Association Subculture

Hello, Goodbye, Hello

2016-08-22T19:53:00.002-07:00

Dear Association Subculture Readers -

I know it has been a long time since I have posted. Please forgive the communications sabbatical I took from blogging and social media (although I have been active on Facebook). I've missed you guys. I wanted to send you a quick message to let you know I'm back, but I'm shuttering the Subculture and moving my efforts to a new platform - The Association Forecast.

During my time away from the Subculture, I embarked on an intensive search for new information and knowledge. I needed time to grow and to study. To find what seemed to be missing from my work. What I found on this learning journey is a world practically convulsing with change. I find this very moment an exciting time to be alive, and I am laser focused on bringing you new visions for the association of the future. Expect to see regular posts and vlogs on the Forecast on the impact of technology, changes in the education to employment system and how our society is changing as a whole.

Some of you may be wondering why I decided to shut the Subculture down and didn't just retool it to reflect the new approach. I struggled with that - mightily. Leaving a carefully crafted brand "aesthetic" is hard (not to mention the link-love - I'm leaving the addy up in case anyone hits your pages, there won't be a dead link). But, I needed a clean break and an umbrella brand to build under that is more reflective of the work I want to do now. (The "good" news is, I refuse to grow up entirely and I am relatively sure the more "rock and roll" attitudes I have will still show up from time to time. :))

I had the choice to just "subscribe" each of you to the new platform, but I thought that was kind of ....well, rude to be honest. I believe you guys should have the choice to resubscribe if you would like to. The Forecast is me, but it won't be exactly like the old Subculture. There are subscribe links on the sidebar of each blog post to make it easy for you.

The move is imminent and I want to offer one last parting item. Elizabeth Weaver Engel, MA, CAE from Spark and I just dropped a new white paper you can download for free called "The Association Role in the New Education Paradigm." I will have a number of blogs blasting out of the Forecast that will expand on areas in this paper in the coming days. So please join me, I would love to see you there.

I want to thank all of my readers from the bottom of my heart for your support and the love y'all showed the Subculture. I will never forget it and I will do my best to do you proud as I move into this next phase.

All the love and peace out - (I'll catch you on the flip side...)

Shelly

Micro Change Can Lead to Macro Change

2014-06-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

From this:

To this:

There has been a movement underway for some time to replace the traditional symbol for "handicapped" with a new visual and to stop using the word "handicapped" on signs. What a beautiful idea to choose to use new terms to shift the conversation to one about "accessibility" not "disability." There is legislation currently being considered in New York that would do this statewide.

I am only peripherally involved in the topic just due to general interest, and I don't profess to understand any of the nuances of the pros and cons here (if there actually are any). However, I have to say that just on the face of it, this seems awesome. I mean - just look at the two pictures above! The second icon gives a feeling of power and motion using essentially identical design components. The idea of shifting our lens from "accommodating disability" to "creating accessibility" may have profound implications for all of us as we move into our later years.

This is just one small example of how shifting our imagery, and our language, can fundamentally alter our mental models. I've yapped for years about how changing our language can change our worlds. I believe it is our responsibility as association professionals to intentionally think about where the language and images we use are holding us back, rather than propelling us forward. It's only when we change how we speak about ourselves that we can change the mental models we hold about ourselves, and that we in turn project into the world around us. Changing our terminology, can change the way we are perceived both in the micro and macro senses.

I believe associations are vital, important and key to an individuals personal and professional success. However, much of the language we use is "salesy-markety-selly-welly" stuff instead of using more aspirational language designed to help the member understand their work environment and where they spend most of their time. We spend a lot of time defining what it means to be a member inside of the association, but not nearly enough time defining what it means to be a member outside of the association in their chosen industry, profession or - for that matter - as part of the global ecosystem.

Start your "membership recruitment cycle," with defining and advancing your industry/profession FIRST. Doing that requires a shift in tone, language and objective. But look at the example up above. The most profound changes can be achieved by using the same tools, components you already have and just shifting that lens a little bit. If you can do that, you can truly make a difference.

The Portable Association Bookstore

2014-06-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

Well, now this is a gem of an idea that I just ran across. What do you get when you cross mobile phones, sustainability concerns and publishing? You get things like this new digital wallpaper....

Better yet, all of the associations out there struggling with the time, talent and treasure spent on setting up bookstores at your conferences, may have a new option on the way. Instead of putting up a bookstore, put up some wallpaper instead. Members can browse, purchase and download straight onto their mobile devices.

Although the video talks about only free books to start with, it's only a matter of time before people figure out how to monetize this. And with fresh innovations like this, you could set up a bookstore in every hallway, meeting room or common area.

Keep an eye out for digital wallpaper, coming soon to a wall near you!

Decisions, Decisions

2014-06-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

Recently +Elizabeth Engel, M.A., CAE, CEO and Chief Strategist at Spark Consulting LLC and Peter Houstle, CEO, Mariner Management and Marketing, LLC released a white paper on decision making processes that you can download for free here: Getting to the Good Stuff: Evidence-Based Decision Making for Associations.

I believe this is a great piece of work, so I asked Elizabeth and Peter if they would be willing to expand a bit on the topic here at the Subculture. Really, we could all use a little more discipline when it comes to decisions (like why am I drinking Dr. Pepper at 7:30 AM...whazeva ....don't judge me :D) Also, CalSAE's IDEAL(TM) program on June 24 will feature a call in from Elizabeth and we are looking so forward to that!

So with no further ado:

Why now? Was there something specific that caught your attention that led you both to write and release this paper?

It's a topic that has interested both of us for some time (Peter, for instance, presents on the topic of associations' data frequently at conferences). The impetus to do it NOW came from the fact that we recognized that associations are running well behind business when it comes to evidence-based decision-making, and we wanted to bring attention to the topic to see if we could help fix that.

What do you think is the most pressing issue for associations to address in regards to how they go about evaluating data and making decisions?

The MOST important thing is to ask better questions. As we detail in the whitepaper, too often, we choose the questions we ask by what we can easily answer given the data at hand, rather than focusing on the real, underlying issue. As a result, we manage to what we can measure (easily) rsather than to what we should be measuring. A lot of this is because we're reluctant to upgrade outdated legacy software or to consolidate fragmented data systems.

Can a strong "decision making process" overcome volunteer resistance to making better decisions, faster? If not, what can?

That is definitely a problem, not least of which because our Boards tend to be representative rather than competency based, and because we tend to fall prey to the narrative fallacy, where we feel compelled to construct stories around data and then force any additional data into that story, whether or not it fits. Choosing to decide based on evidence requires equal commitment from volunteer leaders and senior staff members to examine data, to hold out for more potential explanations of that data, and to test the hypotheses that result. It's a more intensive process than just going with what feels right based on limited information and time, but it does also bring about better outcomes.

In terms of tools, have you seen any AMS providers in the space embracing an expanded data collection and analysis role or are there outside tools we should be using?

We would suggest that systems integration, rather than any specific tool, should be the priority. The best tools are functionally useless if they don't talk to each other gracefully. As one of our case studies, Guillermo Ortiz De Zarate from NCARB noted, NCARB will not consider any new systems that do not include an API (application programming interface) that integrates with their existing systems.

I noted you don't discount intuition as part of the decision making process. Can you expand a little bit on the role intuition plays in a robust data environment?

It's the "a-ha!" moment that we've all experienced. And there's a pattern to it: you take in information, data, evidence, research, etc. Then you let your brain process all that at a subconscious level. All of a sudden, the picture snaps into focus. This is the source of, "I get my best ideas in the shower," or "while running," or "maybe I better sleep on this." As we note in the whitepaper, this is definitely a skill that develops, and the best way to improve it is to get more inputs (in other words, use more data!), to practice (in other words, make decisions), and get feedback (either from a mentor or by systematically tracking what happens with your decision-making processes and outcomes). Using intuition is not about abandoning data, but rather about acknowledging the symbiotic power of a data/intuition (or experience) partnership.

How can we get better at pattern-recognition? Are there ways to visualize our data that will lead to better breakthroughs than pie charts and numbers a' la "The Visual Miscellaneum?"

Software products such as Tableau and Qlikview make data patterns more obvious, but, like any filter, have the potential to create false positives (or negatives). Effective pattern recognition requires the diligence to confirm the validity of the underlying data (i.e., does the emerging picture make sense) and to accurately distinguish correlation from cause.

