The weekly list of free educational events for the association community…
The world wants you just as you are—you are enough. This message is from one of the best pieces I read this week. Thanks to Jeffery Cufaude for sharing his wisdom with us. It reminds me of the advice my fellow yogis and I got during yoga teacher training—advice that applies to anyone who gets up in front of people: although it’s natural to channel the teachers you love, it doesn’t work. Your teaching feels slightly off and inauthentic to students. Instead, you need to tap into your own true self and let it rip, which takes practice.
One of the other best things I read is this article about the history of open internet protocols and Bitcoin. Steven Johnson in The New York Times says, Bitcoin “may well turn out to be a genuinely revolutionary breakthrough and at the same time a colossal failure as a currency.” His article is well worth your time because it explains how this “mania for cryptocurrency could wind up building something much more important than wealth.”
Whenever association consultant Elizabeth Engel releases a white paper, I pay attention. No matter the topic, her papers are always interesting and informative. This time, Sohini Baliga, a communications expert from the charitable fundraising world, joined Elizabeth to address three major areas where charities are way ahead of associations. Their paper, Steal Like a Fundraiser: Innovations in Cause-Oriented Fundraising for Associations, shares the secrets to charity fundraising success:
- Building relationships with donors at all levels and how that relates to membership relationship building and management.
- Creating and running outstanding campaigns.
- Attracting millennial/young professional supporters
What if you try something new and it bombs? WBT Systems explains what to do if one of your online courses fails, how to identify the problem and what to do about it.
If you heed the advice of Eventpedia, you can be sure your event app won’t bomb with attendees. Their checklist points out the app features and functions you need to enhance the attendee experience.
An article from McKinsey explores what the future of work will mean for jobs, skills and wages. It “assesses the number and types of jobs that might be created under different scenarios through 2030 and compares that to the jobs that could be lost to automation…While there may be enough work to maintain full employment to 2030 under most scenarios, the transitions will be very challenging—matching or even exceeding the scale of shifts out of agriculture and manufacturing we have seen in the past.” Keep learning!
Last call to participate in Marketing General Inc.’s 10th annual Membership Marketing Benchmarking Survey. Of all the benchmark reports released in the association community each year, this is one of my favorites. The deadline is February 2—although they may extend it. Please make sure someone in your association is participating.
Some quick hits before we get to the list of next week’s webinars:
- Eight industries being disrupted by Elon Musk and his companies. (CB Insights)
- 4 million US jobs are expected to be disrupted by technology and other factors between now and 2026. With reskilling, 95% of the most immediately at-risk workers would find good-quality, higher-wage work in growing job families. (World Economic Forum)
- Ethereum explainer. (CB Insights)
- Bitcoin is still devouring an obscene amount of energy. (Vox)
- Scam of the week: the most sophisticated Netflix phishing yet. (KnowBe4)
- How to ask your boss for time to learn new things. (Harvard Business Review)
- Eating hot chili peppers makes you live longer, says science. (Fast Company)
Check out my Grabbing the Gusto blog if you’d like to see the list of recipes I’ve made this week or plan to make in the coming weeks (published late Friday morning), or my list of recommended ebooks on sale at Amazon.
Here’s the list of free professional development events for the association community scheduled for next week. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the near future, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.
Tue 1/30 at 9:30 a.m. – The Millennial Generation: A Demographic Bridge to America’s Diverse Future (Washington DC)
The millennial generation, now 44% minority, is the most diverse generation in American history. Consequently, millennials affect important dynamics that influence housing markets, educational institutions, tax bases, and labor forces, which have significant implications on local economies, income inequality, and racial and social inclusion. Hear about the challenges and opportunities facing the millennial generation, and how systems need to adapt accordingly. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: The Brookings Institute
Presenter: William H. Frey, author, Diversity Explosion
*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Tue 1/30 at 12 p.m. – From Hollywood to the Board Room: Sexual Harassment for Association Volunteers (Washington DC Swap)
While sexual harassment typically involves employees, actions by volunteers, including officers, directors, and committee members, also may cause problems. Training volunteers about association policies to prevent sexual harassment is critical. Hear practical advice and an overview on laws, and discuss sexual harassment and your volunteers, the impact of claims on your association, and your duty to prevent these claims. 1 CAE credit. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community
Presenters: Tiffany M. Releford and Jennifer S. Jackman, Partners at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP
Tue 1/30 at 12 p.m. – Make Your Marketing Technology Resolutions for 2018
Have you set your martech New Year’s resolutions? In this interactive webinar, the directors of information systems and asset sales at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) will share theirs. They’ll reveal their top marketing technology takeaways from the 2017 ASAE Technology Conference & Expo, which inspired resolutions that support revenue growth, from leveraging artificial intelligence to improving collaboration between marketing and IT. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenters: Tori Miller Liu, CAE, and Barbara Pahygiannis, CAE, ASHA
Tue 1/30 at 12:30 p.m. – Five-Steps to a CME Digital Content Strategy
Learn how to corral the enormous body of content available to your organization and determine the potential for leveraging activities in a digital format to create greater ROI and to meet the needs of today’s busy physicians. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Web Courseworks
Presenter: Tami Bonnett-Admi
Tue 1/30 at 1 p.m. – How Much Does an AMS Really Cost?
Learn about pricing confusion, what you can expect to pay for an AMS, and how you can keep costs down. Find out what goes into pricing, how to control the costs of a new AMS, and what questions you should be asking technology vendors to ensure the right fit. More info/register.
