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They torpedo great ideas, foil the best laid plans and, if left unchecked, can undermine entire organizations. We’ve all had to deal with them at one time or another. An employee, board member, or constituent that just doesn’t get it, doesn’t want to get it, and worst of all doesn’t want anyone else to get it.

As association leaders, we are responsible for the culture of our organizations—and it is our duty to protect them from value vacuums. The root of many a morale problem, these menaces go 80 in reverse, blow past “zero value added,” and leave a negative value balance in their wake.

Lazy Lois, Nay Say Nester, Whiney Will, the list goes on and on. The point is that while they may inhabit our environment, there are steps that can (and must) be taken to ensure that value vacuums don’t kill our creativity and prevent the innovation-breeding that will allow our associations to thrive.

Step 1: Starve them. Cut off whatever it is that is feeding their value-sucking behavior from within the organization (could be anything from a gossip mill, to a lack of oversight, to a bad role model). It is much easier to change the environment than to change the personality. Eliminate the opportunity for the behavior to occur and do it quickly.

Step 2:  Exercise them. Assign the value vacuum more work–and more meaningful work. This will stop negative behaviors that stem from idle hands or a lack of engagement. Getting value vacuums more involved, encourages them to take more ownership—and can actually turn them into great long-term contributors.

Step 3: Turn up the heat. Demand excellence, positive contributions, and honest effort– and do it through clear expectations, regular follow-up and measured outcomes.

Step 4:  Live, recognize and reward value-driven behavior and positive contributions. Easier said than done, but your efforts are doomed if this doesn’t happen and happen consistently.

Step 5: Hold everyone accountable for adding value to the organization. Allowing negative behavior to continue unchallenged is the single most detrimental thing that you can do to your organization’s culture. Every employee, member and leader must take responsibility for contributing to the success of the association. Hold everyone accountable and encourage them to hold each other accountable as well.

It is important to recognize the substantial negative impact that a single value vacuum can have on your organization. If you are unable to stop the value vacuum from sucking, it may be best to unplug it altogether—sever the relationship for the good of the association.

It is time to retool antiquated association service models that kill the entrepreneurial spirit and prohibit the agility required to bring innovative and useful products to fast-changing, high-demand markets. In this regard, there is much we can learn from the for-profit start-up about customer-focused product development.  

As marketing guru Theodore Leavitt pointed out in his famous 1960 article “Marketing Myopia,” companies and even entire industries are destined to fail when they focus on the needs of the seller rather than the needs of the buyer. Unfortunately many associations also become stuck in this myopic rut.

In their recent Business 2.0 article, “The Next Disruptors,” Erick Shonfeld and Chris Morrison highlight 10 new companies whose innovation  may either completely transform existing industries or create new industries altogether. The key things that these firms (which are all very different) have in common is that they have refused to be bound by current industry models and norms, they have considered market gaps as they developed their products, and they all have a customer-focus that allows them to see lucrative business opportunities more clearly.

Many of our associations will be kicking off a new program year very soon—and I suggest that before we do, we scope out the needs of our members, and revamp our products and services using a customer focus, instead of wasting valuable time and energy trying to sell the status quo.

Let’s make a commitment to disrupt our current service models so that we can truly satisfy member needs and far exceed their expectations in 2008. Let’s promise to stop developing conference themes and session topics using the same old formulas, repackaging the same tired sponsor benefits, redeploying the same worn-out committee structures, and regurgitating the same redundant newsletter topics.

That is unless of course we can verify that our members truly want old, tired, worn-out and redundant.  

Associations that continue to rely on membership structures and benefits of days gone by will be unable to attract and retain members in the marketplace of the future.

Although people still join professional societies for the same fundamental reasons as they always have– to network with peers, to receive education and to elevate their professions–they now have very different and far-flung expectations about what networking, education and professional elevation entails. Members are crying out for change–and associations that expect to succeed in the future are going to have to bring it.

Today’s association consumers demand more customized services and less restrictive membership benefits than ever before–and they are increasingly evaluating membership opportunities with a shop-around mentality. We, as association leaders, need to blow up existing benefit boxes, trade in our ”way-we’ve-always-done-it” mindset, and take a hard look at the way we do business with our members.

Gone are the days where an annual conference and a quarterly newsletter are enough. Make no mistake, members still want those things–but they also want tele/video-conferencing programs, webinars, listserves, blogs, podcasts, e-forums, regional face to face meetings, issue briefs, or some combination thereof! Members now desire flexible membership structures (and fees) with customized benefit packages that allow them to pick and choose who, what, where, when and how they relate to and within the organization.

Members are no longer satisfied with information exchanges–it’s all about knowledge transfer. Welcome to the 21st century value proposition where membership growth will be reserved for associations that can adapt to changing member needs, deliver meaningful opportunities for member engagement and provide access to critical knowledge. 

