Association Management articles from January 2004

Association Management archives from January 2004

Issues update.(American Society of Association Executives)
January 1, 2004... For a sizable coalition of associations, 2003's advocacy efforts on behalf of the association community might best be summed up as Operation Freedom to Fax. Across the better part of the summer, thousands of ASAE members took umbrage with the...

Your opportunity to lead.(Chairman's Message)(about leadership)
January 1, 2004... The opportunity to serve as the volunteer leader of a trade, professional, or philanthropic association is a significant lifetime honor that carries many rewards. Although your tenure of office may be relatively brief, you will long be...

The mark of a leader.(President's Message)(qualities of a leader)(Column)
January 1, 2004... As I gathered my thoughts for this column, I was reminded of Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer's famous quotation, "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are...

Sometimes the best way to kick-start a meeting is to ignite imagination.(Hotel Review)
January 1, 2004... Tricia Slevcove was looking for more than just a place to bring Yamaha Motor Corporation together. She wanted to challenge their group to do great things. Inspire them to think new ideas. At the Disneyland[R] Resort in California, we call that...

Corporate governance reform: what it means for associations.(Legal)
January 1, 2004... Everyone is well aware of the corporate governance scandals among major U.S. corporations during the past few years--Enron, Worldcom, Tyco, to name a few. And those in the nonprofit community have observed examples closer to home: united way's...

Board experience inspires web-based cancer resource: service salute.(Leader to Leader)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Working women with cancer have a comprehensive, online resource thanks to Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW), New York City. The organization developed the interactive tool (www.cancerandcareers.org) two years ago after discovering that 5 of its...

Service safeguards democracy: volunteerism.(interview)(USA Freedom Corps)(Interview)
January 1, 2004... In an interview with ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT, USA Freedom Corps Director John Bridgeland shared his views on the importance of civic responsibility and how volunteer organizations can successfully promote the virtues of community service. ...

Leading now, leading well: executive insights.(interview of Robert J. Herbold,retired Microsoft chief operating officer )(Interview)
January 1, 2004... Managing expectations, fulfilling board responsibilities, and leading effectively are topics that Robert J. Herbold knows a lot about. The recently retired Microsoft chief operating officer is an active volunteer and a featured speaker at the...

Staying grounded: leadership insights.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Being elected to lead an association is a heady experience. But don't let the power of leadership go to your head. The Harvard Business Review recently offered advice from social psychologist Roderick Kramer on keeping your feet on the ground....

Budget Ax spares boards: eye on the industry.(Leader to Leader)
January 1, 2004... Volunteer board members, committees, task forces, and elected officers are undoubtedly among an association's most treasured assets. They serve as the voice of the membership and are often the driving force behind the direction the association...

Crafting mission statements: organizational development.
January 1, 2004... ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT invited three chief staff executives to reflect on excellence in mission statements, including their own. They share their insights in the spirit of helping association leaders--especially those newly elected--better...

Seizing the reins: four board members and trustees give their impressions--good, bad, and otherwise--of their first-year board experiences.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... Being invited to serve on a board is quite an honor, indeed. But wouldn't it be nice to know what to expect before you start your term? Read what these four first-year board members had to say about their initial terms. But first, the facts:...

Getting on board: discover what you need to know before taking your seat at the boardroom table.
January 1, 2004... YOU MUST BE GENUINELY INTERESTED in being helpful and responsive as a director or trustee; otherwise you would not have allowed your name to be placed in nomination. That said, it's important that you understand the enormous responsibilities...

The board balancing Act: achieving board accountability without micromanaging.
January 1, 2004... SEEMS IRONIC, DOESN'T it? While boards of directors often take heat for hovering over the details of organizational operations, corporate and nonprofit boards alike now face pressures--some mandatory, some voluntary--that require them to become...

Contributing without micromanaging.
January 1, 2004... After serving as CEO of several national nonprofit organizations across the years, I discovered that controlling the micromanaging urge as a first-time AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) board member wasn't easy. The...

Five keys to high-impact governing: unlock the secrets to meaningful governance.(Health Industry Group Purchasing Association)
January 1, 2004... FOUR YEARS AGO, THE HEALTH Industry Group Purchasing Association (HIGPA), Arlington, Virginia, was blessed with a hard-working board of directors consisting of highly capable and dedicated members who were outstanding leaders in their industry....

The language of Leadership.(Interview)
January 1, 2004... ON THE COVER OF THE U.S. Army Leadership Manual are three simple words: Be, Know, Do. Similarly, the Army's vision, which is some-what comparable to a nonprofit organization's mission, coalesces around a mere three words: People, Readiness,...

Relaxed rules, Evolutionary governance: moving governance processes toward a more nimble model.
January 1, 2004... IT'S TIME TO RETHINK ALL OF our assumptions about how associations are organized. Associations, which blossomed in the mid-1800s, established a structure that basically remains unchanged today. Sure, there have been tweaks: a committee deleted,...

Intentional plans for unintended transitions.
January 1, 2004... The sudden, unexpected absence of the chief staff executive can throw an organization into a tailspin. To avoid chaos, it is imperative that the board know what needs to be done to continue operations and protect association assets. Recognizing...