Big data will only become more important. What are the top three issues you believe big data will help us grapple with?

Minimizing the impact of the narrative fallacy explained above
Broadening our understanding of the impact and interaction of multiple variables in any given situation
Helping us realize there is no such thing as the perfect decision

In spite of our best efforts, we can still make mistakes. How do good decision making processes help us minimize or recover from mis-steps?

The nature of evidence-based decisions is that there's a clearly defined rationale that the decision-makers articulate and share (i.e., a "paper trail"). When things do go awry, it is much easier to identify and address the specific error(s) in a rigorous way, rather than engaging in the type of finger-pointing and obfuscating that often results from purely gut-based strategies.

Do you have any advice for executives who want to move from a "shoot from the hip" volunteer culture to a more rigorous, data-driven one?

Those of us who've gone through the CAE process remember the mantra, "volunteer to volunteer, staff to staff, member to member." As we noted above, the only way this will work is with firm commitment to evidence-based decision making at both the volunteer leader (i.e., your Board chair) and senior staff, (i.e., your CEO) levels. Your association must establish a comprehensive, systems-based approach to data management and provide the appropriate tools and access to those responsible for making decisions at all levels. No silos, no territorialism, no information hoarding - everyone needs transparent access to key association data and the training and management/leadership support to follow where it leads, even if it takes you far from the way you've always done things.

Download your free copy of "Getting to the Good Stuff: Evidence Based Decision Making for Associations".

What Does the Young Professional Say?

2014-06-06T10:12:00.001-07:00

(The Semi-Official Officially Official Video of ASAE NextGen '13 ;))

One of the things the ASAE NextGen '13 group was adamant about was making sure we developed and distributed takeaways so their work could be shared with the association community as a whole. And here is the centerpiece of that effort - a free downloadable e-book - "Assocations, Generation Y and Millennials: What You Need to Know About Your Next Generation Members." We hope you enjoy the contents. We tackled everything from current shifts in society, to challenging the association model, to blowing up myths about younger members and more. The most important outcome was a sense of optimism and energy around the future of associations.

What this means, is NextGen '14 has their work cut out for them :) (and so do I for that matter!). If you are a young professional (or you know one who should attend this all-expenses, flat out, generative think tank) you still have time to get your application in. There are a limited number of slots, so the application process is being used to narrow the field. (By the way, I am not involved in the selection process so please don't contact me in the hopes that I can influence the final list in your favor...however if you have other questions about what the experience was/is all about, I'm happy to give you my perspective - shelly@alcornassociates.com )

Thanks to our event sponsors - Reno Tahoe USA - your airfare. accommodations are covered. (And if past is prologue we are going to work hard and party hard...well maybe just you as I drag myself around with a caffeine IV trying to keep up.... :D.)

In the coming weeks, I'll be blogging about individual pieces in here but for now I'll sign off and just say gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding.....

The Death of the Mall and Other Association Lessons

2014-04-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say there is an entire America that a lot of us, particularly those association professionals in the largest hubs - Washington DC, Chicago and Sacramento don't see. Maybe our affiliates and chapters see it. Maybe our members and potential members see it.

Fast Company blogger Adele Peters did a fabulous blog post - "Eerie Photos of Abandoned Shopping Malls Show the Changing Face of Suburbia" and highlighted an upcoming photo essay from Seph Lawless called "Black Friday." I encourage you to click the link and look at some of the photos - they are striking, haunting and a call for reflection.

Entropy is part of any system. Your association may have programs that are sitting on the shelf and dying a slow death. It's sad when it happens. It makes you question the underlying principles of who you say you represent and what you say you do for them. It may be your entire association is languishing because your industry or profession left the United States for international shores before you realized you needed to get there first to greet them. Or worse, buggy whips just aren't needed anymore and your association has not come to grips with the fact that you need to retool your members to jump to a new career before its too late. Perpetual existence might not be your highest calling.

However, at the same time we confront the more brutal aspects of the decay and blight we might see around the conference table is to remember that just because malls are dying, doesn't mean people don't shop. This mall is dead - but commerce isn't. It just means people shop and consume differently than they used to. Consumption habits may have permanently shifted due to sustainability concerns, smaller carbon footprints and population patterns that see people moving out of the suburbs and back into the cities. If you are in commerce, you have to look beyond the mall to meet people where they are now.

Associations are no different. You don't need to obsess about entropy but you do need to challenge your ethos in the face of it. Be realistic about the facets of your industry or profession that have changed the way they operate, skill up and consume membership. Meet them were they are and get ahead of where they are going so you are already there to greet them upon their arrival.

Yes, malls all over the United States are dying. But honestly, was the mall really the crowning achievement of our culture? I'm ready for more intuitive shopping experiences and your members are ready for more intuitive membership experiences. Mourn the mall, and then get back to work.

Are Associations Ready to REALLY Help Youth Worldwide?

2014-04-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

So, most of you regular readers know I have been interested in generational issues for a while now and I've been working with the NextGen group at ASAE. When it comes to Generation Y, Millennials (and now Generation Z or whatever we decide to call them :D) the media tends to have its narrative pretty well set. It's either, "Look out, we're doooooomed #Coachella," or "These entitled upstarts are ruining office productivity with the cell phones and the chatting and the Googleglass...bah humbug....." This cultural narrative is not at all helpful in terms of actually understanding issues faced by younger members. Generational temperament and culture has validity, but needs to be looked at on balance with the overall science of human development and hierarchies of physiological and psychological needs.

In our association community there still seems to be some confusion about what younger members need. In one sense, they need what we've already got - they just want to consume it differently. In another sense, we seem to be missing a few important points about key issues they are struggling with. At some point our continued floundering with these "whippersnappers" is going to lead to a crisis of confidence on their part and they are going to take matters into their own hands.

It's long past time for us to get serious about engagement. There is an e-book on the (maybe imminent) horizon coming from ASAE and the NextGen '13 group that tackles some issues head on (so hold onto your hats for that, I'll let you know when it drops). Here is another way to potentially build a framework around what associations can do to help global youth proactively deal with the issues they are facing.

According to this article from Fast Company, "The Countries Where Youth are Doing the Best and the Worst" the first Global Youth Wellbeing Index is an attempt to look at six key areas of life and provide baseline measurements as to how these youngun's are faring. The United States ranks sixth on this list (ahem). Maybe we should be developing specific policy initiatives as a community to see what we can do to move the needle on these six categories. It's not enough to talk about making a difference, eventually we will need to set about putting programs in place to ensure we do.

Citizen Participation: Actual participation in democratic processes is considered one indicator of the overall well being of any individual. In the United States we have struggled with voter apathy for a number of years (there are reasons for that but that's for another post). With the exception of the youth turnout during the 2008 and 2012 elections, we have seen little sign that the situation is destined to dramatically change without some major changes on the part of the establishment. Associations need to look at how they can encourage youth to learn how to play an active, participatory role in governance of all types.

Economic Opportunity: Becoming a productive member of society also requires a decent level of access to economic opportunities. However, globally youth unemployment continues to rage. As of March 2014, unemployment rates in the United States for youth aged 20-24 hovered around 12%. In some countries, youth unemployment is hovering around 25% and even higher. Associations need to take a closer look at how the jobs market is working both here in the United States and internationally and better prepare individuals to enter the workforce.

Education: Ensuring younger members gain access to meaningful, measurable, high quality education, specifically geared towards helping them succeed is critical. Education also needs to be affordable. There is some truth in the idea that individuals should "follow their bliss" and seek out education that appeals to them. However, a more cogent strategy in a "noisy" world is laying down a specific path for people to follow to ensure they acquire the skills they need in the order in which they need to attain them and that we have mechanisms in place for them to clearly demonstrate their achievements. And again - (say it again) - AFFORDABLE!!!!

Health: There will be those who believe concerns about members health is not the job of the association, yet I disagree. Teaching younger members about mind-body balance, ensuring we have access to healthy snacks and opportunities to rejuvenate during conferences and events and not making our volunteers burn the candles at both ends is part of health and wellness. We need to set a better example. It seems that most of our "high-energy" volunteers also are "high-energy" at their day jobs. We need to create volunteer expectations that don't put our best, most involved folks at risk of heightened stress and perhaps burnout.

