply agree with Jaffe's "one thing to take from the book" which was that It's never too late to join the conversation.

Disclaimer: As part of the "marketing" for Join The Conversatio n (and in full disclosure), Jaffe is also running a program he calls, UNM2PNM (Use New Media To Prove New Media) where he gave away 150 copies of the book to bloggers (yes, that's me, and yes this is me blogging on my own free will about something I really enjoyed).

I'm now 3 for 3 on business books in 2008. Made to Stick, Meatball Sundae and Join the Conversation. It's like the new branding trilogy.

Dignity vs. Humanity

Marc — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 02:59:00 -0800

This is a great, great article written by a very smart man.

"There is no us and them. There’s just us."

Nice job Jeff!

Words that Drive Me Crazy

Marc — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:30:00 -0800

A rant, just because I feel like it... (find out who I'm blaming for my ornery mood at the end of this post).

Web2.0
Words matter, I know! But the abuse of short-hand terms makes me crazy. Web2.0 is classic abuse. It's become a catchall for anything "conversation related."

Platform
I abused the term platform back in 2001/02 while at a technology start-up. It's making a MASSIVE comeback to it's own detriment. It's so innocuous and generalized that it simply is a useless term. Let me ask you this...

Is Windows a platform?
Is Google?
Is Microsoft Office?
Is Facebook?

Yes, of course they are... so someone please tell me - what do you mean when you say platform?

Social Media Strategy
Using this phrase is 99.9% of the time a shield to mask the fact that we have no idea what to do next. We'd rather talk about our "Social Media Strategy" than discuss the fact that we don't control our messages anymore.

The "New" something
Regular readers should know by now that I'm a Seth Godin disciple. However, didn't we go through the "New New" thing ages ago? Didn't I read a book about that? Godin is talking about "The New Marketing" and Jaffe's agency is "a new marketing company." It's all shiny and new, isn't it? I'm not saying they aren't both absolutely RIGHT... but this post is about words and how they drive me nutso.

So Who is to Blame?
This is the 2nd ornery post and/or comment I've made on my blog since I started Joseph Jaffe's new book Join the Conversation. The guy is spot on and the book is brilliant. But it's putting me in a bad mood. He's partially to blame, and I'm going to tell him so when we eventually meet.

But Jaffe didn't make me write this blog... no... the catalyst was this podcast from 1to1Media. Anyone want to play a new marketing terms drinking game with me as we all listen? (Was that over the line?).

What words drive you crazy - please share!

Must Blog About This...

Marc — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:12:00 -0800

I couldn't have posted this video fast enough.

Forgive the Spam?

Marc — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:43:00 -0800

Got this email today from someone (not sure who or how they got my e-mail address):

Dear Nonprofit Bloggers:

Forgive the spam, but we just wanted to let you know about our new blog on fundraising: http://www.toobusytofundraise .com. We are two veteran fundraisers with a combined 35 years of experience in nonprofits big and small. We have enjoyed your writing and thought you might like to see our contribution to the growing nonprofit blog world.

Thanks in advance for your attention,
Janet Levine and Jennifer George
www.toobusytofundraise.com

I'll only forgive the spam if your blog is amazingly, superbly, unequivocally the greatest thing since... since Pulp Fiction. Or Fun Dip. Or Tiger Woods.

If not, then no, I do not forgive the spam. Sorry. How can they write "Dear Nonprofit Bloggers" and then refer to how much they like my writing?

PS - The first link doesn't work: This website is temporarily unavailable, please try again later.

PSS - Yes, I realize that I'm promoting their site by blogging this (it will hopefully give them a chance to make up for their spam with at least one amazing, life changing post). But please Janet and Jennifer, no more spam.

Meatball Sundae

Marc — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:25:00 -0800

Just finished Seth Godin's latest book "Meatball Sundae" this morning. As are most of Godin's book, it's a fast read - but don't let that fool you. This is an important book for many reasons.