Host: Community Brands
Presenters:
- Sig VanDamme, Brand Ambassador, Community Brands
- Eric McDonald, sales executive and pricing expert
Tue 1/30 at 2 p.m. – Sexual Harassment: Concerns for the Associations and Meetings Industries (Association Chat)
Join a discussion about the problems our society faces with sexual harassment in the workplace, what some leaders are doing to prevent it, and steps we can take to improve on this issue. Watch/participate live or view the recording.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Guest: Ashley Milne-Tyte, podcast host, broadcaster, and writer
Tue 1/30 at 2 p.m. – Insiders’ Conversation into the Technologies Driving Results
This round table conversation will give you an insiders’ seat to connect with tech gurus and learn what solutions they believe will impact the future of digital events. These solutions will illustrate ways to better livestream, extend your reach, improve engagement and increase the value to your audience. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenters:
- Donny Neufuss, Director, Business Development, PRG
- Sourabh Kothari, DES, Director of Advocacy, Brand and Content, Signifyd
Tue 1/30 at 2 p.m. – A Thriving Environment: The State of Meetings in 2018
Tune in for an in-depth, data-focused session on the top 2018 trends and what that means for planners. With hard-hitting analytics and expert insights, you’ll explore the industry forecast, global predictions, macro industry trends and regional differences, and discover what factors are shaping the industry. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Presenter: Linda J. McNairy, Global Technology & Transformation, American Express Meetings & Events
Tue 1/30 at 4 p.m. – Ready or Not – Here Comes Z
XYZ University just published a research paper on Generation Z (1996-2009)—the oldest who turned 21 in 2017—to gain a better understanding of what will define and drive this next generation of workers and consumers. Get a comprehensive view into the motivations and mindset of today’s tweens, teens, and young adults. More info/register.
Host: XYZ University
Presenters: Sarah Sladek, CEO, and Josh Miller, Director of Gen Z Studies, XYZ University
Wed 1/31 at 1 p.m. – The Right Tech for Your Event — On a Budget
Learn how to determine client needs and wants and develop innovative tech solutions accordingly, leverage purchasing power to optimize your on-site experience, build coalitions between your event planning team and your IT team, and develop an action plan for technology, including establishing mobile capabilities and preparing for crisis scenarios such as tech glitches and failures. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenters: Dave Weil, vice president of event services, and Rodney Stiegman, director of information technology services, SmithBucklin
Wed 1/31 at 2 p.m. – GDPR Roundtable
Is your organization ready for GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)? If you haven’t already begun preparing, now is the time to take steps before it enters into full force on May, 25, 2018. Find out what GDPR is, who it will impact, the consequences of non-compliance, steps to prepare for the new regulation, and how Higher Logic will provide tools to assist compliance. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Higher Logic
Presenters:
- Karen Neuman, Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP
- Ed English, Chief Product Officer , Higher Logic
Wed 1/31 at 2 p.m. – Behind the Scenes: 2018 Convening Leaders LIVE
Go behind the scenes in this webinar with PCMA to find out how they pull off a successful live stream event during their largest face-to-face meeting each year, Convening Leaders. Discover the secrets to their success like growing both the face-to-face and online audiences year over year, effective onsite production and lessons learned along the way. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenters:
- Jennifer Kingen Kush, Executive Director, Digital Experience Institute
- Leslie Wingler, Director, Digital Experience Institute
Thu 2/1 at 1 p.m. – Tech Trends 2018
It’s now possible to buy a cup of coffee using Bitcoin, but does digital currency have any effect on your nonprofit? Self-driving cars are starting to appear on the streets and artificial intelligence in our homes, but should nonprofits even bother getting up to speed on these emerging technologies when many organizations aren’t even in the cloud yet? In this look at tech trends, our panelists will tackle these topics and answer audience questions while focusing on what’s worth our attention and what practical steps we can take to prepare for the future. More info/register.
Host: Idealware
Presenters:
- Cheryl Contee, CEO, Fission Strategy
- Kevin Lo, Tech Soup Global
- Tim Dechant, Chief Partnership Officer, Information Technology Partners
- Eric Leland (Moderator), Partner, Five Paths, Idealware Expert Trainer
Thu 2/1 at 2 p.m. – Developing Your Influence (Association Chat)
Watch/participate live or view the recording.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Guest: Ryan Williams
Thu 2/1 at 3 p.m. – Developing and Implementing an Effective Strategic Plan (Reston/Loudon County VA Idea Swap)
Learn how to create a strategic plan for your association, and once you have one, how to effectively implement the plan. Hear from one another about what has worked, and what has not worked, at our organizations. 1 CAE credit. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community
Presenter: John Barnes, Barnes Association Consultants
Fri 2/2 at 11 a.m. – Why Associations Should Launch a Podcast in 2018
There has never been a better time for associations to launch a podcast – the medium is surging in popularity with more than 67 million monthly listeners. More info/register.
Host: The Moery Company
Presenters:
- JP Moery, president, The Moery Company
- Chris Stemp, consultant
Save the date:
Wed 2/7 at 12 p.m. CST – Chapter Roundtable in Chicago IL
Tue 2/13 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable in Washington DC
Wed 2/14 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable in Alexandria VA
Thu 2/15 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable in Reston VA
Connect with fellow Component/Chapter Relations Professionals (CRPs) to network and discuss current chapter challenges, such as how to measure and increase the health of chapters; best practices for chapter operations (volunteer tools, processes, etc.); and how to get the right statistics to prevent national and chapter level members from leaving. Lunch provided. 1 CAE credit.
Host: Billhighway
Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.
Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
That’s it for now. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.
Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Ivars Krutainis on Unsplash
Association Brain Food 