Information and Technology: Digital natives, blah blah...we've heard this one a thousand times. Well, yes you have but what about our responsibility to collectively fight to ensure open access to the Internet for younger members and the generations coming after them? We have a duty to not only up our curating game but also to take an active role in policy that affects information and technology here in the United States and internationally. Internet freedom affects us all.

Safety and Security: Again, this one may seem like it doesn't apply to us, but I think we can make an argument that it might. We need to think about how we ensure younger members feel physically and emotionally safe when they engage with their association peers. This means staying vigilant and actively promoting anti-bullying and anti-harrassment policies. When scheduling conferences and events, certain factors (such as open or concealed carry weapons laws) may need to be taken into consideration when booking locations.

Bottom line is - we have a duty to the next generation to ensure these six areas of life are positively impacted by the membership experiences we provide. At the very least, we should ensure we aren't doing any harm in these areas. Let's get together and see what we can do about positively impacting the Global Youth Wellbeing Index for the better!

The New Question Associations Should be Asking Every Day

2014-03-10T14:43:00.001-07:00

If you feel so empty
So used up, so let down
If you feel so angry
So ripped off, so stepped on
You're not the only one
Refusing to back down
You're not the only one
So get up!.....Riot, Three Days Grace

I just saw this article published in the Chronicle of Higher Education. It details a fundamental shift in the way public colleges and universities are being funded and actually posits that public funds for higher education in some states may move to zero (ZERO) in the coming years. If nothing is done about the current system, income inequality will continue to drive the middle class to the brink of destruction and all the dues we complain about not getting now will disappear for good.

Obviously, I've talked about disruption in the secondary and post-secondary environment for a while now. Workforce development in the United States is foundering on stormy economic seas and our skills gaps are getting larger and larger. If all you do is think about how to serve your current members you are destined to fall victim to the forces of entropy, erosion and attrition.

More importantly, is what to do with the thousands of young people who feel like they don't have any options, or their options are becoming more limited and fraught with the specter of increased costs for little demonstrable value. There are a lot of people out here who are angry about these conditions, and rightly so.

In my opinion, success today depends on asking new questions. "What is our value proposition?" is a legitimate question, but its an old one. It feels contemporary, but looking back through association literature from the last century, we've actually been hammering on "value" since the early 1900's. In light of changes in our economy and educational system, maybe we need to try a new question. What if we redirected some of our time into asking - "What does it take for an individual to become eligible to pay membership dues?" There are thousands of hungry high-schoolers, young adults and the long term unemployed out there who need guidance that you may be able to provide. Maybe you have a fantastic gingerbread house, but if you aren't laying down the right kind of breadcrumbs how do you expect future members to actually find you in the middle of the woods?

Serving current members is important, but it's a strategy built around the past and present, not the future. Future strategy includes creating robust student programs and pathways into your industries and professions. You should be using data to get VERY specific about where your industry and professions are seeing shortages, and how you intend to solve those shortages. Without a major shift into that kind of predictive thinking, you will be forever playing catch-up and "selling" to a smaller and smaller audience.

There are a lot of angry, hurting people out here, but if we shift our gaze and start providing solutions for them instead of figuring out ways to feed off of them, we have a better shot of living up to a legacy that we can all be totally stoked about.

Let's not start another membership brochure, let's start a riot!

Member-holics - First Step to Getting Help is Admitting You Have a Problem

2014-02-27T12:24:00.001-08:00

If you can't see the embed here is the link.

So, every time an association ends up on Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert I just slap my forehead. This time I almost knocked myself off the couch.

Stephen Colbert just did a takedown of the Envelope Manufacturers Association and a spin off PR effort of theirs known as Consumers for Paper Options. Obviously, its a comedy piece and played for effect but I can't let it go. I don't know the folks at EMA or CPO (and after this, I'm pretty sure I won't get the chance to) but I am sure they are well meaning association professionals who are doing their level best to represent their members interests in the best way they know how. It's what we have all been taught is our job - to serve the members.

However, as an association professional I can tell you I think Stephen Colbert's Envelopefest 2014 is a perfect example of what I'm beginning to think of as "member-holicism."

I had a conversation earlier this week with a fellow colleague and point blank asked, "Why are associations not at the table when 'broad' conversations are happening? We are at the table when something particular to our own specific industry or profession is involved, but broadly speaking associations as a group seem to be locked out of larger conversations regarding society as a whole." His answer - "People (speaking writ large) don't trust us." The piece from Mr. Colbert exemplifies why.

Don't get me wrong - I understand the value of associations containing collectives of people who advocate for their interests, bring different perspectives to the table, and define what the operating environment looks like for their members to consumers, legislators and regulators. I get it. And there is nothing wrong with "self-interest" per se. But too many times "self-interest" is where the conversation stops. We rarely get to the "problem solving" stage nor do we have anything to offer beyond "what's good for our members is good for you!"

I did some cursory research this morning on the Consumers for Paper Options website. I believe they have a stellar argument to make about the digital divide in America and how seniors, people who do not have access to broadband or who are in poverty could potentially be locked out of vital government services if a wholesale switch to a paperless system goes through. Sure, this action could very well adversely affect vulnerable populations. I'm with ya' on that one. Great argument and extremely valid. It's a problem and it needs a solution.

But let's be honest.This effort isn't REALLY, primarily about the digital divide. It's not. It's about how we can co-opt a message for our own purposes. All of us have been in the room when one of these conversations have taken place about a spin-off PR effort and it almost always goes like this:

1) Government/consumers/industry cutting down on (____insert product or profession here___) ?
2) Sales will be affected! Members will struggle!
3) We need a good message here so we don't look like we are worried about sales or our own jobs!
4) I know! Let's set up a consumer group and say we are here to defend consumers rights and protect poor people! No elected officials want to offend consumers or hurt poor people! (unless you are talking about unemployment, education or health care...but I digress)
5) Cool! We got the amendment! Sales are safe! Put that in the newsletter Barry so we can demonstrate our value to our members!

And that is where the conversation ends. It begins with self-interest and ends with self-interest with a smattering of "doing good" in the middle. It's the "Twinkie" theory of public relations.

In the meantime, three issues remain up in the air - sustainability, government spending and most importantly - the actual digital divide. Is there a problem to be solved? Yes, there are three! However, balance and nuance is lost in the argument because of - the members. This is why we are member-holics. Our rush to "protect and defend" our members interests cause us to bump up against real problems but only to co-opt the message for a lobbying campaign to meet a narrow purpose, not to actually solve anything.

Por ejemplo, if this group is really concerned about the digital divide - they should be doing something about it. They should be teaming up to oppose the Comcast/Time Warner merger. They should be coalition partners with telecomm to ensure broadband access is delivered to every community in the United States at low or no cost. They should support educational efforts to ensure seniors, low income or other populations gain the skills and confidence they need to operate in a new economy and yes, make the eventual switch to electronic. AND they should be looking at other ways envelope manufacturers can evolve their businesses to adapt to new information delivery technologies. Come up with some crazy ideas for envelopes that can be used more than once, or team up with Jeff Bezos and create the "self-delivering envelope" or SOMETHING more clever than you get an envelope, you get an envelope, everybody gets an envelope!

I'm already hearing the pushback. Well, working on actual broadband delivery is outside of our member scope. We don't have enough resources to engage in a larger effort. Our members are only interested in supporting lobbying efforts that...wait for it....waaaait for it....show them a return on their dues investment. I'm sure you are right. And in that case, maybe you shouldn't position yourselves as the champions of the digital divide and just be honest - we have customers who still need envelopes so back off bucko.

We frequently end up with these ethical issues in associations because of this need to 'serve the members interests' with whatever flavor of the day, fake shell group lobbying effort we can dream up. It is quite possible this group has nothing but the BEST interests of the consumers at heart. However, they ended up on Colbert because of one thing and one thing only - they look like what we suspect they might be - a lobbying effort set up to shore up sales for a member base in a dying or diminishing industry. There's a recipe for the future - protect dying technology at all costs because improvements will hurt members instead of supporting improvements that could help us all.