When was the last time that you attended a meeting? Okay, when was the last time that you attended a meeting without attending to your iPhone, Palm Pilot, Blackberry, Blackjack, or some other personal digital assistant (PDA)? 

Too many people these days are engaging in public displays of affection (also PDA) with their PDAs instead of engaging in conversations with the people seated right next to them. When did it become acceptable to read e-mail during someone’s presentation or an awards dinner or a round table discussion?

I see them with their heads bowed, a congregation of etiquette illiterate. Are they reading their Palms or praying to the instant “gratificommunication” gods, thanking them for the ability to do so many things at once and cursing them for not being able to do them faster? Multitasking in this way isn’t just inefficient; it’s also rude.  

Do we really have so little to gain by paying attention to the people we’re with and so much to lose by ignoring the people on the other end of the gadgets? And if so, what does that say about us? 

Buzzword BINGO (and its more infamous alter ego) has been around longer than the office water cooler. This amusing pastime, frequently played during “bored” meetings and strategic planning sessions, makes light of the dim lingo that punctuates the copycat business mantra practiced by many organizations.

Do actions really speak louder than words? Or do our words and actions equally testify about our association’s culture, creativity and competency? As I listen to the reheated, regurgitated tripe that seasons so many conversations today, I can’t help but look inward at my own shortcomings in the area of organizational speak and wonder what do my words say about the organizations that I represent?

In fact, as I was thinking outside the box during an off-line conversation with some cutting-edge thought leaders, I realized that we need to eat our own dog food in order to make our organization more robust, so that we can leverage our resources and go after some low-hanging fruit.

Sure it’s like herding cats but there is a huge return on investment. So here’s to brainstorming, team-building, and 360-degree feedback…it’s this kind of bottom-up thinking that can really produce a much needed “Wow factor.”

What I’ve learned is that at the end of the day, I am as guilty of spouting overused jargon as the next person–and that I can’t truly walk the talk until I learn to talk the walk. Can we really transform our organizations through the language that we choose? I don’t know, but I for one am going to exchange my bingo card for a thesaurus.

     Associations have embraced Web 2.0—and its ability to ratchet up online collaboration, dialogue and the capture of multiple viewpoints.  

     A well-designed, content-rich website is now essential in order articulate the unique vision, initiatives and services that will engage potential members and constituents. But it goes much further. Blogs, wikis, chat rooms, and other social capabilities have changed the way that we pull information from members—and the way that we push information to the public. 

     With increased knowledge transfer capabilities and instant content delivery systems also comes the increased risk of the inappropriate use of organization-originated information.  Today, many associations are being forced into battle alongside their corporate counterparts for the sanctity and security of their intellectual property. Digital plagiarism is becoming an increasing phenomenon—and associations are not immune! 

     Plagiarism is illegal, unethical and immoral—and people are taking notice, taking issue and taking action to address the misuse of web content in the digital world. Few take comfort in the fact that while the bad guys can copy their content, the bad guys cannot duplicate their culture or commitment—that actions speak for themselves—and they speak louder than any false echo.  

    While it is very difficult to police and prosecute content plagiarism in the digital world, there are some resources that can help.  

• The Association of College & Research Libraries (a division of the American Library Association) has some fantastic online copyright resources.

• The Internet Archive’s Way Back Machine is a useful tool for researching different renditions and evolutions of websites (this can be helpful if you ever have to prove that web content originated from your site first).  http://www.archive.org/index.php

• Copyscape is free online tool that allows you to search for copies of your content throughout the web http://www.copyscape.com/

    Even if mimicry is the highest form of flattery, there is nothing more frustrating than creating a comprehensive online resource for your members only to have much of the content snatched and pasted by a competing organization.  Please give a shout out if you have any additional resources to share here—or if your organization has faced this issue personally. 

    Meanwhile, for more information about online intellectual property and copyright issues visit www.copyright.gov.  

Many of today’s association management companies are trying to sell practices, processes and procedures. What they don’t realize is that most of their clients are looking to buy people.  This is the reason that there are disconnects between clients and practice owners—disconnects that lead to scope creep and dissatisfaction—disconnects that have to be addressed for the success of both organizations.

AMCs, like other service providers, are only as good as the people that they employ—and unfortunately, when key employees walk out the door, key clients are likely to follow. Most AMCs go to great lengths to find talented, capable employees. The problem is that oftentimes they don’t do enough to keep them.

There are some key questions that AMC owners should ask themselves about the way that they treat high performers:

1.       Have I been upfront with my employees about their roles, responsibilities, duties—and expectations, incentives and rewards?

2.       Am I providing ongoing professional development and mentoring opportunities for my employees—and do these initiatives lead to meaningful employee growth and promotion?

