A transatlantic conversation advancing the impact and evolution of non-profit organizations. Together with our special guests, each episode we take a deep dive into the issues, topics, challenges and opportunities facing the association community.
Some say consulting is the dark side. We take offense! Elisa and Andrew are the good guys! Heck, we’re association superheroes and have been consulting and advising nonprofits and membership organizations for quite a while now. Today, we pull back the curtain to discuss, vent, tease, and explore the good and the bad of the consultant/client relationship. How do you get the most out of the engagement? Are there credentials for consultants? Who makes up the current field of consultants? Does your RFP communicate your needs? Join us for this “off the record” episode of Association Transformation.
She makes change fun and elevates innovation. Join Elisa as she chats with a true association renaissance woman, Belinda Moore of Strategic Membership Solutions. Accept and adapt - We know associations have to fundamentally transform, given the incredible pace of change and the opportunities presented by technology, but Belinda reminds us that everything is interconnected! We preview the 2024 Associations Evolve Journal and chat a little AI. Don’t miss this international conversation and meet Association Annie. Get a free download of Belinda’s tongue-in-cheek look at the world of associations through cartoons: Association Annie – Herding Cats
What’s your “Happy Meal KPI”? Elisa and Andrew go on a quest and data treasure hunt with Marion Short, CEO of the International Association for Public Participation. Growing from 3,000 to 14,000 members in just six years, Marion shares the true power of data. By spotlighting the important data versus distracting data, your association can achieve growth, deliver value, and enable transformation.
We admit it! We’re intimidated by all the digital possibilities presented by AI and automation, especially when it comes to composing the perfect newsletter. So Elisa and Andrew called in an expert for Episode 80 of Association Transformation. Erica Salm Rench, COO of rasa.io helps us navigate content curation best practices, personalization strategies, and ensuring reliable sources. This episode will bring you up to speed on the new normal for open rates, ways to save time building newsletters, and the realities of data decay. Now we get it!
From “Toxic Tech” to continuous performance improvement, Elisa visits with the tech doctor Troy Stenback, CAPIA, Director, Client Performance Improvement with Advanced Solutions International (ASI), the developers of iMIS. This episode of Association Transformation takes us on a search for tech health and forces us to face the truth - tech is usually only a small part of the problem we face. Most tech issues are due to your association's tech culture. Does your staff complain about or just not use the software and systems in place? Do you have duplicative programs because departments don’t communicate? Has anyone been recently trained on the tools you have? If these are symptoms you see, it may be time to look in the mirror. Stenback walks us through the journey to tech health and shares some great client best practices you can implement now to improve your #nonprofits tech culture!
The band is back together as Andrew and Elisa chat with digital strategist and social learning expert Joanne Jacobs of Disruptor Co. After exploring “Why Most Webinars Suck” in Associations Evolve 2023, we discuss the future of online learning and tools to engage in a sincere and memorable way. Did you know that depth perception impacts memory, making it harder to remember the information we receive digitally? In this episode, we explore ways to make digital experiences dynamic, including recommended platforms, the power of cohorts, and “top and tailing” strategies. Dive in and share with us what’s working for you!
Are you debating the pros and cons of sunsetting a program or an element of a program? It's not just a simple question of timing - you need to factor in costs, financial impacts, reputational risks, resource implications, and of course, the age-old "sense of ownership" that underpins so many association endeavours. Andrew is joined by Dr Michael Tatonetti, CAE, founder of Pricing for Associations, to discuss the key considerations you should explore when redefining your value proposition.
For associations and other non-profits, one of the key issues is finding a balance between resources required and funds available. This week Andrew is joined by Julie Krieger, founder of Onsomble to explore the various options for optimizing our human capital, from volunteering to outsourcing to in-house teams.
People come together in associations to tackle a problem and make a difference, right? What is more urgent than climate change? Elizabeth Engel of Spark Consulting and Shelly Alcorn of Michelle Alcorn & Associates join Elisa and Association Transformation to help associations understand the impact of climate change on their operations, events, and membership. These powerhouse women unpack the economic impacts and encourage association executives not to wait for the board, but instead provide information and help volunteer leaderships to ask the hard questions about impact, sustainability, and value-based choices. It’s heavy, but we have fun! Don’t miss this timely and important conversation.
Is your association on the verge of a surge in participation? The king of association membership research, Tony Rossell, Senior VP of Marketing General Incorporated, joins Association Transformation to discuss all things recruitment, retention, and member engagement! Without her trusty co-host, Elisa and Tony celebrate the power and potential of membership, affirming their shared belief that membership still works for associations! Check out episode 74 to learn more about ready, aim, fire strategies, and how to avoid analysis paralysis. Andrew – we missed you and the accent!