I know it seems like younger members aren't interested in us. I submit it might be because they are a sophisticated generation. Systems thinkers raised in a media age that has taught them the skills to see through the marketing/PR shell game. They don't really want to be a part of a system rooted in the protectionism of the past. It isn't that they don't want to join - maybe it's that they don't always want to join US. Quite frankly, if we are truly interested in our members, we should be brave enough to tell them what they don't want to hear - that sometimes our members' industries or professions are in diminishment and/or decline and they need to take the intervening time during the decline to innovate, retrofit or find something else to do.

Associations can lead the way....or not. But for God's sake do the rest of us fellow association professionals a favor and if you're running a shell campaign put some meat in it. Every time one of us ends up on Colbert, we all look like idiots.

I think we can be better than this. But only if we admit we are member-holics, put the dues invoice down and seek help.

Book Review - Business Storytelling for Dummies

2014-02-24T09:22:00.000-08:00

The wind was a torrent of darkness
Among the gusty trees
The moon was a ghostly galleon
Tossed upon the cloudy seas
The road was a ribbon of moonlight
Over the purple moor
When the highwayman came riding
Riding, riding
The highwayman came riding
Up to the old inn door......The Highwayman, Loreena McKennitt

I love this song adaptation by Loreena McKennitt of the Highwayman. The music is spectacular, and so is her voice, but it's the story that just holds me in thrall.

I typically don't do book reviews (especially for friends and colleagues) since I am not good at filtering myself and I don't do puff pieces. However, I made an exception for +LoriSilverman and I'm so glad I did. Her new book, "Business Storytelling for Dummies," written with her friend and colleague Karen Dietz, PhD is really, really good.

For most of our history, our cultural values and stories were passed down through an oral tradition. Humans have an instinctive love of story and our obsession with the modern entertainment industry is clear evidence of that. We write volumes and tell stories every day about our past, our dreams, or things we heard happened to others. We also have tons of apocryphal stories we tell about our associations, why we are here and where we are going. What we aren't as good at, is really crafting a story that can motivate our members to action.

Writing a good story, like any other endeavor, takes effort. It is a craft and deserves study. What humans respond to, and the order in which we respond to it, is the key to not only telling a good story, but ensuring that story embeds itself into the consciousness of the ones we tell it to. This book takes a simple, common-sense approach to storytelling specifically in business settings (and by extension - associations).

What I appreciate about the story approach, vs the "marketing approach" is part of what makes a story a good story is a sense of authenticity. There is a realness you can impart in the body of a story that you cannot impart in any other way. Telling authentic stories takes guts, but it can infuse your mission with a dose of reality, (aka real-world value), like no other technique can. When I boil my personal story down to a sentence - "Blue collar girl in a white collar world," that tells you more about me, my approach and my style than all the text on my website ever could.

I think the most important section of the book is the one that breaks down the specific types of stories you should create, bank and have on hand. Every association has these stories, but do they have them written in a way that can create the most impact and are they easily accessible to industry stakeholders? The seven story types are:

Founding Stories (how did we get here? In associations it usually involves seven or eight disgruntled people and a dining room table :D)
What We Stand For Stories (our vision, mission and values)
What We Do Stories (what we do for our industries and professions - not JUST our members)
Future Stories (where we are taking you since you're along for the ride)
Success Stories (awesome stuff we've done because we've stuck together)
Overcoming Barriers Stories (we just can't be stopped, no matter what)
Memorable Customer Stories (or in our case Members - and can we think of the good ones instead of the ones we usually tell? lol)

So, yeah....kudos to +LoriSilverman and +Karen Dietz for writing such a great book. I will be referencing it in the future a lot and I don't know anyone who couldn't benefit from the common sense hints they give about story structure, arc and use in different settings. And for my readers, take some time today and think about the stories you want to tell on behalf of your members and on behalf of yourselves. It's work you will not regret (and it might even inspire you a little - and who couldn't use a little more inspiration? :D).

CalSAE Association Executives Name 6 Big Trends for 2014

2014-02-05T16:40:00.001-08:00

Things are going great...
and they're only gettin' better
I'm doin' all right
Gettin' good grades
The future's so bright
I gotta wear shades......Timbuk 3

I am lucky enough to get to play along with the California Society of Association Executives (CalSAE) IDEAL(TM) learning laboratory. Recently we sat down and spent five hours digging through 2014 trends, running a context map exercise and coming up with what these awesome association executives think are the top 6 association trends for 2014. Read on!

Chunking

This force is driving all aspects of your association’s membership experience, i.e., membership itself, professional development programming, communications, etc.. Associations must boil each experience down into digestible chunks, place those chunks in an easy to understand and access sequence and give members a way to demonstrate they performed/understood/accomplished specific chunks. Call it Hansel and Gretel association management - leave that bread crumb trail out and your members will be able to find the gingerbread house.

Impatience and Immediate Gratification

The overall impatience of society in general is contributing to a disturbing trend in associations. In 2014, you can expect to see more interpersonal conflicts among staff members, board members and volunteer leaders. However, general impatience is also leading to innovations in terms of providing members with experiences that are highly personalized and compressing the time it takes to volunteer with or interact with your association. Micro-volunteering is a “trend within a trend” and is a direct response to this larger societal condition.

Mindfulness

People are overwhelmed by change, technological advances and an increasing flood of cultural noise. A renewed focus on helping members be mindful, peaceful and centered is a way to help combat the stresses of the world and help them feel safe and more secure with themselves and with each other. Additionally, the intense focus on community has been omnipresent in the association community over the past few years but now there there is an increasing realization that members need to be recognized and honored as individuals as well. In our zeal to create collaborative experiences, we sometimes overlook providing opportunities for solitude and to create space for introverts to excel in our association structures.

Competence

This force is driving several conditions within associations and the educational system itself. The days of simply “picking topics people are interested in,” are rapidly being replaced by an impatient constituency that wants to know what competency they should be developing, how your program gets them there and how their peers will recognize their accomplishment. A bachelor’s degree doesn’t tell anyone anything about what an individual actually knows and neither do some certification programs. Chunking, impatience and competence are driving the badging movement in the K-12, post-secondary and workforce development arenas and creating new opportunties for associations.

Glocality

External and internal localities continue to create disruption for both communities and individuals. Globalization is accelerating with no end in sight, while at the same time individuals are acutely aware of the need to improve their immediate surroundings and circumstances. There is a dynamic tension created between this sense of connection with the larger global community and reacting to global economic and workforce shifts, while at the same time providing members with tools and ideas to use and apply in the direct vicinity of their daily lives.

Gamification

The last decade was the decade of social and this is the decade of gaming. Far from being a “fad,” game mechanics have been a key social innovation from the beginning of human civilization. Gaming is related to learning, developing trust and social cohesion. Serious games are being used to explore all manner of complex, wicked problems. Running scenarios are a great way to test out potential solutions before the conditions present themselves allowing for quicker action when they do. Gaming mechanics include keys for membership, professional development, participation and engagement for your members, volunteers and staff alike.

There you have it....6 Big Trends for 2014 in the association community. Stay tuned for more on these coming soon! Do you see a big trend that we missed? If so, please put it in the comments, we'd love to hear from you!

The Heart Rending Truth About Association Management

2014-01-29T11:18:00.003-08:00

Sloe gin, sloe gin
Tryin' the wash away the pain inside
Well I'm sick and I'm all done in
I'm standing in the rain
And I feel like I'm gonna die..
I'm so damn lonely, ain't even high....
I'm so damn lonely, think I'm gonna die....Joe Bonamassa, Sloe Gin (2007)

The thing that nobody tells you about this profession is sometimes it breaks your heart.

This past weekend I was with one of my favorite organizations at their annual retreat (name withheld for privacy). This particular group has done some amazing work over the past few years and I've been privileged to be a part of it. Part of their focus is on the prevention of hospital acquired infections that can lead to serious illness, injury or death. They are focused and serious, but they are also a lot of fun and their enthusiasm is so refreshing.

However, on the second day of this relatively normal strategic planning retreat, one of the board members received the devastating news that her brother is days away from dying in the hospital. That would be bad enough. But the horrific irony is he is dying from the exact type of infection this group is trying to prevent. The shock as the words spilled out made a palpable, physical impact on each person in the room. There was a rapid intake of breath, followed by a jumbled flow of words and tears that expressed genuine commiseration, consolation and attempted comfort.