Aside from the fourteen trends that the book explores (everything from The Long Tail to direct communications and commerce between producers and consumers is looked at), I do believe my favorite part was the case studies. Real-life examples of how companies have put these trends and concepts into practice to create movements. Part of what we all have to do as non-profit marketers is in fact, create movement, action and passion for our causes. So often though, we end up doing the opposite by spamming, over-communicating and controlling our communications efforts.

I had a long conversation with a software vendor yesterday. They are trying to re-position themselves in the marketplace. Problem is, they are over-explaining things and making it hard for themselves by not embracing a few of Godin's trends and ideas.

The CEO doesn't have a blog.
There is no user community.
They lack in "big ideas" that can will make them any different than their competitors.

One last thing, in case Seth reads this at some point (the web never forgets)... on page 194 he talks about the March of Dimes Share Your Story site. It's not accurate that it came from a volunteer blogger. It didn't. It came from the a few of us inside the joint who really believed in the idea. We had to cajole and convince upper management to let us do it (it took about 2 years). So Seth is half right, it wasn't started by the CEO, but it wasn't started by a volunteer either.

Mobile Fundraising?

Marc — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:06:00 -0800

I'm hearing and reading a lot about the forthcoming "explosion" of mobile fundraising. Tons of issues to consider including of course fee structure from the carriers and the fact that donations are limited to something like $10. I came across this link (thanks Katrin) that suggests that there may be a solution forthcoming. I hope so.

The nuts and bolts of that article:

The Mobile Giving Foundation is positioning itself to be the approval and payment processor for nonprofits in the U.S. with an anticipated April 1 public launch.

Here is how it will work:

A nonprofit applies to the Mobile Giving Foundation.
Carriers waive all fees for premium SMS donations for the approved nonprofit campaign through the Mobile Giving Foundation.
The Nonprofit hires a vendor for campaign execution (the fulfillment vendor for the United Way was Mobile Accord) with Verisign as the mobile delivery service.
The Mobile Giving Foundation takes a 10% cut of text donations; anticipated to be reduced to 5% if the volume of campaigns increases. Payments are processed within 60 days post-billing at which point the nonprofit receives a check.

10% is still a lot, but it's way better than the 40 or 50% you'd have to pay now. I still think this is really clunky, but it's a first step for sure.

I wrote about a mobile marketing experiment that didn't work so well a last March here.

Made to Stick... sticky as glue

Marc — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:54:00 -0800

I read "Made to Stick" while in Seattle and San Diego last week and want to marry it. Really. I loved it that much. So much of what I have been unable to articulate myself is right there inside this amazing little book. Go get it right now and read it! Seriously.

The authors have outlined a practical and effective checklist that you can use immediately once you understand the principals that have been laid out.

Here's the SUCCESs framework... read the book and get it all...

Simple... find the core... the one true thing.
Unexpected... you need to surprise people to get their attention in the first place.
Concrete... drop the intellectual, academic stuff straight away and explain yourself... understanding drives action.
Credible... credibility (various forms) will let people believe.
Emotional... it's not enough to believe... people have to ALSO care about you.
Stories... getting people to act isn't about facts and figures, it's about great storytelling.

I can't speak highly enough of this book, it's simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional and weaves great stories. Go for it.

Tracking Buzz, WOM, Tweets and Such

Marc — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:55:00 -0800

I've had what seems like endless conversations lately about how to actually track and measure buzz, word of mouth, tweets and especially videos.

The raw numbers aren't too hard to come by, but the lack of any easy way to measure conversions and track users is seemingly impossible at this time. Outside a cookie that could follow users wherever they go, I'm stumped to a certain degree about how to get past superficial numbers like views.

Strikes me that someone will create and release a platform designed to manage all your social media much like existing systems that manage content (CMS) and e-mail marketing. I'm waiting and hoping one will be forthcoming. It would be great if that someone created something that was able to actually push content from a central repository, or even repurpose content right out of a CMS.

I came across one company that claims to have something. Anyone know these guys? I signed up for their free 14 day trial and took a peek at the web demo. Interesting stuff. Seems like a hosted, self-service version of something I saw from Buzzmetrics (I think it was Buzzmetrics) a few years ago.