Maddie Grant, Culture Designer with Propel, joins the Association Transformation family for a deep dive into culture with Elisa and Andrew. A commitment to maintaining a strong, positive organizational culture is no longer an optional soft skill. From internal staff culture to member and volunteer culture, it doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. Maddie walks us through measures of cultural dysfunction and success, defines important cultural markers, explains employee net promoter scores and the difference between a cultural assessment and engagement analysis.
Financial! Fiduciary! Fund! Finance! Pick your nonprofit “F-word” of choice. Between bank collapses, inflation, stock market fluctuation, we had to call in the big guns this week. This week, Marc Labadie of RTD Financial joins us to discuss FDIC protections, reserves, insurance, and financial governance. As a financial adviser, specializing in membership associations, he gives us nonprofit-specific insights into today’s volatile economic environment. Counting Down the Biggest Reserves Mistakes Recap:
#10: Not Having FDIC Insurance Coverage on all Operating Reserves
#9: Not Investing Long-Term Reserves Aggressively Enough
#8: Not Maintaining an Adequate Emergency, Strategic or Short-Term Reserve Fund
#7: Not Taking Advantage of Maximizing “Free Money”
#6: Not Understanding the Total Cost of Maintaining Reserves
#5: Investing Too Many Reserves in Private & Illiquid Investments
#4: Not Formalizing a Policy for Levels of All Reserve Balances
#3: Not Educating New & Rotating Board/Committee Members on Reserve Goals
#2: Not Understanding the Reserve Levels Needed to be Sustainable for the Long-Term
#1: Not Dedicating Annual Savings as Part of the Annual Budget
How many times have you heard the suggestion "we should try the Netflix model" and wondered what exactly that means? Adapting and adopting pricing models is a perennial conundrum in the membership world but today Elisa and Andrew are joined by the global subscription guru, Robbie Hellman Baxter, who talks us through the issues and opportunities of designing subscription-based membership offerings.
You’ve heard the debate: Association CEOs should come from industry. Others insist the chief staff executive should be a tested nonprofit leader. Well, we found a unicorn who breaks all the stereotypes. Elisa and Andrew are joined by Terry Baker, CEO of the Society of American Foresters, who reminds us that leadership success isn't based on industry versus association but rather the intentional combination of both. Oh, and he shares his leadership secret of “puppy proposals"...
New to the Chief Brand Experience Officer role, Allison Marrero visits the Association Transformation studios pulling back the curtain on her work as a “change junky.” Join Andrew and Elisa for this engaging and energetic discussion of the evolution of the American Society of Interior Designers. ASID’s Jessica Irizarry adds her perspective on the impact of change and the potential for value and growth.
Has the “rubber band of change” snapped? Dana Aragon of the National Society of Professional Engineers joins us for a broad and triggering conversation. From the band-aids of innovation used to get associations through the last 36 months to nonprofits reverting to the “way things have always been done”. Elisa, Andrew, and Dana deconstruct the association model and discuss how to survive and thrive despite “crisis burnout.”
What are the emerging trends and priorities impacting membership bodies in 2023? Elisa and Andrew take a look at the challenges and opportunities which they suggest leadership teams should be exploring in the year ahead.
All boards know that strategy is important; but almost all also find it daunting. Planning forces directors to confront a future they can only guess at. Worse, actually choosing a strategy entails making decisions that explicitly cut off possibilities and options, and a board may well fear that getting those decisions wrong will wreck their organisation's chances of long-term success. This week, to kick off Season 4, Elisa and Andrew are joined by Larry Paska from the National Council for the Social Studies, who explains their formula for defining and delivering a strategic plan that is realising sustained success for the NCSS and its members.
A hundred years ago, we moved from working six day weeks to five, and we’re overdue for an update. As we progress through the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the 4-day week is a proposed reduction in the work week from a standard 40 hours to 32 hours for the same pay and benefits. Through a variety of pilots across the world, this reduction has been proven to work for employees and employers. The pandemic made it clear we can find a better balance between work and life, and the results of the pilots demonstrate a growing willingness to widely adopt this new model of working. This week Elisa and Andrew are joined by Mark Downs, CEO of the Royal Society of Biology, which is participating in the latest UK pilot (as possibly the only membership body thus far to engage with the model), to discuss the impacts of a 4-day week on the organisation's productivity, staff wellbeing, and member engagement.
Association management is a vocation; it is a profession; and for an increasing number of people, it is a career choice. It is a craft which requires a complex mix of skills, knowledge, and experience, dexterously combining knowledge of association culture, structure, and politics, with a wide spectrum of professional expertise, ranging from strategy and advocacy to marketing and event management, and everything in between. Defining and maintaining shared professional standards is therefore imperative for the long-term success of the profession. Elisa and Andrew are joined by sector specialist, CAE evangelist, and host of Nonprofit Conversations, Cecilia Sepp to discuss the transformative power of professional recognition and accreditation.