I could see each individual frantically attempting to place this horror their colleague was going through in some sort of context. Each board member trying to make sense of it and regain their bearings. Some lost in their own thoughts. Recalling patients, relatives, parents, children and sometimes even their own personal struggles. Gathering rememberance. What became insanely, incredibly laid out in stark relief over the apocryphal stories, crafted mission statements and plans to create real change was the fact that death from illness is one thing, death from a preventable illness - one the group is actively working to stamp out - seems particularly cruel.

And galvanizing.

Because when the group rallied, they rallied around the idea that they aren't fighting to prevent "1 in ____ patients" from becoming ill or dying. They are fighting for the "1." The one child, the one parent, the one sibling, the one partner, the one friend that matters above all others to someone. Real life. Real death. Real moments.

Nonprofit work, and the attendent struggles we go through, don't routinely result in such dramatic circumstances but the inescapable fact is we are immersed in a particularly human-centric profession. This is not the first time I have confronted death with a client either as an individual or even in the context of a meeting or an event. It is however the first time I have seen death, in real time, so clearly and directly linked to the mission of the organization I'm working with.

Yes, the work is hard. Yes, meetings can be long and hard. Strategy can be difficult. Defining policy and working with volunteers is challenging. Personalities can drive both healing and conflict. But at the end of the day, I would rather work in a field that can suddenly break my heart into a thousand pieces on a random Sunday afternoon than to pass up the privilege to be a part of our profession's efforts to impact people personally, professionally and in all other ways.

And not just people. But the one. The one person, whoever it may be who matters the most to the one person we may never have even met.

I'm raising a sloe gin towards the south and sending my love along with it.....

You're An Association - So Scale it Down a Bit

2014-01-15T15:30:00.000-08:00

I find this bit by Eddie Izzard completely charming as well as funny - like I do most of his humor. Just for a second (and with ALL due respect) let me rewrite his script a little.

Society to Association Professional: "What do you want to do kid, tell me your dreams....!"

Association Professional - "I want to revolutionize an industry or profession and discover things that have never been discovered!"

Society - "Look, you're an association professional - so scale it down a bit."

Association Professional - "All right, well I want to find a ton of members and help them build the best experience possible for themselves, like nobody has ever done before!"

Society - "Look, you're an association professional - so scale it down a bit."

Association Professional - "All right, well I want to spend my life traveling to meetings, listening to people squabble and trying to get something done before I go back to my room and sob over the mini-bar."

Society - "What have you been smoking?"

Seriously though, I know how stuff like this can weigh a motivated executive, staff and volunteers down. When it feels like every direction you turn someone is telling you to "manage your expectations," and "don't get your hopes up" and "well you could make a difference but you don't have the money." It just gets under your skin sometimes. But now is NOT the time to believe them! Now is NOT the time to scale it back! Let's be unbridled and passionate and idealistic. Pragmatism never actually changed anything for the better.

I don't believe our society is seeing the association community through the right lens. I believe we have power and and a purpose beyond our individual silos. And I don't want to scale my expectations back for myself or for our community. Normally I would kick off the year with a "5 Terms for 2014" post or something similar but I couldn't write the post. I really, really tried. But then I thought of this clip and I realized, I can't have five terms this year. I'm obsessed with only one. I've spent months agonizing over what my word, term or focus would be for my part of the practice this year. And it took me until 30 seconds ago to finally hit on it. (Better late than never.)

The term is superstructure. And what it means will be revealed over the next few months....

Stay tuned....

Association Subculture - Most Popular Posts from 2013

2013-12-26T13:54:00.003-08:00

What a whirlwind year. It's hard to even believe its over. Before I launch into 2014, lets take a look back at our most popular posts from 2013. Thanks so much to my readers, stay tuned for more rantings about the association world in 2014! (And just for fun, the video link goes to a bonus countdown of tunes from the year I graduated from high school! :D)

Coming in at Number 5 - Good News for Association Education Courtesy of Generation X - Turns out the first generation of lifelong learners is leading the charge for adult education and associations have new markets to tap into for life....

Slot Number 4 Belongs To - Reinvent What You Do, Not Who You Are - A Star Trek fueled rant about the fact that what we do has meaning.....

Landing at Number 3 - Upgrading Ordinary in Associations - A tiny little underdog post surged to the top three spot on this years roster....

Hitting Number 2 for 2013 - Membership IS The Value of Membership - Leave it to Dave Grohl to inspire this passionate case for us to reject this idea that members are customers, that they are experience co-creators....

And the Number 1 Post for 2013 - Decision Weasels in Associations - Apparently my readers are SURROUNDED by weasels because this post went through the roof...so stop back by and I'll tell you how to spot them and deal with them too..... :D

And just for kicks and giggles, we do have an honorable mention...."You Might Be An Association Professional...."

Sending you all good thoughts and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can all do together in 2014....

Other Things for Association Executives to UNLearn in 2014

2013-12-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

I see you driving 'round town
With the girl I love and I'm like,
Forget you!
Oo, oo, ooo
I guess the change in my pocket
Wasn't enough I'm like,
Forget you!
And forget her too!...Cee Lo Green

I was lucky enough to be asked to make a few contributions to a recent newsletter sent out from yourmembership.com about "10 Things Every Association Executive Should Stop Doing in 2014." I threw in 5 things I think it is HIGH TIME our community unlearned. I encourage you to read the entire post, there are other terrific nuggets from fellow contributors +Elizabeth Engel , +Peggy Hoffman and Mary Byers.

Here are just a few other things I thought of this afternoon that I wish I'd added at the time:

Waiting for Competency - This is an old idea that was hammered into us as schoolkids. No wonder the school system is flawed. Waiting until you know EVERYTHING about something will kill forward momentum. We have got to get better at just jumping in. I'd rather be embarrassed by floundering than accused of being behind the curve.

Sustainability is Not Our Problem - When it comes to sustainable business practices, for some reason associations seem to be waiting for the movement to grow within their industries first, instead of leading the way. So many times I see associations with constituencies that should be moving boldly forward with 21st century business practices playing defense and struggling to overturn or derail any efforts to regulate emissions or engage in other planet saving activities. We don't have enough time for you to keep playing this zero sum game.

Associations Are Here for Members - Actually, no. You are really here for your professions and industries writ large. You should be devoting the bulk of your resources to develop new programs for members you don't have yet. Let me explain - if all you do is program to the wants and needs of your current constituency, you leave NO room to innovate around your industry or profession. Too many times I see associations with budgets that are 90% about serving current members and 10% (if that!) about research and development on new programs. Time after time executives pass up new programs because there are so many other things to fund. Flip your thinking. Try devoting 80% of your budget to strategic initiatives that benefit the industry as a whole and 20% to service the members you have. Even if you have to scale back to even 50% - 50% you will be making progress towards a better future.

Time to forget some things and some other things too :D....

Finding Radical Value in Core Competencies

2013-09-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

Somebody please, tell me where the ghosts are gone,
Someone hear me out
Something to be my guide
Somebody please
Hear me where the screaming shouts
...I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I'll be fine. Sea of Bees, Broke

(I got to see Julie (Sea of Bees) perform at TEDxSacramento and she just blew me away. This is a really pretty but haunting song. I thought of it today because sometimes I think we forget that associations are going to be fine. Yes, we feel lost and yes,we need to change but at the end of the day, we have to have some confidence that we know what we are doing and concentrate on doing what we do best - just better. The ghosts of the past are gone but that doesn't mean that we don't have a future.

That was the impetus behind this recent article I wrote for the Midwest Society of Association Executives that was published in their August 2013 issue.)

If you read the news and study trends, you may already be aware that there is a great deal of change underway in the K-12 and post-secondary system in the United States. Rising college tuition costs, shrinking numbers of seats, and new technology based delivery systems are combining to create a perfect storm in the adult education world. With specialization in industries and professions moving at an ever-increasing rate, college students often arrive on the scene with skills that are already out of date. However, the coming disruptions in the educational system couldn’t come at a better time for associations. Association staff and volunteers who fully grasp these tectonic shifts in education, will be able to position themselves to create radical value in new opportunity areas that simply didn’t exist ten years ago.