User Experience Design

Marc — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:47:00 -0800

Charles Mauro is a highly experienced user experience designer who I've worked with for the past several years. It's always a pleasure when I have a budget to find ways to work with Charles because he brings with him amazing analytical capabilities along with a finely tuned sense of what makes for good user interfaces. Each year his firm MauroNewMedia publishes an "Annual User Experience Design Review" where he looks at any and all major UED systems, products and designs. It's fascinating reading that should appeal to your inner usability designer.

This year's review includes discussion and analysis on the iPhone, MTV's virtual worlds and Second Life, Guitar Hero, Google Docs and much more.

If you want to know what it's like to work with Charles, this paragraph sums it up nicely:

Both Guitar Hero and the Nintendo Wii are exceptional examples of how creating a tighter connection between the user's interaction with the physical world and a screen-based display produces high levels of engagement and commercial success. Guitar Hero and several games for the Wii take advantage of the customer's ability to acquire skills through the use of familiar real-world gestures and actions. By creating an interface between these actions and the feedback mechanisms of the game, these products do one very important thing: they tighten the connection between the user and the user experience.

If you are looking for missteps, don't miss the Facebook/Beacon discussion or the One Child Per Laptop discussion towards the end.

This note on Facebook is probably my favorite in the entire document - because more and more, I think niche communities online is where it's at.

Facebook will continue to have problems monetizing its massive user base. New social networking sites will emerge in 2008 that begin to capture smaller specific segments of the Facebook user profile who aren't well-served by the Facebook user experience.

Enjoy the reading and feel free to debate anything with me in the comments.

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

Marc — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:04:00 -0800

For me, the answer is barely. It took me far too many tries (6) to get this right. I should have known better and taken my time.

What my point in posting this on this blog? I'm reading a book about sticky ideas and this immediately caught my attention and practically demanded my attention. If you are crafting messages and marketing strategies, you'd be lucky to have something like this quiz to get your constituents buzzing.

Do the problem and then download and open the spreadsheet -

There are 7 girls on a bus

Each girl has 7 backpacks

In each backpack, there are 7 big cats

For every big cat there are 7 little cats

Question: How many legs are there in the bus?

The number of legs is the password to unlock the Excel sheet.

If you open it, add your name and send it on (or post it) to see who else can unlock it. Send it back to let the person know you got it correct.

This is a real math problem so don't say that a bus has no legs. If
you get the correct answer, that's the password to the spreadsheet.
Put your name in the column with the names and forward it on if you
were smart enough to get the right answer.

Figured out the math problem, but couldn't figure out how to save and
forward the spreadsheet with my name on it! Don't know if a 5th
grader could get the correct answer to this problem, but I know most
any 5th grader could have figured out saving the spreadsheet. See if
you can do it in less than the 5 tries it took me to get it right!

The Reading List

Marc — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:47:00 -0800

I'm finally off my self help kick (4-hour work week, The Power of Story, The Power of Now) and am back to the business books that I love.

Here's the list of what's on my nightstand... reviews/blog posts/notes coming as I finish:

Made to Stick
Join the Conversation - disclaimer: I got this book from the author/publisher
Meatball Sundae - Mr. Godin's latest

This is Big...

Marc — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:33:00 -0800

Facebook's announcement about a new JavaScript client library that will allow Facebook apps to be displayed on any website is big, really big.

What's bothering me are all the negative comments. What am I missing?

I think some of this has to do with Social Networking backlash that is certainly overdue at this point. Did you know that yesterday was "International Delete Your Myspace Account Day?" I'm sure someone is already cooking up a Facebook version. Hey, maybe they'll make it into a facebook app!

In any case, Larry's comment tipped me off to the backlash:

"When will this long national social nightmare end?"

Or even better, Mobilekick's Larry cheer:

"Smart, clever, whatever… facebook isn’t that tight, and I agree w/ larry iunno what all you lametards are on. When I am at a bar the college kids here say myspace, only *** are like “wee facebook.”"