Constructive relationships amongst association leadership are fundamental to an organisation's success but too often we've seen tensions emerge between volunteer leaders and association professionals. Unless we invest in our relationships, it can be far too easy for an association's leadership team to descend into an emotional quagmire. Elisa and Andrew explore the reasons why these tensions can exist and examine what can be done to ensure relationship success.
At this year's ASAE Annual Meeting, keynote speaker Marcus Whitney encouraged association professionals to reexamine their perception of innovation and offered practical lessons on how organizations could be creative and goal-oriented. But what else did we learn from #ASAE22? Elisa and Andrew are joined by association community specialist, blogger, and fellow podcaster, Kiki L'Italien to discuss the lessons learned from Nashville. You can listen to Kiki's podcast at https://associationchat.com.
After two years of unprecedented change for individuals and organizations both societally and globally, with their 2022 State of Membership Survey Fonteva wanted to learn not just about where associations have been, but where they are going. Many associations have adapted and evolved as the needs and expectations of their members have changed and many have stepped into numerous roles to lead and be a resource for their industries or professions. So what is the state of membership? Jay Daughtry joins Elisa and Andrew to assess. Fonteva's report is available at https://marketing.fonteva.com/l/34462... and the full survey results can be downloaded at https://marketing.fonteva.com/l/34462....
The Entomological Society of America (ESA) is a non-partisan scientific organization which represents a broad spectrum of opinions united under one principle: the promotion and advancement of scientific inquiry, discovery, and communication. Within the context of its diverse membership, the ESA has devised a successful approach to engaging in topics of broad social interest, including statements on Why Black Lives Matter to Entomology at the start of the George Floyd movement, the January 6 insurrection (Our Place in Democracy), the Hidden Costs of War (in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine), and the recent ruling from the Supreme Court on Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization (On Women's Pursuit of Science). We contend that a modern membership organization has an obligation to participate in societal debate and to influence social narratives wherever possible; and in Episode 60 of #associationtransformation, Elisa and Andrew are joined by Chris Stelzig, Executive Director of the ESA who explains the organization's methods for addressing social responsibilities through constructive dialogue and informed debate. If you're not at the table, then you're probably on the menu.
Maintaining diverse income streams is (or should be) a ubiquitous priority for association leaders. While the pandemic focused our attention on new approaches to securing non-dues revenue, post-pandemic it is incumbent on us to to sustain partnerships and innovations that underpin financial strength, promote business resilience, and support the development of an equally diverse value proposition. As we celebrate our 2nd birthday, Elisa and Andrew are joined by Patrick Wilson, growth strategist and President of The Profitable Association to explore alternative income formulas for modern membership organizations.
This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Cambridge Publishing Ltd (www.cpl.co.uk). Elisa and Andrew are joined by Martin Bewick, Senior Content Strategist at CPL to explore the value of devising an association's content strategy and the impact of cultivating a content culture. There is no single 'right' model and Martin helps us understand the process for creating a content strategy that works hand-in-hand with your wider business, marketing and communications plans to ensure you tell a consistent story to your members. Download CPL's report on Channelling the future at https://www.cpl.co.uk/news/channellin....
How's life in Association World? What are the priorities? What are we talking about and what should we be talking about? This week Elisa and Andrew spend time exploring the subjects that pique their interest as they reflect on the ongoing development and focus of membership organisations since launching Association Transformation nearly two years ago.
Salesforce recently published its 7th annual report on marketing within the global nonprofit environment. Over 8,200 marketing professional from more than 30 countries were surveyed on the shifts which have occurred in marketing strategies, priorities, and challenges during 2021. It makes insightful reading and this week Elisa and Andrew are joined by marketing specialists Lorraine Cox, CMktr and Stefan Bradham, CAE to explore recent changes and trends in content strategy, member engagement, data innovation, and digitisation.You can download the report at https://www.salesforce.com/form/sfdo/.... Mark Schafer's book Marketing Rebellion: the most human company wins can be ordered at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marketing-Re....
Ahead of their session at the this year's ASAE's annual meeting in Nashville, Jessica Irizarry, Michelle Runge, and Elisa share their views with Andrew on the imperative to elevate awareness of and appreciation for the centrality of component relations amongst associations. Register for the 2022 ASAE Annual Meeting at https://annual.asaecenter.org/index.cfm.