3.       Do I know the difference between longevity and loyalty, and do I reward employees accordingly?

4.       Do I have the moxie to eliminate problem employees before they become the toxic element that lowers overall staff morale?

5.       Do my actions reflect a service orientation, and are employees encouraged to go above and beyond?

The human element is the single most critical factor in the success or failure of our businesses. If we cannot answer yes to all of these questions, then we should really rethink our ability to operate a successful AMC.

AMC owners have historically reasoned that employees should not become too closely tied to the client, despite the fact that employees who are heavily engaged in serving their clients are less likely to quit. We need to rethink the model—in order to provide model service.  After all, a certain amount of employee turnover should be expected, but employee rollover shouldn’t.

Associations are putting a lot more thought into the environmental impact of their meetings these days—and looking for ways to migrate conferences to “greener” pastures. But it can be a struggle to manage social responsibility within the constraints of a conference budget.                                                                                                                                                         

The following are 7 cost-effective ideas for greening your meeting:

1.     Contract with vendors (hotels, caterers, transportation companies, printers etc.) that already have environmentally sound practices in place. This shouldn’t cost you anything–but will go a long way to making your event greener.

2.       Green up sponsorship opportunities and recognition. Do away with unnecessary signage, inserts and print advertising. Instead, allow online advertising and sponsorships of durable, reusable items like ink pens and flash drives. Recognize sponsors with audio/visual displays instead of printed materials and signage.

3.       Promote the conference using electronic communications whenever possible, and use recycled paper when printed/written correspondence is necessary.

4.       Look Mom, no handouts! Handout-free conferences save paper (and printing costs). Make presentation slides and handouts available online instead.

5.       H20 stations are an environmental oasis. Serve attendees from water stations instead of using bottled water (a great way to go easy on the environment and your pocketbook).

6.       Recycle everything you can. Provide receptacles for paper, plastic, and aluminum and glass products. Also provide drop-off locations for lanyards, name badge holders, and other materials that may be reused.

7.       Implement guest programs that give back. Many venues now offer community service activities that allow spouses and children to volunteer for environmental causes instead of participating in traditional shopping/event outings.

In order to survive, associations must have a pool of leadership resources from which to replace current leaders as they progress out of leadership positions.  While this may seem obvious, many associations with strong leaders often find themselves devoid of any replacements. 

That is why it is imperative that the organization’s leadership continously look at the association management and identify potential leaders.  Business and leadership expert Tom Peters once said, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”  Strong leaders constantly look to recruit their replacements.  But recruitment is only the beginning.  Leaders must work with these recruits through mentorship (both formal and informal) so that the emerging leaders gain a deeper understanding of the organization’s processes, culture and vision. 

If new leaders aren’t recruited and developed, an organization runs the risk of stagnation.  New resources bring fresh ideas and different points of view.  These resources also replace existing leadership so that these leaders can move on to other objectives or take a “sabbatical” from leadership service. 

The feeling you get when someone you have mentored develops into a strong leader is similar to a parent watching his or her child at an important milestone in the child’s life.  The mentor feels a rush of pride followed by a feeling a hope for the future.  I strongly encourage you to be constantly on the lookout for these budding leaders.  They will be a lasting testament to your dediction to your association.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to carefully examine the relationship that we have with our members. Are they still engaged in and enamored with our association, or are they just going through the motions? And how do we keep them committed after the honeymoon’s over?

First, we have to stop fooling ourselves into thinking that the 2008 dues renewals that we just processed represent customer satisfaction. Maybe they do. Or maybe they serve as written notice of a last-ditch effort to work things out by giving our organization “one more chance.” The only way to know for sure is to ask.

In my experience, it is the measurement of member satisfaction—the listening part of the communication process—that is the single most often missed, miscalculated or messed-up component in cultivating long-term member retention.

Sound measurement must take a variety forms, some scientific, some artistic—and in order to be effective, it must also be an ongoing dialogue. Formal scheduled surveys are great for standardizing and assimilating big-picture results and overall membership trends. However, nothing can replace the insight gained through the one-on-one, “how’s it going” conversations with members that should be happening on a regular basis. This back-and-forth communication will strengthen positive relationships (or speed reconciliation), regardless of the specific feedback acquired.

Members who feel valued are far more inclined to remain invested in and passionate about the association over the long haul. So, let’s remember to listen intently, communicate openly, and follow-up with progress on outcomes—even when the progress is slow and the dialogue difficult. After all, it is far better to address the dissatisfaction factions today, than to find a bunch of empty seats at the table tomorrow.   

ASAE has a number of good member satisfaction surveys and other resources to help foster member retention (visit www.asaecenter.org for more information).  Also, check out Rhonda Abrams’ recent USA Today column Strategies: Embracing Those Complaining Customers, which offers some good advice for how to handle a customer’s bad experience—Happy Valentine’s Day!