Not all the comments were so sophisticated. Fabian said:

"I am not sure if anybody see it coming but it is brilliant. Facebook is becoming not just a platform but an online operating system. Now somebody needs to develop one of these apps that is actually worthwhile and not a toy. And Facebook needs to start making $$$$$$$$$$$ not just $$$"

Online operating system? I think Google is on that one too, aren't they? Either way, I believe this Facebook announcement is big.

OK - We Have To Talk About This

Marc — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:20:00 -0800

Armstrong foundation to launch fitness Web site

Innovation to the extreme? Perhaps! I so love this idea it hurts.

"If we were going after a broad category like health and fitness ourselves, we wanted have the best brand," he said. "We would not take on a category this fat unless we had the LiveStrong brand." (The "he" in that statement is Richard Rosenblatt, the former head of MySpace.com.)

Let me try to process this... what the guy who used to run Myspace.com is saying is that he needed a partner and a non-profit brand to do execute his business strategy, right? Voila. Music to my ears! That's selling the value in a big, big way and is something non-profits can get better at.

Lance himself was quoted as saying "I don't think we've ever met our full potential on the Web when it comes to the livestrong.org site, but that's not our expertise. Our expertise is fighting cancer."

This is a stunningly simple and powerful statement, don't you think? I think so!

Here's two questions you can ask yourself right now...

What is (or isn't) your organization doing that it should be doing?
What are you doing that is outside of your expertise (like building software perhaps?) that you should be outsourcing so you can focus on what you are really good at?

Have fun coming up with answers for those two doozies. Please comment, I want to talk about this with someone.

New Shopping Experience?

Marc — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:12:00 -0800

Check out this real-time "Watch People Shop" mashup. Neat.

It doesn't appear that this site offers anything that unique, but does have some built in social networking/marketing functions like wish lists, recommendations and comments. Doesn't that site called Amazon do all that?

Facebook Application Usage

Marc — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:50:00 -0800

I came across a chart in the WSJ this week that showed 'Top Friends' vs 'SuperPoke' on Facebook.

The numbers are astoundingly large. The top 3 in order are*:

Top Friends 6.2 million users
Movies 5.2 millon
SuperPoke 3.6 million

What's even more incredible about these numbers is the penetration among all U.S. Facebook users. The Top Friends app has and 18.5% share. Amazing.

I realize everyone in "non-profit land" is trying to figure out how to use this marketing machine to find new donors and engage constituents - but I think the thing here is that these apps are all ego driven. Comparing yourself to others, listing your favorite songs and posting up funny graffiti for friends is one thing - these apps all appeal to our innate sense of "me, me me."

Whether you should (or even can) flip the model to make an application that is about your organization is still a big question in my own mind... but is something I've been doing more and more thinking about lately.

*Statistics source: Wall Street Journal/comScore Widget Metrix

NYT Magazine Article: Extra Helping

Marc — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:38:00 -0800

Great article in the NYT Magazine this week on Kiva.org.

Donor engagement simply means something different today than it did 10, 20 or 50 years ago.

Here's my thinking... the feeling you get when loaning someone the money they need to build their business is quite different than the feeling you get from a making a traditional donation.

Old way is charity and a handout and is passive. There is nothing inherently wrong with the old way other than perhaps there is something better about the new way...

New way is about creating self-efficacy and accountability and being an active partner in helping make the world a better place.

The Last Interaction

Marc — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:26:00 -0800

Seth is at it again in his latest post "The Latest Interaction."

"The last interaction, in my experience, is responsible for virtually all of the word of mouth you're going to get, positive or negative."

Yea, totally! I did a big research project for a huge non-profit that I used to work for looking at the entire web experience for a particular event. Guess what we found out...

We found out that the last interaction that donors and participants had proved to be CRITICAL to their overall experience. It didn't matter whether it was an e-mail thank you or a real-world experience after a long run/walk/swim/skateboard etc... that moment in which you have to make the really feel that they are making the world a better place is crucial.

Just today, I re-wrote a thank you letter and e-mail after talking to my client about how important it is to make sure that their donors feel all warm and fuzzy after clicking the donate button.