Organizations that employ the strategy of Continuous Disruptive Innovation (CDI) are a rare breed. They require disruptive leadership teams who create tremendous long-term value by nurturing periods of sustained ideation and value creation. They build platforms or networks that give rise to the development of a series of offerings, each of which creates further disruption within an industry. Think Google. Think Apple. Elisa and Andrew begin to explore the basics of CDI and consider ways in which the membership world can apply the principles of CDI to the long-term development (and redevelopment) of their value propositions.
he last two years have seen unprecedented disruption across the world and businesses have had to adapt to survive. In 2017, McKinsey wrote a report called the Five Trademarks of Agile Organisation. Today's guests, Marcia Philpin explains how she adapted the five trademarks and developed the FPM's House of Agile to nurture, sustain, and grow the FPM during the pandemic. Marcia's article can be read at https://mag.nationalhealthexecutive.com/publication/?m=62920&i=683129&p=6. Registration for the IAL's Essence of Leadership Summit is found at https://theial.org/essence-of-leadership-summit/.
When he defined the concept of "attention economics" in 1971, Nobel Laureate Herbert A. Simon wrote that "...a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention...". 50 years later, and in a data-rich world, the overwhelming wealth of information available to us means a dearth of something else, i.e. the scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes - our attention. In this week's episode, and in the first of a series of conversations focused on attention economics, Elisa and Andrew define the concept and begin to explore how membership bodies need to understand, respond to, and flourish within the attention economy.
Exposure to fresh perspectives, new ways of doing things, alternative solutions, peer networks, and creative ideas is fundamentally every association's core purpose; and building and capitalising on an international network is an effective way of delivering against an association's mission. But many association leaders grapple with international business development, not least because of the perceived time, money, and resources required but also because the relevance isn't always obvious. In this week's episode Elisa and Andrew explore the realities of going global - the benefits, the risks, the barriers, and the opportunities - and the need for informed decision-making when contemplating international strategy.
Storytelling is humanity’s oldest technology for connection, identity, and sense making. And today it’s the mission-critical competency for knowledge-era leaders. The world's most influential leaders are telling stories, including association leaders and Elisa and Andrew are joined by the Storyteller Leader, David Hutchens and discuss how to bring the power of authentic human connection to your most urgent work, including the narrative assets — the value-holding stories — that you can bring to the work you’re doing right now. For more information visit www.storytellingleader.com and freely download the entire set of canvas resources.
2021 was a tough one. Tougher than many of us expected. But there were still plenty of highlights and successes, and there's a lot to look forward to in 2022. In the Season 3 opener, Elisa and Andrew reflect on the big takeaways from 2021 and explore what's exciting them in the membership world for the year ahead. Welcome back to Association Transformation!
They call it the "great resignation" but is it really going to turn out to be that? Certainly, as with so many professions, post-pandemic, association executives are reassessing their priorities, reexamining their career paths, and rethinking what it is that they want from work. Bob Corlett, Founder & President of Staffing Advisors joins Elisa and Andrew to explore the trends which are rapidly emerging in the non-profit jobs market and executive recruitment.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is the practice of understanding how people organise their thinking, feeling, language and behaviour to produce the results they do. It's been defined as the “users manual for your mind” because studying NLP gives us insights into how our thinking patterns can affect every aspect of our lives, including in our roles as association leaders. We mark World Mental Health Day with Tasha Thor-Straten, who helps us better understand how NLP can be used for personal development and for our success as association executives.
Since last year's Associations Week, it's fair to say that the membership sector has more than proven itself adept at managing change. There's no doubt that associations have demonstrated their worth as creative, adaptive, flexible, innovative, ambitious, and responsive focal points of many professional communities. But at what cost? Heightened member expectations, increased demands to "do more with less", constantly competing priorities, and a digital culture that facilities (and arguably demands) 24/7 access to services, are all combining to threaten the exceptional endeavours of our sector, as well as the emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing of staff and volunteers. Are we slipping back into old ways? Are we defining the value proposition as quantity over quality? And are we forgetting that what drives membership is that unique sense of belonging amongst a community of peers? Elisa and Andrew take some time out to discuss and reflect on the health and wellbeing of our industry.
It is fundamental to the principles of ESG that governance can and should be used to leverage positive, sustainable change; and as focal points of civic society, through their governance action, professional membership bodies can work to realise significant cultural change. Elisa and Andrew are joined by first-time Board member, Leanne Antoine, who as a newly appointed member of the Council of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, shares her ambitions as a volunteer leader and her insights on the role of governance in establishing and maintaining equity, diversity, and inclusivity.
Have you ever been in a meeting with someone who is clearly giving you the same presentation they've given before to other audiences? There are some telltale signs: a generic set of benefits, little anticipation of objections, a lack of details that speak to your specific situation. Chances are that you tuned out somewhere along the way because you didn’t feel connected to what they were telling you. They weren’t talking to you but just a generalized "someone". Nona Phinn, President & Chief Messaging Officer at THuS Marketing + Branding Services joins Elisa and Andrew to discuss the (not so new) need to know, prioritise, and target your audience.