In the association community we routinely engage in vigorous debates about perceived member value. It may seem fashionable, but it isn’t new. If you look back in historical records, we have been wrestling with this topic from our inception. However, we also need to look at the actual data. I frequently get the opportunity to review data sets from association surveys and time and again “professional development” and “networking” rank at or near the top of perceived value. It’s not exciting to hear members repeatedly tell us the value they get from the association is steeped in services we consider “traditional.” Even worse, it’s unsettling to hear the programs they are most interested in are the ones they aren’t completely satisfied with.

However, all is not lost. In fact, I am more optimistic than ever that associations are in a great position to provide lasting value to members and stakeholders in all industries and professions. We are entering an exciting new chapter in professional development. If it is true that a) the education system is undergoing a major disruption, b) we already have solid core competencies around education and certification, and c) an audience that wants and needs it, then what is stopping us from refreshing and renewing our offerings for adult learners both here in the United States and around the world?

The only thing stopping us is ourselves. Really, it is more exciting to hear about “new” programs we can build to create value, than to hear about tearing down our current programs and rebuilding them from the ground up. Regardless, the major innovations associations are seeking may not always be in completely new territory, but in having the courage and fortitude to effectively meet the challenges we have been presented with in our areas of core competency that have compelling possibilities in these new markets that are presenting themselves. Core competencies are “traditional,” but can still be incredibly innovative if we carefully rethink and refresh them for a new audience.

Here are some practical ideas on areas professional development managers should begin exploring if they haven’t already.

Reframe Audiences – Associations who want to be players in professional development and capitalize on these new opportunities need to reframe the potential audience. For example, we have had “student” members for years, but what about fast-track programs specifically designed to get recent high school graduates or the long-term unemployed up to speed in the industry or profession without traversing traditional educational pathways?

Reframe Delivery – Massive open online courses or “MOOCs” are effectively disrupting the landscape. Beyond webinars and other virtual mechanisms, the technology supporting MOOCs are leading instructors to radically re-evaluate how content is chunked absent a “time” requirement. New technologies are becoming more and more affordable for associations. Some examples are epathlearning.com and Blue Sky Broadcast.

Reframe Pricing – The way content is developed and distributed on the internet is STILL not being effectively dealt with in our pricing models. Figure out the highest quality you can deliver at the lowest possible price point. Sticking with the same pricing models does not make sense in a world where anyone can take a physics course from MIT for FREE.

Reframe Instruction – Aggressively implementing train the trainer programs for your volunteer instructors is crucial. Volunteer instructors have a tremendous amount of industry and profession specific knowledge, but they don’t always know how to facilitate learning environments. Invest in training for them and you will be paid back many times over.

Reframe Certification – One of the criticisms of MOOCs is people aren’t sure yet what counts for credit and where. Traditional institutions are beginning to accept completion certificates for actual credit on a case by case basis. Associations who offer certification programs need to look at the MOOC landscape and determine whether your certification programs will accept certificates of completion in lieu of traditional college credit. If you haven’t started a certification program – NOW is the time to do it. More and more students are interested in gaining evidence that they are qualified to work in a specific industry or profession without having the official BA, or MA.

Reframe Content – Look at next generation content and make sure you are still providing the nuts and bolts your industry or profession needs, but concentrate on “what’s next.” If traditional colleges can’t keep up with specialization because of long lead times, curriculum development red tape, etc., then make sure your programs are always on the cutting edge of what happens in the real world. Don’t let the new for-profit schools steal your advantage. They often offer lower quality at higher price points and less employability to boot.

All the best to you as you enter this exciting new world of content delivery. By looking at “old” programs in a completely “new” way you can have the best of both worlds and, at the end of the day, create the kind of lasting value your members and stakeholders desperately need.

You Might Be An Association Professional...

2013-09-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

Just for fun today...couldn't help myself.

If you offer your husband a cup of tea and you ask him if he'd like lemon or constant contact...you might be an association professional.

If you find yourself running a SWOT analysis on someone you just started dating...you might be an association professional.

If you find yourself discussing the "policy" regarding borrowing the car on Friday night with your teenager...you might be an association professional.

If you refer to leaving for vacation as "load out"...you might be an association professional.

If you land in an any random airport, disembark and know immediately where the nearest bathroom and Starbucks is...you might be an association professional.

If you find yourself pushing family members to "reach consensus" as to who is hosting Thanksgiving this year...you might be an association professional.

If you absentmindedly respond to your significant others suggestion on a restaurant for dinner by saying, "Yeah, yeah, I'll second that..." you might be an association professional.

If you text your meeting planner at 3:00 AM in the morning because you just had a great idea...you might be an association professional.

If your children are complaining about a family decision and you respond, "Suck it up Charlie, we took a vote," ...you might be an association professional.

If you have a tic in your left eye that activates every time you think about a certain past President...you might be an association professional.

If your jewelry box contains a special, beaded, designer lanyard...you might be an association professional.

If you have enough logo covered bags in your garage to take a small army camping...you might be an association professional.

If you go to a family event and demand to see the program...you might be an association professional.

If you can get ticked off five times in the first fifteen minutes of any hotel stay...you might be an association professional.

If you go on vacation with the family and try to sneak in a site inspection while they are at the pool...you might be an association professional.

If you feel compelled to develop a "theme" to go with a family outing...you might be an association professional.

If you can't explain what you do for a living...you might be an association professional.

ASAE 13 Follow Up - Gaming in Association Management

2013-08-26T10:29:00.002-07:00

My interview with Personify about my session at ASAE 13 in Atlanta, GA - http://www.personifycorp.com/presents/live-from-asae/online-games-for-associations

Wow, my schedule has been nuts ever since Atlanta and I am just now getting around to sending follow ups and resources out to everyone who was able to attend the session as well as my readers here at the Association Subculture. In the coming weeks I have a lot to say about membership engagement and professional development but for right now, I just wanted to shoot out some resources for those of you who are interested in learning about how gaming and gaming techniques can be used in our associations to make us more fun, more engaging and "stickier."

I hope you enjoy some of these videos, websites and books!

Gaming in general

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE1DuBesGYM - Jane McGonigal, Gaming Can Make a Better World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn9fTc_WMbo - Seth Priebatsch - Building the Game Layer on Top of the World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyamsZXXF2w - Tom Chatfield - 7 ways video games engage the brain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O1gNVeaE4g - Fun is the Future - Gabe Zichermann

Gaming for Health

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfBpsV1Hwqs - Jane McGonigal - The Game That Can Give you 10 Extra Years of Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH4wEs2HLjk - Game Helps Children Escape Realities of Burn Unit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjGJTST8DSg - games for health

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI0BAviwXDo - Wiihabilitation

Gaming for Good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Z-3mz3j6U - Brenda Brathwaite - Games for a Change

http://worldwithoutoil.org/ - World Without Oil

http://archive.superstructgame.net/ - Superstruct

http://www.urgentevoke.com/ - Urgent Evoke

Gaming Sites

https://www.superbetter.com/

http://www.gamification.co/

http://innovationgames.com/

Gaming Books

http://www.amazon.com/Fun-Inc-Dominate-Twenty-First-Century/dp/B006CDDMFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377453977&sr=8-1&keywords=fun+inc

http://www.amazon.com/The-Gamification-Learning-Instruction-Game-based/dp/1118096347/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377453871&sr=8-2&keywords=gamification

http://www.amazon.com/Gamification-Design-Implementing-Mechanics-Mobile/dp/1449397670/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1377453871&sr=8-5&keywords=gamification

http://www.amazon.com/Reality-Is-Broken-Better-Change/dp/0143120611/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1377453871&sr=8-9&keywords=gamification

http://www.amazon.com/Total-Engagement-Virtual-Businesses-Compete/dp/142214657X/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1377453936&sr=8-24&keywords=gamification

http://www.amazon.com/Video-Learning-Literacy-Second-Edition/dp/1403984530/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377453998&sr=8-1&keywords=games+literacy

Plus, there are lots of new apps too for health and fitness. The Nike Fuelband and Jawbone Up is based on game mechanics and there are lots of fitness apps out there to choose from. So gaming and gaming mechanics are expanding to every area of life. Associations can't fail to take advantage of this trend. If they do, they will remain static and boring and nobody wants that...

Enjoy your week and don't forget to have a little fun along the way!