Don't miss out on this, it's super important - the last interaction you have (each and every time you interact with someone) is going to leave a critical impression. Get it right and you have a chance to get another "date" and to continue the relationship.

The Direct Mail Business Model

Marc — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:33:00 -0800

Wired Magazine has a great feature this month called "Why Things Suck!" which I absolutely loved. One of the things that suck as you might guess is Junk Mail. See where I might be going with this post yet? I pulled a few of the more interesting parts of the Wired article here for easy reference - but check out the entire thing - it's worth a look.

Your name is on a list
And you have no one to blame but yourself. You refinanced a mortgage or got a new credit card. You subscribed to a magazine or donated money to a charity. These organizations sell their lists to aggregators.

How dare you donate money to a charity? Sheesh.

The math kicks in
Let's say you're soliciting donations. You buy a list of 5,000 names for $500. It costs you $2,500 in labor and postage to mail your plea. Of those 5,000 envelopes, 94 percent will be recycled and 5 percent will be misaddressed. But 1 percent will prompt a response. That's 50 people. And that determines how much you have to earn from each one: You spent $3,000. You need your 50 suckers to cough up an average of $60 each to break even. (It also works for email, though the response rate is much lower: 0.2 percent. But sending junk email — spam — is nearly free.)

Does this look at all familiar? I thought so! Look, I'm not saying you should stop (not unless you want to stop raising money). I just don't yet see how our past and our future is going to reconcile. If the customer is in control, than this just isn't going to work for much longer.

PS -I hope you didn't miss the e-mail kicker at the end (0.2 percent?!)

Dimes for Diapers

Marc — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:24:00 -0800

This is exciting... my 10 year old daughter is doing her very first service learning project. She's picked the New Haven Diaper Bank to try to help and is hard at work both in school and online trying to fundraise. I'm using a bunch of different outlets to try to help her reach her modest goals of $500 by February 11th (that's the due date on the service learning project). Obviously I'm proud of her, and am even more excited to see her accomplish her goals.

She and I shot a video (outtakes coming soon), built a blog and started to use my Facebook account to promote her efforts (i.e. we'll do anything to raise the money!) In addition, she got the school principal to agree to let her distribute flyers to every class in school - pretty slick I thought.

Kids today, eh?!

Here's her first post on her new blog:

Hi!

This blog and web site is designed to help raise money for the New Haven Diaper Bank - I'm doing a service learning project called "Dimes and Dollars for Diapers" and my goal is to raise as much money as possible.

Here are some of the facts of why I'm doing this project:

Safety net programs, like Food Stamps and WIC, which are supposed to provide poor children with basic necessities do not cover diapers.
An adequate supply of diapers can cost over $100/monthly
Infants need up to 12 diapers a day; toddlers about 8 diapers a day. In low-income households babies may spend the whole day or longer in a single diaper.
Cloth is not an option for most poor people. Most childcare centers require parents to provide disposable diapers. Furthermore, most people living in poverty do not have easy, affordable access to washing facilities.
You should donate now because without clean diapers, lots of bad things can happen.
Parents who are working or in school cannot take advantage of free or subsidized childcare if they cannot afford to leave disposable diapers at the childcare centers.
Inadequate diaper changing increases the risk of numerous health problems from skin diseases to hepatitis.
A baby crying non-stop from being in a soiled diaper for a prolonged time is at greater risk of abuse.
For more information, please visit the New Haven Diaper Bank.

Please consider visiting her blog and:

Make a donation of course!
Send the link her blog: http://diaperdrive.blogspot.com/ to your friends who care about babies who need diapers
Learn more about why this is a problem

Are You a Seth Fanatic?

Marc — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:47:00 -0800

Aren't we all? If you are a killer developer hell-bent on working on insanely cool stuff, here's your chance. Good luck.

(Their office in Irvington, NY)

Salesforce.com

Marc — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:58:00 -0800

Great interview in today's WSJ (paid access) with Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce.com who is talking about software being built on "platforms" yet again.

Thing is, I get what he's saying and buy it, big time. Two years or more ago, I was at a SF.com event where they first launched Dreamforce and had a long conversation with a sales guy there who didn't buy it. He told me he was focused on selling salesforce.com and that this new platform wasn't ready for prime time. In some ways, he was right - adoption never took off.