Building organizational capacity: board succession planning is the first step toward ensuring that your organization remains focused and relevant and has the capacity to succeed.
January 1, 2004... TO ADAPT TO THE EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH they must operate, organizations need to remain fluid--that is, they must be clear about mission, purpose, and strategy while continually fine-tuning their focus in response to social and...

New heights in volunteerism: the efforts of the six ASAE Summit Award winners speak the truth: Associations make society better.(American Society of Association Executives )
January 1, 2004... IT'S HARD WORK GETTING to the top. Just ask this year's six Summit Award winners, whose Associations Advance America (AAA) Award submissions competed against nearly 300 other entries to receive one of ASAE's highest honors. Part of an...

The successful board chair: how to juggle your many roles.(Board Primer)
January 1, 2004... Being chosen to chair a board is an honor and privilege, reflecting the confidence your association has in your abilities. But it is not a knighting. In fact, the position can be more limiting than that of a board member because the chair's...

Reaching the CEO: straight talk about communicating with the chief staff executive.(chief executive officer)
January 1, 2004... As the incoming chief elected officer of your association, you probably already have a full-time job. So does your chief staff executive. And part of that job is to adapt to your communication style and time limitations. If the executive is...

What you need from staff and what staff needs from you: clear expectations help build a solid partnership.(Board Primer)
January 1, 2004... Think of your relationship with association staff as a partnership. As with any good joint venture, success depends on each party bringing something of value to the table. Here is a list of important things you can do as the volunteer leader,...

Turbocharge your board meetings: power tools and rules to help you accomplish more in less time.(Board Primer)
January 1, 2004... Today's volunteer leaders serve in an environment in which a trio of association challenges--membership, meetings, and money--compel lively, and often lengthy, boardroom discussions. Therefore, you must find fresh ways to compress time while...

Loosen up: making parliamentary procedure less formal and more manageable.(Board Primer)
January 1, 2004... "Laws should be like clothes. They should be made to fit the people they serve," advises Clarence Darrow. Similarly, the procedures you follow during a meeting should fit the particular occasion. Unfortunately, many presiding officers know...

Making sense of the money; what you must understand about your association's finances.(Board Primer)
January 1, 2004... Like corporate boards, association boards assume a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard the assets of the organization. That means you must become thoroughly acquainted with how to fulfill your responsibility to your association's members in...

The ins and outs of D&O: your guide to understanding directors and officers insurance.
January 1, 2004... Association professional liability insurance, or directors and officers insurance, is complex. Not only does each D&O policy have unique coverages and exclusions, but each nonprofit organization has its own set of exposures and insurance needs....

Creating a board without borders; five tips for working with an internationally diverse board.
January 1, 2004... I spent Thanksgiving 2003 at a meeting of a Central American network of nonprofit trainers. I didn't mean to celebrate this most American of holidays in El Salvador, and the meeting's organizers didn't mean for me to, either. But because the...

Your legal duties: what the law expects of you as a board member.(Board Primer)
January 1, 2004... By agreeing to serve on your association's board of directors, you have made a significant commitment that brings with it several important responsibilities. Some of these responsibilities are imposed by state law; others came about as a result...

Making the membership connection: how to recruit a few good members.(Board Primer)
January 1, 2004... Picture this scene: You're attending a business reception. Your employer has picked up the cost to attend. Though your job duties may not include sales, you do represent your firm, and so you're mentally prepared in case you happen to meet a...

Five FAQs about board self-assessment: what you need to know about timing, topics, and new electronic tools for evaluating board effectiveness.(frequently asked questions)
January 1, 2004... Here's an aphorism worthy of display on every boardroom wall: "The most effective boards are the most reflective boards, particularly when they're reflecting on their own performance." In this age of accountability, it's no exaggeration to...

CEO to CEO.(National Environmental Health Association)
January 1, 2004... Q: What techniques do you use to help your board focus on strategy instead of day-to-day operations? My most obvious technique to help the board focus on strategy is to develop meeting agenda items that have strategic implications. In...

ASAE resources.(American Society of Association Executives )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Get Help Here For answers to your association leadership questions, contact ASAE's Information Central. Staff can provide you with statistics, models, and case studies. Call 202-626-2742; fax 202-842-1109; or e-mail...

Calendar of upcoming events.(Calendar)
January 1, 2004... 2004 January 5-6: Symposium for Chief Elected Officers and Chief Executive Officers, PGA National Resort and Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. 8-9: Symposium for Chief Elected Officers and Chief Executive Officers, PGA National Resort...

Celebrating volunteerism who? Andrew F. Ortiz, what? Project Director, Arizona Clearing the Air, where? American Cancer Society, Phoenix, why? Winner of the President's Community Volunteer Award.(Keeping Your Edge)(Andrew F. Oritz)(Interview)
January 1, 2004... Q: Why do you devote so much time to volunteering? A: I grew up in a family where volunteerism was paramount. My mother often quoted her favorite scriptural passage: "Of those to whom much is given, much is required." She emphasized the...