UNESCO describes 'futures literacy' as "...a universally accessible skill that builds on the innate human capacity to imagine the future, offers a clear, field tested solution to poverty-of-the-imagination." FL is a capability that allows people to better understand the role of the future in what they see and do. Being futures literate empowers the imagination, enhances our ability to prepare, recover and invent as changes occur. Elisa and Andrew explore how association leaders can apply this pivotal skill in shaping and controlling the direction of their organisations.
Every four years the best are brought together to compete. What makes the best of the best in association leadership? Andrew and Elisa undertake an Olympic discussion of gold, silver and bronze competencies. In advance of the IAL releasing its leadership systems map, this week we explore the changing and emerging skills required of gold medal CEOs and how to employ and frame competency outlines in general.
Video is such a powerful medium! To educate, to engage, to bring together. You add some special effects, the written word, and some music, and you’re able to influence people in ways you just can’t do with a still graphic or an email.” We chat video and the power of visual storytelling to advance mission-driven organizations. We discuss how nonprofit organizations can leverage visual content to heighten awareness, elevate cause, and amplify their voice.
How would you score in a communications audit? Shannon Powell Rodockerjoins Elisa and Andrew in exploring the impact of good (and bad!) communications and introduces us to the process and value of routinely auditing, investing, reviewing, and refreshing association communications. Visit www.remembermkt.com for more details on the audit toolkit.
With a guest list that reads like a who's-who of global association specialists, we've enjoyed an incredible first year of insights, debate, and banter. Join Elisa and Andrew as they reflect on their first 12 months of transatlantic conversation and look forward to what the next 12 months has in store. Happy Birthday, Association Transformation!
Disagreement, misunderstandings and tensions amongst team members are not uncommon. Indeed, conflict amongst people is a natural part of everyday life but in the context of our professional lives, conflict does not need to be destructive. Instead, it can and should be used as a tool that allows teams to take action to accomplish a particular goal. Getting issues out in the open and on the table allows teams to evaluate a problem or question with more complete information and, in the end, to make a better decision. And crucially, a culture of constructive conflict always generates a strong sense of team cohesion. Gina D'Andrea Weatherup joins Elisa and Andrew in exploring the practical tools for improving a team’s transparency and communication within a trust-based environment. Visit www.chantillymediationandfacilitation.com for more details on creating happier workplaces.
Sharon Newport, an association executive and all-around guru, joins Andrew and Elisa to speak about how, as an association leader, you can empower diversity, equality and inclusion in your organisation. Sharon believes real change happens at the top: Figureheads are responsible for changing an organisation's structure to be richer in diversity, more equal and inclusive. Tune in to find out how to make this cultural shift in your organisation.
Would you like $10k per month of advertising for your association? In this week's episode, we delve deep into how to promote your organisation cost-effectively. Today's guest Mary Gross has worked in the non- and for-profit technology field for the last 25 years. Working with OCT Performance Marketing, she managed client accounts and worked to create and deploy marketing strategies that involve digital and social media campaigns and website development – all focused on a measurable return on investment. In the nonprofit sector, she worked with United Way of San Diego County, Nonprofit Management Solutions and 211 for 20 years and brings a deep knowledge of the nonprofit sector to any project.
Alison Heppenstall, Director at CAFA and Managing Director of the b2b Group, joins Andrew and Elisa for another IGNITE special on today's episode. Join them as they discuss the reach, power, and influence associations can and should have on tackling the climate crisis. Climate Action for Associations (CAFA), has been developed in response to the growing demand from membership organisations who are seeking guidance on how to implement sustainable business practices, take climate action internally and drive member value.
The pandemic has shaken up the way we work, and the way we connect with other people. Associations have grown ever more important as they provide that space for connection.
Elisa and today's guests, Carmen Elliott, Vice President at the American Physical Therapy Association and Dana Aragon Director of Workforce Development at the Associated General Contractors of New Mexico, speak about how their associations have tended and supported their members through this disruptive time. As Dana says, "information is the new currency" and "there's strength in numbers", associations have never been more valuable.
In our usual cross-Atlantic style, today, the conversation turns to a panel of seasoned association professionals who have taken up new roles during the disruption of the pandemic.
Today's guests are Dave Daquelente- Executive Director at Master Builders' Association of Western Pennsylvania, Inc., Victoria Elliot – CEO, Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and Simon Forrester - Chief Executive Officer at Guild of Architectural Ironmongers.
Do we learn more through our mistakes than our successes? Andrew and Elisa discuss the importance of failure and how it makes us grow as leaders.