Association Jam - Summer 2013 - Lessons Learned

2013-07-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

Well, we did it (and when I say we, I mean we)! The first Association Jam actually happened and I am so grateful for everyone who participated. We had awesome hosts +Vickie Lester +Maria Nazario +Wendy Kavanagh +Elizabeth Engel and +KiKi L'Italien . My CA co-hosts +Sandra Giarde and +Gina Sutherland kept me grounded and were awesome at making sure everyone had enough grub and libations....

I really don't have much to say about this grassroots, virtual adventure that you can't see for yourself on the video save to say I did learn a few lessons along the way.....

1) Experimentation - If innovation is king, then experimentation is queen. The only way to do new things and to push the envelope is to do new things and push the envelope. And it's nuts. There is no policy manual to look for. A thousand things come up that you don't expect. You may wake up several times relatively sure that what you are trying to do might suck, might be misunderstood, might not be worth the effort, might even end in disaster - and in public. Do it anyway.

2) Collaboration - the only way to pull off things in this new environment is to refuse to be a lone ranger and to collaborate. A lot. We conducted tests, talked about what we would talk about, logged onto the Google+ community, talked amongst ourselves, started Facebook events, tweeted, blogged and basically jumped off the dock together. The swim turned out to be fun and refreshing. Whew!

3) Coordination - I am a kind of "live and let live" kind of gal, but I missed the opportunity to create some additional cohesive details for each site that could have amplified the communal aspect of the virtual environment. For example - Kiki came up with a drinking game - every time they said "value" they took a drink. It would have been fun to have some of the same games running at each site. So I'll put that in my "box o' things to remember."

4) Celebration - The best part, was seeing folks celebrate in the sheer fun of doing something new. I feel like it was worth it just to see everyone having such a good time and hanging out. We built an Association Jam playlist on YouTube and just let it fly. Our theme song for this one has to be Daft Punk - Get Lucky! (warning - the video is weird but the groove is undeniable! :D)

+Joe Rominiecki did a write up on it for Associations Now blog...thank you Joe! What you got out of the experience was what I hoped people would - new people to meet, great conversation and an attempt to play in real time with new ways of interacting.

Stay tuned for the next event. From what I can tell - it seems like our hosts are ready to try it again and we are ready to invite more of you into the pool! :D In the meantime - take good care of each other and let's keep experimenting.

Beware of Dogfooding in Association Management

2013-06-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

Just a fun video that everyone has already seen, but it's totally worth a re-watch.

One of the things we struggle with in associations is the development of new programs and services. I can't tell you how many times I have seen programs developed in committees, with painstaking attention to detail and marketing, vigorous debates around pricing, long contracts drawn up establishing royalty relationships and then well timed wide launches at conferences or events with a full court communications press annnnnnnnnnd........crickets.

It's the non-dues revenue nightmare that has gotten more than one of us in trouble over the years. Inevitably, the cycle begins:

Denial: "We just need a better marketing effort."
Anger: "What do they want from us!?? They tell us they want things like this and we give it to them and they don't participate! Jerks!"
Bargaining: "What if we adjust the pricing? What if we added features? What if....?!?!?"
Depression: "How could we have gotten this so wrong? I mean, we did a survey and everything!"
Acceptance: "Fine, cancel the ads. Get the committee back together, we'll just have to come up with something else."

The fact is, we use dogfooding way too much in our development process and we need to think about those processes differently.

Here is a great article from Fast Company about how proper dogfooding might have saved Facebook Home. The way I understand it, the term "dogfooding" is just slang for a certain way of approaching development processes. It's the idea that you must personally learn and practice with programs and platforms so when you are developing new features, or completely new offerings, you have an innate sense of what your users (a.k.a., members) want. You are, in a sense, making sure you are regularly eating your own dogfood.

That really makes a lot of sense. The problem is, that strategy only works up to a point. It's been demonstrated in research done by ASAE that board members, engaged volunteers, and even staff, are by their very nature disconnected from the normal member experience. (We can argue about whether or not that is an optimal situation to even HAVE disengaged members, but that is a subject for another post.) The fact is, the people who are usually in charge of development of new programs and services often have skewed perceptions of value, usability and even desirability.

The lesson to take from this is yes, you should have a deep level of familiarity with your own offerings and your members environment. During the brainstorming and development process dogfooding can help you work out major bugs, see major flaws and get the product or service in shape for further testing. But then you have to bring in outsiders to really give you an honest critique of the program. ESPECIALLY if you are in love with the idea. If you are already an enthusiastic fan, you have clearly lost your ability to be objective.

If features are queen, usability is king. If you already know how to use it, you have to find people who don't in order to gain a balanced perspective.

Facebook Home failed. Good for them for trying but really...splat. If they had used the idea of dogfooding correctly, maybe they could have avoided the traps they fell into. Maybe we can too.

Happy chowing all!

Announcing New Educational Partnership with CalSAE - IDEAL

2013-06-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

Let me take your picture, add it to the mixture, there it is I got you now
Really nothin' to it, anyone can do it, it's easy and we all know how
Now begins the changin', mental rearrangin', nothin's really where its at
.....can you picture that? - Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, The Muppet Movie

(Okay, so starting an announcement like this with a scene from The Muppet Movie may seem strange, but if you read the lyrics, it will start making a little more sense. Mental rearrangin' is the name of the game. And let's face it, I learned most of what I use in life from the Muppets....)

Basically, the long and short of is, we've been listening to +Jeffrey Cufaude , +Jeff Hurt , +Steve Swafford and everyone else who has been telling us to embark on new learning adventures, to break the "90 minute" workshop mold and to get rid of the "sage on the stage." Well okay then, let's stop talking about it and do it.

Alcorn Associates Management Consulting has partnered with the California Society of Association Executives (CalSAE) to begin a new learner-centric educational program called IDEAL. IDEAL stands for In-Depth Education Association Laboratory. This program is being designed to be an intentional collaboration between highly qualified instructors and the attendees themselves - co-creating and fully engaging in discussion as a way to develop and demonstrate mastery over content relevant to association professionals.

The pricing is simple - $199 for association professionals who want to audit the program and not participate or $99 for those who contribute at least two pieces of content to a shared Dropbox folder and agree to actively participate in the discussions. Easy right?

The first IDEAL session will be held on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Our first topic will be legal contracts, but after that the group will indicate what they want to dive into during the next session. Sessions are bi-monthly. Attendees get first right of refusal on the next IDEAL experience as the quality of relationships enhances the ability of individuals to learn effectively. Attendance is capped at 20 in order to ensure that everyone gets a chance to contribute and talk. If interest exceeds 20, we will break into additional groups as necessary.

As we move through developing the content, we will begin to put "case study" time into the IDEAL sessions for participants to report back on the implementation of ideas they generated during IDEAL and how they worked in the real world. It's a real laboratory and we'd like to hear about real world results.

We are attempting to hold IDEAL sessions in conference rooms and board rooms of local Sacramento associations. Not only do people get to see other association professionals in their natural habitat, but it gets us out and away into a new environment each time to stimulate our thinking.

In addition, we have set up a "Young Professionals Scholarship" for selected younger folks to attend at no charge and to jump start their careers. Just to put a little icing on the engaged learner cake.

To register or to learn more, please visit the IDEAL page on the CalSAE website or email either Mark at mark@alcornlaw.com or myself at shelly@alcornassociates.com . We are really hoping to have some brave souls come along with us as we start this new journey. We believe in the power of the people and are here to assist and accelerate our own learning as well. Join us! We'd love to have you!

“Unlike a classroom where a teacher controls the lecture, the organic communities that emerge through collectives produce meaningful learning because the inquiry that arises comes from the collective itself… any effort to define or direct collectives would destroy the very thing that is unique and innovative about them….”

The New Culture of Learning, Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown.

Association Members Need to Learn About Learning

2013-05-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

"The Eagle Hill School is Harvard, MA believes that every student can learn, that learning differently requires teaching differently, and that we must educate our students to learn about learning in order to form new beliefs in the search for intellectual autonomy." Stephen Tonti

What a wonderful TEDTalk. Even more important, is what associations can take away from it. As learning institutions ourselves, we have got to step our game up if we want to accommodate the new learners who are coming our way. Here are some statistics from the Centers for Disease Control on ADHD from August 2012. I loved the fact that Mr. Tonti positions ADHD as "learning differently" as opposed to labeling it a "learning disorder." I believe we do tend to classify people we don't know how to teach as if it is THEIR "problem," and not admit to ourselves that some of our struggles might be due to our own deficiencies as educators as well.

