The 20 years I’ve worked with visionary leaders has led to the identification of a core set of competencies found in the most successful executives. Customized to leading in the association space, these ten competencies fit into three categories: Market Awareness Eco-system leadership Systems thinking Identifying disruptions Detecting larger patterns Association Leadership Reframing obstacles as …
One of the things I love about my work is that I get to spend time with groups of professionals designing and executing “Grand Challenges,” those big, bold goals that leverage expertise and experience, combining it with partners from other organizations, and using it to make a positive contribution to the world. This work fills …
A special thank you and shout out to Henry Chamberlain, CEO of the Building Owners and Managers Association International for his willingness to let me draw from our experience as we prepared for a portfolio review, including the potential of sunsetting existing programs. Portfolio evaluation is always a challenging exercise. BOMA’s new strategic plan …
I am in Madison, Wisconsin, where I lived from 3-5 years of age. Of course, the world looks different from a toddler’s point of view than an adult’s. I remembered the Paul Bunyan (an American folk myth, for my non-US readers) murals in the student union, and especially the one where his dog is running …
An association’s social systems include all the constellations of people who work together to achieve the organization’s objectives. There are two things leaders can do to optimize social systems. First, remember these groups are people. People who need to be appreciated and need the positive feedback required to make them rise up, become enthusiastic and …
I love Mondays because they are the starting gate for the work week. I know I am an odd duck in this regard, but it’s true. Over the next five days, I have the unique opportunity to move the needle in the areas of work that are most important to me. I get excited about …
I had the good fortune to work with Paul Bellantone. CEO of Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), to help with the association’s strategic planning. While gathering member intelligence – a critical step in the planning process – I learned that PPAI had a hidden, key asset. Trust. PPAI’s membership had tremendous trust for the organizations’ …
You may know that my wife, Laura Baron, is an award-winning songwriter. She is creating a music video of her latest song, On the Streets of New York – have a listen and feel free to share. Now she is looking to connect with agencies in NYC that work to empower and educate the public …
There are three core areas of association growth: Mission impact, Members Profitable Revenue. Which is the organizing principle for the other two? Mission impact. Associations exist to deliver on their mission. Your mission is the core organizing principle of your association. A mission that drives growth must reach beyond membership and connect to everyone who …
Almost all of my clients and friends are always defending time for themselves. There is family, work (multiple projects), self-care and the need for downtime. Downtime is extremely important for processing everything else. That’s one reason we sleep, so the brain can reorganize and integrate. If people deprive themselves of too much sleep they first …