Mervyn Pilley, Executive Director at the Energy Solutions and Technology Association (ESTA), joins the hosts in an IGNITE special. Mervyn speaks about his mammoth association career, how he got into energy and the importance of using less of it. They discuss how associations and other businesses can be more energy conscious in order to be kinder to the planet.
Associations, like any business, has a brand and that brand needs to morph with the transformation of the business. With some associations being centuries old, rebranding is a necessity to keep with the times. In this week's episode, Andrew and Elisa and their guests speak about this process - the how and why of an association's rebrand. How can you identify when your organisation needs a paint job? Who needs to be involved in the process? How much is it going to cost? And, what are the benefits - what do you get out of it? These questions and more are addressed with today's guests Gwyn Donohue, Director of Communications & Public Affairs at PIJAC and Rob Helsby, Lead Designer at Cantarus. You won't want to miss this episode.
In another Andrew and Elisa special, the Association Transformation stars speak innovation on this week's episode. What is it to be innovative as an association leader? How can you build an innovative organisation and constantly be ahead of the curve? Is it even possible? What is the importance? These are all questions tackled in today's episode. Tune in to learn how to be an innovative leader of an innovative organisation. You won't want to miss this episode.
Membership is at the heart of any association and today's guests are membership directors of the highest calibre. Join in on our conversation where Andrew, Elisa, Kim Hall, Membership Director of National Association of Counties, and David D'Souza, Membership Director of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development speak all thing membership. Also, tune in to find out what a fortnight is! You won't want to miss this episode.
In this episode of Association Transformation, Andrew and Elisa take center stage and discuss one of their specialties as association experts, virtual strategic planning. With social distancing measures in place, the move to digital has changed the way so many of our business processes are done. The process of strategic planning has in effect metamorphosed through the pandemic because of moving online. Andrew and Elisa explore this change and share their expert tips on how to effectively pull off virtual strategic planning. You won't want to miss this episode.
In an extraordinary episode of Association Transformation, Andrew and Elisa are joined by two sustainability gurus, who also happen to be association heavyweights, to discuss the power and influence associations can drive social innovation. Jill Poet, CEO of the Organisation for Responsible Businesses CIC (ORB), and Gwyn Jones, Director at the Association of Sustainability Practitioners (ASP), speak with the hosts about social innovation, enterprise, and entrepreneurship are and what they mean for associations. You won't want to miss this episode.
Money is on our minds in this week's episode of Association Transformation. In a continuation of a previous conversation had in November, Andrew and Elisa are joined by Graeme Copestake, Director of Crossley Third Sector & Partner of the Crossley Group. Graeme is a partner-level Finance Director working exclusively with and for Associations, Membership Organisations, and Institutes. After listening to the episode "CF-Oh No", Graeme wanted to further the conversation had by the hosts and Kevin Madden. They discuss more on reserve policies, how to depoliticise financial conversations with the board, creating and achieving both financial targets and strategy.
Andrew is joined by Cindy Sparrow, Director at Consort Strategy, to discuss the importance of good leadership at board level. As an association executive, you know that poor board leadership could be detrimental to the reputation of your organisation and it's members. This is why identifying it early, understanding how to address it and stop it from growing is imperative to an association's success. In this week's episode Andrew and Cindy focus on a recent case study taken from the Institute of Directors and uncover key findings to analyse how not to lead a board.
The pandemic caused a massive change in the association sector, as it did for all the sectors and communities that associations represent. Value propositions had to change, membership offerings had to adapt, and how organisations reached prospect members had to adjust to this new normal. In this week's episode, Andrew and Elisa wanted to dive deep into the ways associations have been dealing with this change in the recruitment and retention of members. To do this, we invited two special guests to discuss what membership looked like throughout 2020 and what it looks like for 2021. Robyn Brently and Matt Dale are both from the UK & Ireland SAP User Group. Robyn is the Corporate Account Manager, and Matt is Head of Business Development. Together they give us a comprehensive account of how their organisation has proactively reacted to the pandemic and been there for their members every step of the way.
As our listeners know by now, at Association Transformation, we love nothing more than investigating what associations are doing to advance their social responsibility and their members' social responsibility. We genuinely believe that membership organisations have the power and the reach to make a positive difference in the world.
In today's episode, Andrew and Elisa have an exceptional guest on to discuss the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, goal number 1 - Ending Poverty, Everywhere.
Jeffers Miruka, founder and President at the African Society of Association Executives and the CEO of the African Association of Agricultural Economists, takes us on a personal journey through his experience of poverty through to being one of the most impressive association heavyweights we have had the pleasure of knowing. Jeffers discusses how his experiences have influenced the practices he instills in the associations he heads and is involved in.