However, this isn't just about adjusting our instructional methods to reach an adult population who suffers from ADHD or other spectrum issues. What Stephen is saying is broadly applicable to ALL learners we inherit in the association system. We must teach our members what they need to know to be successful in their careers, but we also need to layer our learning programs with information on "learning how to learn," and leading by example. Your volunteer instructors need training on learning techniques in order to help those individuals who have not been fortunate enough to benefit from an education that has taught them "how to learn" because they have been so busy "teaching to the test" for so long.

We are inheriting an adult learner population that needs additional help. What "we have always provided" in terms of education, might not be enough any more. If associations want to be the hotbeds of innovation we like to think they are, then unleashing a wave of talented members who have learned how to learn, as well as being at the top of their field, could lead to all manner of breakthroughs that we haven't even thought of yet. Ideas that we can capitalize on and share, and maybe even monetize. At the very least, ideas to make the world a better place.

We need to also stop thinking about educational opportunities just in context of the professional development programs we offer. We have all manner of opportunities to introduce people to experiences that will help them learn. We should look on strategic planning, program creation, introduction to new technologies,etc., as (at the heart of it) learning opportunities. Experimentation and innovation is just learning in practice. If we want to create self-directed learners, we need to spend more time amplifying the opportunities we offer for people to practice mastery of their subject matter (guest blogging, video creation, research, program creation, etc.) and less time trying to control their output.

The good news is, we have more tools than ever before to accomplish this monumental task. Now all we need is the will.

The Short Story of Associations

2013-05-21T12:10:00.002-07:00

Seriously, these are two of my favorite illustrations of all time. These came from a book called Life In Five Seconds: The Short Story of Absolutely Everything....you can visit them here and I highly suggest that you buy the book.

The fact is, we spend way too much time in associations worrying about who we are and what we do instead of just doing it. The value of an association seems hard to find when you bury it in article after article about "value" and "market-share." And yes, although we've all heard about "Back of the Napkin" and all that good strategy, I was wondering if I could use the Life in Five Seconds idea to tell a story about associations in a really simple way.

Here's my take on it (and no, I am not an artist)....

This is the story. You come to an association to learn about careers, schools you can graduate from or education and certificates you can get and you meet people. You get a good career and maybe a place to live and family (why the cat is twice the size of the child is relatively Freudian I suppose)....and then you live a nice life and you die. Not that dying is a great image to use, but let's be real, none of us are getting out of here alive.

And that is kind of it. All of the rest of the stuff we fill our days with only serves to help, hinder or obscure what we are here to do. I don't know about you guys, but when I see it just sketched out, it's an easy jump to advocate for why membership is important.

How would you tell the minimalist story of what we are here to do? I'd love to see some of your drawings...

Good News For Association Education Courtesy of Generation X

2013-05-15T13:41:00.001-07:00

No his mind is not for rent
To any god or government
Always hopeful yet discontent
He knows changes aren't permanent
But change is....Rush, Tom Sawyer

Here is the link to the video for those who can't see the embed.

It seems fitting to feature Rush again here on the Association Subculture in light of their recent (OVERDUE IMHO) induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I just read the latest installment in the University of Michigan longitudinal study on us Gen Xers - Lifelong Learning: Generation X Illustrates the New Reality - and it contains some great news for associations. Generation X is the first generation to fully embrace the need for lifelong learning and they show every sign of continuing their pursuit of quality education that will make them competitive in the workplace.

More importantly, Generation X is embodying a larger cultural shift that no longer sees a linear life path - (school, college, career, retirement) but is embracing a more latticed approach that weaves education throughout a life that may include skipping college for a while and working, going back to school, pursuing certifications and licensing, and changing careers a number of times. It's a more fluid approach to life that is actually more sustainable over the long term and opens up a ton of opportunities for associations.

Far from being outdated, we are actually on the cusp of being able to provide educational solutions that can satisfy Generation X members and the younger generations that will follow. According to the report, Generation X learners tend to actively pursue activities that break down into three recognizable categories:

Formal courses leading to degrees at various levels – associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and professional.
Courses and workshops that lead to licenses, certificates, and other recognition within professions and occupations.
Informal learning and skill acquisition that may not be directly job related but which may advance an individual's ability as a consumer, a parent or a voter.

Associations can obviously impact the second category, but we can spill over into the other two as well. Why not expand our educational offerings to create more informed consumers, parents and voters? We do government affairs well, but we can do better. And we can create partnerships in the formal system too (if it still exists in the same form it is in over time which is currently up for debate but is the subject of another post).

According to this report. 32% of employed Generation Xers work in jobs that require licensing which includes ongoing education and an additional 16% are working in jobs that require ongoing education to achieve and maintain certification. Our audience is here, we just have to continue to make our case in new and better ways. Real learning happens in the presence of strong relationships - isn't that what we say we are all about?

Although I interpret these statistics to mean we are nowhere near extinct, and we have opportunities on the horizon that are even better than we had before, we do continue to suffer from educational programs that need more sophisticated delivery systems, excellent educators to lead them and a conference system that is a little on the antiquated side. If we don't remain seriously focused on professional development and career assistance, there are others waiting in the wings who want to put us out of business.

However, if we rise to this challenge, and expand our educational offerings into those other areas mentioned above where we have clear opportunities and maybe even some advantages, we are going to be in an excellent position over the long term.

Education. Networking. Democracy. Let's get back to it...the numbers are on our side.

Every Member Needs a Champion

2013-05-13T11:28:00.004-07:00

"I am somebody. I was somebody when I came in, I'll be a better somebody when I leave. I am powerful and I am strong. I deserve the education I get here. I have things to do, people to impress and places to go."

"....because -18 sucks the life right out of you, but +2 says I'm not all bad...." Rita Pierson
Here is the link to the talk if you can't see the embed....

For those of you who got to see the PBS Special "TED Talks Education" a few days ago, it was seriously inspiring. In fine TED fashion all of the talks are now available to be streamed free of charge at www.ted.com. The first quote above is something that Rita Pierson teaches each of her students to say. What if we taught our members to say the same thing?

This talk resonates with me because I can't help but think that not only does every kid need a champion, every member needs a champion too. Every one of her kids is a potential member. Associations have potential members coming from all four corners of the earth who are being ignored and dismissed on a daily basis. As if it's someone else's job to educate them or solve the skills gap. Where are these kids going to go if they get locked out of the traditional education system? They better be able to come to us.

Every member of EVERY trade and professional association needs job skills, career advice. education, certification and all of the other things we do. But we aren't doing them fast enough or well enough to meet the need. Private industry is eating our lunch with firms like Udemy and TechCrunch working together to produce quality programming to help fill the technology skills gap - http://www.educationdive.com/news/solving-the-skills-gap-udemy-techcrunch-launch-online-learning-platform-f/128958/

In associations, we have been conducting this whine-a-palooza for the last 20 years. Members don't understand us. We aren't in a position to capitalize on these new trends. We don't know what our value proposition is. Young people aren't joiners. Baloney. Any one of us could get on Udemy today, set up a class and get moving. We could be looking at companies like epathlearning.com or Blue Sky Broadcast. At the very least, we could be having a robust conversation about where associations fit in today's educational landscape.

More importantly (and I will thank Wendy Kavanagh for this forever) we have to eliminate the Willy Wonka aspect of membership. Membership should not be beneficial for those few who figure out how the system works. Every member needs a champion. Every member needs outreach, to be taught how to access the system, to be shown a pathway to a better life. And not with a membership packet and a website address. We need to develop a culture within our organizations that decides that NO MEMBER WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.

What would happen the next time your board got together and you talked about how to fill those empty pipelines. To ask them if they are having trouble finding people to work for them and if so, then how can our training expand to ensure they have access to quality employees with the right skills to do the jobs and make their industries and professions better?

What would happen if we put the words "every member needs a champion" on the top of our letterhead, in our vision and our strategic plans? How and what could we change for the better when we decide we aren't providing services for the lucky few who can figure it out? But that we are here to make sure every member knows they have value and worth and a community around them who can help them keep a job, keep a house, and have a better life?

Can we do that? Of course we can. Rita Pierson is working with the kids we are getting ready to inherit. It's time for us to step up. She believes in them, and we should too.