Today, it seems as if more and more companies are using web services and web based platforms for real, mission critical applications. Benioff points out in the interview that there are more than 20 companies now selling "software-as-a-service," up from only Salesforce just a few years ago. Now he's talking "platform-as-a-service." While he admits that this is a long process (perhaps 10 or more years to become mainstream) it's worth noting that the big boys (Microsoft, Oracle etc) are all now moving into this world as well. There seems to be a ton of momentum around this idea.

For non-profits (and others), I think it's time to think outside the box when looking at companies like Salesforce.com not just for their pre-packaged CRM solutions, but for their visions of the future as well. It's also time to start making sure that your existing vendor solutions are thinking about opening up their black boxes. As we all move further and further into this hyper-connected world you'll have to make sure that you can actually connect, swap data between systems, applications, partners and more.

A Philosophy on Education Product Pricing Strategy

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:21:19 -0800

Marketing new education programs is always a fun challenge. In particular we are getting a lot of inquiries about how to market and price new educational programs – especially eLearning products. Before I explain some key philosophies on this, let me refer you to my friend and co-author Mickie Rops’ fantastic entry entitled, “Knowledgizing Associations” that speaks to four value-based services that all associations should focus on. They are simply the ideas of Connect, Context, Filter, and Feedback (see her entry for the details).

Focus educational programs and services around the four values Mickie describes. Work very hard to provide as many of these values to your members as possible. But in the short-term, focus highly on the context and filtering aspects of content. Perceived value is what drives participants to education programs. Identifying what that perceived value might be is absolutely critical to the marketing and pricing challenge. Many times it is saving a member time and money by filtering out irrelevant content and explaining how and why that content can be applied to someone’s professional or personal life. Time and money are the two most common “value” items. With this in mind, here is a philosophy on pricing…

Free is not good. Unless you have some sort of legitimate reason for not charging for a program (a grant funded program, for example) you need to charge something to participants. The more you charge the higher the perceived value of the program. When you offer something for free, the buyer’s mentality is that it is not as valuable, even if it truly is. We also see significant numbers of no-shows for “free” programs versus paid ones.

Bundling products and services creates higher value. If you offer an education product, be sure to think about other products you can bundle with it. For example, you offer a seminar on how to build a great tree house. Your organization also happens to have a research report on new trends in tree house building. Bundle the products together to add value. You could even simply send an email out to everyone who attended the ‘how to build a great tree house’ course that lists all of your other tree house resources, with links to each. This links back to the filtering aspect of value creation.

I'm Back

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:15:50 -0800

For those of you who subscribe to the Association eLearning blog, you've noticed it's been very quiet for the last year. I'm finally back from some time off and I'm really excited to be re-engaged in the world of eLearning - although I didn't go far.

In October 2007, I made the strategic decision to merge my consulting business with another, larger firm in Arlington, VA. The new company is called Kadix Systems. I'll be maintaining the association work I've been doing for the last seven years, but I am also taking on some new responsibilities in the federal space. So far it's been great. I'm loving the fact that both associations and federal agencies are mission focused. While the procurement process is night and day, the work is challenging and rewarding.

With this change comes new contact information. You can still reach me at AmySmith@amysmithconsulting.com or at ASmith@kadix.com. My cell phone is (571) 236-8959 and my office is (703) 236-0919.

Some other new announcements - In August of 2007 I helped co-author the Always Done it That Way book. We have now sold about 1,100 copies to date and have recently added new postings on the blog. A second version is coming out in 2008. It's available for purchase at Lulu.com and on Amazon.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in the association community again. Don't hesitate to contact me.

Be Well!

Educational Crisis Planning - Do It Now!

Sat, 26 Aug 2006 08:22:44 -0700

I was recently reflecting on the five year anniversary of my business and was reminded very quickly of the world events that helped kick start the company. We started ASC in July of 2001 - and when September rolled around you may remember the turmoil that surrounded annual conferences and travel.