You won't want to miss this inspirational episode.
In this week's episode, Elisa and her guest Jamie Pratt co-founder of Spano Pratt Executive Search, delve deep into a topic that we have yet to cover on Association Transformation. They are talking about the talent transition and executive search in the non-profit space. Jamie has 30 years' worth of experience under her belt and takes us through best practices for associations looking to hire a new senior executive and how someone looking for an executive role can most effectively. If you are seeking a new path in your association career or are looking for a new executive team member, visit Spano Pratt Executive Search's website to find resources or to get in contact with Jamie: https://spanopratt.com/
Today's episode is all about the impact of elections and government affairs on associations. The Trump Administration ceases to exist since the 20th of January, as the US inaugurated the 47th President of the United States, Joe Biden. What does this landmark election mean for associations in the US and globally? Andrew and Elisa invite two experts to discuss this election, what it means for associations, how they communicate governmental affairs to members, and what they do to advocate for their sector. The US' associations are renounced for being great lobbyists, the panel speaks about the importance of advocacy and having a relationship with the government. Today, our guests are Marco Giamberardino, Vice President, Government, and Public Affairs NECA, and Frank McCarthy, Principal McCarthy Advanced Consulting. Join our guests and find out how your association can do more for your members by being a lobbyist and advocacy giant.
This week, Andrew and Elisa are joined by the Chair of the Institute of Association Leadership, Sarah Poulter to discuss the new strategic plan. This episode is being released to coincide with the launch of this new plan as they discuss the process, the plan itself, and what the exciting future holds for the IAL.
This week, Andrew and Elisa are joined by Richard Collins of CSR-Accreditation to discuss what associations can do to address their social responsibility and help their members do the same. Together, they delve into what social responsibility means in the context of associations and non-profits, what creating a standard of social responsibility actually looks like, and how associations and their members can realise these standards and achieve accreditation.
We are dedicated to hosting guests from all over the world to share with us their organisations' innovations and this week, Elisa and Andrew invite three specialists from South Africa to discuss exactly that. Tes Proos (President, SITE Africa), Kevan Jones, (Executive Director, SACIA) and Charlotte Kemp (Deputy President, PSASA) join us to discuss their organisations' successes and setbacks of the year just gone and what 2021 can look like for them.
Using social media successfully is a business imperative. The prospect of doing so can however be a daunting one. It's difficult to know what platforms to use, how to create the best content, how much money to spend, how much content to share. So, what is the best way to use social media? What techniques should be used to maximise engagement, recruitment, advocacy and revenue? Knowing how to navigate the hidden complexities of social media and how to add value to your organisation using these tools is what we are talking about today. Karlyn Ankrom joins us for the first show of 2021 to discuss the urgency of social media in growing and sustaining business. Karlyn is the founder of Oh Snap! Social and the creator of the Fan Firestarter Framework, a new approach to social media marketing made specifically for businesses "tempted to fake their own death and flee to Tahiti at the mere thought of content creation!"
It has been an unfathomably tough year for everyone and so in the final episode of 2020 we welcome Aliyah Horton and Christina Garneski, who join us to discuss the imperatives of self-care so that we avoid burnout and instead enhance our abilities to be compassionate, empathetic and emotionally intelligent leaders.
Within the voluntary environment of association governance, it can be difficult to find time, resources or suitable avenues for personal development, and yet for directors to be successful as effective leaders, a commitment from associations to their directors’ continual professional development is critical. To help us understand what makes real and effective board training we have invited 3 highly experienced guests. Joining Elisa and Andrew on the podcast is Shawn Burnam, Vice President of Operations at Performance Contracting Inc., Chris Williams, Director of Membership at the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry and Steve Hayes, President of TOPRA.
What does the loss of in-person events mean for associations? During 2020 some associations have been adept at diversifying their membership services and related income streams and have benefited from doing so. On the flip side, however, those associations that have failed to respond to circumstances and adapt accordingly have suffered financially. Our research demonstrates a definite economic impact on associations following the crash of the events industry but interestingly, that impact has not only been negative. In this episode Andrew and Elisa have invited three events industry experts to discuss this inextricable relationship between the events and association sectors. They welcome Rob Eveleigh, Managing Director at Brightelm, Ed Trantor, Managing Director at 73 Media and Director at the Association of Event Organisers and Jennifer Young, President, eVoque event management group ltd.
COVID has presented many unprecedented challenges to our community, the most immediate being financial. Navigating economic uncertainty requires confidence, creativity and innovation which, in turn, requires strong and effective financial literacy and leadership. Kevin Madden joins our #transatlanticconversation to discuss the (often unsung but) pivotal role of the association CFO.
