I love to tell stories of exceptional CEOs, and I’ve got one for you today — Patrick Spear, of GMDC, the Global Market Development Center. GMDC is a global trade association for the retail industry, connecting retailers, wholesalers, suppliers, and service and solution companies, in the general merchandise, and health, beauty, wellness categories. At a recent GMDC […]
Patrick Spear, GMDC, and his Skunk Works Read More »
Last week, I shared my most recent report, Getting the Most from Your Board. One of the first topics that I highlight is the need to educate the board members. What you educate them on depends on your board and how it runs. Some boards are completely disconnected from their organization; smart people but not
Educating the Board Read More »
I’ve worked with many boards leading strategic planning retreats, professional development seminars, and grand challenge discussions. Some boards are high-functioning. Others are not. Through my work, I’ve identified four areas in which the most high-functioning boards excel, and each of the four areas is the responsibility of the organization’s CEO. If you are a CEO looking
Getting the Most from Your Board Read More »
I’ve distilled the Visionary Leadership skillsets down to three super categories: Market awareness Association leadership Self-development Each of the three categories has its own set of skills. Today we will tackle, market awareness which includes: Detecting larger patterns Ecosystem leadership Systems thinking Identifying disruptions Detecting larger patterns is about noticing what’s going on in the
Market Awareness and Visionary Leadership Read More »
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
Visionary Leadership Self-assessment Read More »
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
Portfolio Evaluation Read More »
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
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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’
Paul Bellantone and Trust at PPAI Read More »
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
Growth, Mission Impact and Stakeholders Read More »
I love working with CEOs who have great foresight, are fun to work with, innovative and show enthusiasm for creating the future. Paul Bellantone of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) is one of those CEOs. I met Paul when he asked me in to help the PPAI Board of Director’s craft a strategic plan.
Paul Bellantone and the Strategic Foresight Playbook Read More »