So it is 2006 and I worry more than ever about what associations will do should their annual conference need to be canceled? While prudent organizations have insurance for such things, the insurance doesn't address the bigger set of questions that will most assuredly come up. Here are some questions to ponder:

How quickly can your association disseminate (push) critical information to your entire industry or profession?
How quickly could you get a vast number of your members together in a synchronous (real time) way?
Many of us are located in major metropolitan areas - what would happen if your staff could not get to the office? How quickly could you reach your entire membership?
If your annual meeting was canceled or indefinitely postponed, what plans have you made to provide members with critical content during the interim?

These were questions that very few organizations pondered prior to September 11th. However, as the fifth anniversary approaches I'm not sure enough organizations have asked and answered these questions. The technologies available to us have drastically changed, and I would argue, did so as a result of our technology needs after 9/11. Many of us use virtual seminar or webinar software of one kind or sort. But we use it for events that typically require a six week lead time.

What is your education department planning to do if you have 24 hours notice? Six hours?

Think about how your organization will handle this if a major crisis occurs. Being prepared and thinking through the options now will provide you with a clear game plan going forward.

We Have Always Done It That Way - the book release!

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 05:04:29 -0700

I'm thrilled to announce that this past week The Five Independent Thinkers released We Have Always Done It That Way: 101 Things About Associations We Must Change. The book was co-authored by myself, Jeff De Cagna, Jamie Notter, David Gammel and Mickie Rops (we're the five).

The book can be purchased through our publisher's site (Lulu Publishing) at the following URL: http://www.lulu.com/content/356408. It's available in hard copy or as a downloadable document.

We are also working on a couple of speaking engagements around the book so be sure to check in at our blog www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com for new info and more postings!

eLearning Strategy Auction Item

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 16:51:01 -0700

For those of you interested in eLearning strategy consulting - you should know that we have added an auction item to the ASAE/The Center's Silent Auction for their Annual meeting. This is the third year we have supported the ASAE Foundation and have really enjoyed our strategy engagements with the auction item winners. You can click on the link to the home page of the auction here.

You should know that 100% of the proceeds of the auction go to the ASAE Foundation. Our auction item will be posted this week, so keep an eye out for it! You can bid on auction items online or onsite at the annual conference.

eL Strategy Development - First Steps

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 16:40:03 -0700

In the last six+ years working in the association eLearning space it has been my observation that most organizations want to select technologies much too early in the process. In fact, this excitement about technology has driven a fair number of organizations to make terrible technology selections in hindsight. So as your organization gets started (for either the first or second time) creating an eLearning strategy, here are some tips as you begin down this path. Keep in mind that future blog posts will take a deeper dive into each one of these areas separately.

Get the right people on your eLearning Strategy Team.
Be crystal clear about all of your learning populations. (This is key!)
Create a content map based on learning populations and/or core competencies.
Determine internal program management issues.
Map your content to the best delivery method to deliver the content. (Technology, face-to-face, or a blend)
Design content for delivery mechanism.
Test and Launch program.
Evaluate and update program.

Each one of these phases requires more in-depth processing but it gives you a road map to begin down the road of creating a strategy. One of the things you may note is that the technology selection piece doesn't happen until step #5. It is driven by the content sections of the strategy.

Long-term success of an eLearning strategy depends on realistic and clear learner population needs. More on all of this in the coming weeks.

Non-profit to run Boston's city-wide Wi-Fi

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:10:36 -0700

So how cool is this concept! Here is the link to an article I found this evening regarding a proposed recommendation to the mayor of Boston. Non-profit to run Wi-Fi for Boston.

In summary, a task force believes that Boston will be best served by finding either an existing or new non-profit to run and manage a public wi-fi system for the city. The concept is simple, a non-profit can keep the wi-fi network working in the best interest of the public and not special interest groups. The non-profit will be tasked with raising $16-20 Million for the network that will cover approximately 49 square miles.

Click on the "Non-profit to run Wi-Fi for Boston" link above and be sure to post your comments on this innovative idea!