In this week's episode, Andrew and Elisa "travel" (digitally, of course) all the way down to the southern hemisphere to Australia where they speak with Toni Brearley, Chief Executive Officer at the Australasian Society of Association Executives. To date, Association Transformation has remained a transatlantic conversation and so we are so excited to go totally global in this episode. The hosts and Toni take a deep dive into the issues surrounding associations in Australia and New Zealand and the creative and exciting solutions that they're implementing to overcome these issues. They talk international collaboration and innovation, experimental member content, hybrid events and much, much more.
In this week's episode Andrew and Elisa start lifting the lid on governance as an opportunity for #associationtransformation. In conversation are Monica Million, Immediate Past President of NENA: The 9-1-1 Association, Nicola Rylett-Jones MInstLM, trustee of the The Institute of Leadership & Management and Caroline Bovey BEM, Chair of the The British Dietetic Association (BDA).
We all know starting a new position, no matter what it is, comes with its challenges. Becoming a c-suite executive for the first time is no different. Today, Andrew and Elisa chat to two first-time chief executives - Molly Georgakis, Executive Director at the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Mike Stark, Chief Executive at the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry - about what it has been like to lead an association for the first time, especially in these turbulent times. We chat about the greatest challenges that they have faced so far and what impact COVID has had on them and their organisations. We also talk about the opportunities and silver linings that come with the job; and we project forward through their aspirations for 2021.
The Institute of Association Leadership has decided to start a new chapter in its life and joining Andrew and Elisa on the podcast are the people making it happen. In today's episode they talk to Rennie Schafer, Lucy Reece-Raybould and Ian Thompson about the organisation's evolutionary process, why they decided to take on the challenge and what they hope for the future.
Does today’s environment make partnerships more appealing? What are the pros and cons of these cross-organisation relationships? What does each side bring to the table and expect in return? Are there economies of scale and opportunities to share costs? How do you balance egos and measure impact?
Remember that connecting is universal. Connecting is a human necessity even in a time of pandemic. It spans industries, age groups, levels of career, and its need is even greater in a post-COVID world especially with in-person meetings on hold. So what are associations to do to serve their members and deliver the expected networking value?
In contrast to purposeful abandonment, how can association leaders use COVID to trigger, fast forward, or fast track innovation and initiatives. What are those things you wanted to do anyway or that were in progress or stalled and how did the impact of COVID help or allow associations to finally act and act quickly. Is COVID that opportunity to prototype, to beta, to experiment and to jump off that cliff? What do you need in order to get that green light – the board? Survey data? Financial impetus? Member call to action/member demand. Is it simply the fear of COVID and searching for new revenue streams that gets you there? What are people pulling the trigger on and how is it working out?
As non-profits continue to cancel in-person meetings, virtual events are now a mainstay in the association space. Following the largest virtual conference yet (14K registrants, with nearly 8K attendees spending more than 10 hours on the platform over the course of 3 days), we discuss key takeaways, lessons learned, and “unmute” our very own event and digital production guru Andy Carrol, Creative Director at AM&C Media. Together we debate the potential of virtual experiences, dependence on engaging content, and the desperate need for quality production. Your virtual events don’t have to be apologetic replacements for the live experience. Not to miss, this timely and pertinent exchange will help you frame expectations and take your digital conference experience to the next level.
For the first time in modern history, we have five generations working together. Baby Boomers are leaving however taking years of experience with them. Generation X are replacing them, moving up the hierarchy; but the majority of the workforce are Millennials (aka Generation Y), and by 2025 75% of the workforce will be Millennial. By 2030, just 10 years from now, Generation Z will start to occupy senior leadership roles and indeed, Generation Alpha will be leaving school and starting their careers! So, who is your member in 2030? What is your recruitment and retention strategy? What is your value proposition? What is your business model? We spend some time exploring these questions with one of the UK sector’s most entrepreneurial CEOs, Sarah Poulter of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.
Given the disruption to global travel and consequently to the convention, conference and business meeting experience, we want to better understand the impact of these events on the sponsors and vendors. From their perspectives, what has been the shift in focus and the impact on their ability to get in front of and serve their clients in the non-profit space. Sector supporters and suppliers David Abraham (Wattle) and Troy Woodham (Naylor) join us to explore.
We’ve all heard the quote “never let a good crisis go to waste.” Has the current crisis provided your association an opportunity to sunset an expensive, out of date, or burdensome product, program, or service? Have you been able to leverage these challenging circumstances to discontinue that pet project or stale committee? What have you been able to stop doing thanks to recent disruptions? Together with two seasoned CEOs, Ian Thompson (BAPCO) and Sarah Lampson (CARA), we explore what the COVID-19 pandemic has meant for associations’ business development.