Internet "Search"

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 04:32:55 -0700

Jeffrey Killeen, Chairman & CEO of GlobalSpec spoke this morning at the CESSE conference about Internet search and what knowledge workers want and need in their Internet searches. His firm specializes in engineering fields, a true pool of knowledge workers.

Killeen focused his conversation on how associations, and in this case scientific associations, can focus their websites to better serve their members. Here are some key points.

The user community is in charge. Users know what they want and where they want to find it.
Specialized (vs. general) information providers & search engines will be the user choice
Association's knowledge products need to be easily and fully discoverable. (If not, you go from a strong brand position to a weak one.)
You must be present where your audience is aggregating online materials
Develop a keyword, indexing, and discovery strategy

Indexing Online Content. Killeen suggests that regardless of whether your information is free or for-a-fee, you must get your content indexed so it shows up at the top of Internet search engines.

Some suggestions for maximizing your searchability...

Optimize your content & your site to enable easy crawling and deep indexing
Know the differences between mass market engines and specialized vertical engines
Have a keyword strategy and manage it.

For association education and knowledge products, you must develop a marketing strategy that doesn't just include putting your content on the Web. We assume that if a member searches your website (using a search capability) that they will find the relevant knowledge product immediately. But you will want to focus this same marketing principle where anyone searching the Internet can find your course or program.

Put yourself in your member's shoes. Here is an example that may be relevant for you. Let's say you want to find information and a course (either face-to-face or online) that focuses on how to build your dream home. Where would you go to find this information? Google? Amazon? Yahoo Search?

Let's try it...and I'm making this up on the fly. I'll use Google and search on "building a home". As of today, http://www.builderonline.com/ is the first site that pops up. This is the website for Builder magazine - a publication from a for-profit publishing company in Washington, DC. Several of their pages show up at the beginning of the search. Now, if I were NAHB (Natl. Assn. of Home Builders) I would be a bit concerned. A deep page within their site doesn't show up until #5 on the initial search.

I'm not picking on NAHB at all, but it is a great example of Killeen's point. If your association is THE place to go for your industry or profession, you had better think hard about how your information presents itself on a global Internet search. And here is a great tip - social media tools like blogs for example, get searched by engines very often. If you use keywords to index your blog postings, these keywords get picked up by search engines quickly and will help launch your association's knowledge products to the top of the search list.

As you develop your eLearning programs, face-to-face conferences, and other knowledge products, think about how anyone on the planet can find that information quickly and easily.

Developing an eL Strategy

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 07:30:56 -0700

I am blogging from the CESSE Conference in Salt Lake City. The Council of Engineering & Scientific Society Executives hosts this annual event utilizing a completely volunteer group of association executives. It's very amazing.

Tomorrow we will be talking about developing an eLearning strategy. This topic has really morphed over the last five years. In the past few weeks leading up to this conference I have been focused on creating an analogy between strategy development and building a house. While I'm not going that the home building process now, I can say that there are a lot of similarities. Here is a short list of some of those. You need to

Clearly identify the "team" you will be working with.
Clearly define the kind of house you want and make sure you identify all of its uses early on.
Make sure that all of the people living in or using the house have some input into their needs.
Be realistic about your budget and be sure to plan for a 10-15% overage in budget.
Know that the project will always take longer than you initially estimate. Be patient.
Create a blueprint for your house and have the house built to the blueprint.
Know that you can always make changes to the plan. The changes just need to be well justified.

More on the details of the strategy process soon!

Is "Free" eLearning a Good Thing?

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:54:54 -0700

FYI - Here is my two cents on offering "free" online courses. It is a double-edged sword.

"Free" is a good thing if (1) you have a grant that has paid for the technology and/or the course development and thus the course has been created as a member benefit, (2) if you want to invite a small group of mavens to take the course and then have them provide you with great testimonials to use in future marketing campaigns.

"Free" is not good over the long-term because (1) it creates an unintended perception that the quality may not be as good as something you pay for, and (2) you'll also see that completion rates for free courses are lower compared to those that people actually financially invest in.

My advice on "free" - step carefully. Think thoughtfully about the rationale. Create a strategy for how you are going to approach "free".