Another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. A handful of these opportunities have come my way since I started blogging, and I frankly relish them. MORE
Two weeks ago, in Step Three: Writing Snapshots for Each Scenario , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our most recently completed Board meeting. MORE
We had Chris McChesney speak at my association's Annual Conference a few weeks back. If you don't know who that is, he's one of the authors of The Four Disciplines of Execution , also know as 4DX. MORE
As I said last week, another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. I'm going to hit four subjects during my presentation: Board selection , Board discussions, Board decisions, and Board succession. MORE
This week I reviewed the free e-book, Fueling Exceptional New Member Experiences , from Amanda Kaiser at Kaiser Insights and the Smooth the Path blog. My favorite part was the section that talked about the importance of making a positive first impression with new members. MORE
A few weeks ago, in Letting the Future Guide the Present , I provided some background for a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our upcoming Board meeting. MORE
It's been a while since I wrote about my association's on-going experiment with 4DX -- The Four Disciplines of Execution. MORE
Two weeks ago, in Step Two: Creating Scenarios Based on Megatrends , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our just completed Board meeting. MORE
The Board of my association uses a structure we call Strategic Task Forces. I think I've written about them before on this blog. They are task forces of the Board, but we invite a number of non-Board members to serve on them as well. MORE
One of the central challenges we face in our association is determining how we're going to measure success. MORE
Spark Consulting is out with another white paper -- this one on what associations can learn about relationship building, campaign management, and attracting Millennials from charitable fundraising organizations. It's another thought-provoking read for association CEOs. If you're interested, you can download "Steal Like a Fundraiser: Innovations in Cause-Oriented Fundraising for Associations" here. It's free and you don't even have to register for it. MORE
Another lesson for me this week that demonstrates how a strategy without the resources to support it is a recipe for failure. We sometimes deceive ourselves in the association business. MORE
Most people are familiar with the 80/20 rule. If not, Google it, which, oddly in my browser, consistently provides the definition from Wikipedia in a box at the very top of the search results. Maybe I should cut out the middle man and just start searching for things on Wikipedia? But I digress. MORE
It's hard for me to write about anything this week except the presentations that I'm going to give at one of my association's major conferences next week. Hard, because creating and rehearsing them has occupied an enormous portion of my mental life this week. MORE
Two weeks ago, in Step Four: Discussing the Strategic Implications , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our most recently completed Board meeting. MORE
I used to blog a lot about innovation in the association environment. I used to think a lot about the subject, I helped write a white paper on the subject, helped launch a regional conference focused on it, and have tried to move my association on to a more innovative footing. MORE
As I write this I am on the plane out to my association's annual strategic board retreat. For those who wonder when I find the time to write my blog posts, airplane rides are great for my output. I just finished re-reviewing the report I've prepared and will give to the board. MORE
I'm gearing up for another Board meeting this week. That means, among other things, that I've been in communication with our Board chair about necessary agenda items and things that we would like the Board to achieve by the conclusion of the meeting. MORE
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma were on everyone's mind these last few weeks. Even if you weren't directly affected by them through mandatory evacuations, storm damage, or the tragic loss of life, the hurricanes were undoubtedly on your mind and they probably impacted the way you did your job. MORE
There is a clear and important reason that associations are organized as non-profit organizations, and it isn't so they can get out of paying taxes. My musings in this regard were inspired by this post by Anna Caraveli on The Demand Networks blog. MORE
I attended an educational conference last week and a wonderful thing happened to me there. I got a new idea. I don't know yet if it's a good idea or a bad idea. Maybe you can tell me. But that's not the point. MORE
I heard a great way for organizations to give their core values "teeth" at a recent conference I attended. MORE
Last week I wrote about a message my Board chair and I had crafted to help frame the discussion at our recent Board meeting. MORE
I was talking to a friend last night about one of the newest education programs in my association. He's a friend, but he's not in the association business, and I often find his viewpoint as an outsider to my world refreshing. MORE
My association's Annual Conference was last week, and among the things that means for me is making a presentation to the assembled membership on what the association has been doing over the past year. It's not the first time I've done this. MORE
Two weeks ago, in Step One: Identifying the Megatrends , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our upcoming Board meeting. MORE
At our recent strategic Board retreat I had an interesting experience. I was sitting at the head of the Board table, as I always do, only the person on my left was not the Board chair that I had worked throughout the past year with. MORE
Two weeks ago, in Step Three: Writing Snapshots for Each Scenario, Part 2 , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our most recently completed Board meeting. MORE
My phone doesn't ring as much as it used to. Fifteen years ago, it seemed, my phone rang all the time. MORE
We focus a lot on membership sales in my association. This year perhaps more than at any time in recent memory because we have identified increasing our membership numbers as our Wildly Important Goal for the year. MORE
Like many association professionals, I suspect, I belong to a number of associations myself. One of those associations -- comprised primarily of the staff executives of associations that look and behave like mine -- recently conducted a survey of its membership. MORE
I was recently interviewed by Joy Duling of The Joy of Membership blog, for The Movement Summit , an online event she is creating and hosting, which will be happening live next week, November 6-10, 2017. MORE
We're looking ahead to another calendar year in our association, and as part of that look forward we are setting a year-long course for some of our working committees. Working Committee is the term my association uses for what others might call Program Committees. MORE
I had an interesting conversation this week with a colleague on the subject of membership engagement tracking. It's not something that every association does, evidently, but it is something that my association does. MORE
I'm doing performance evaluations with my direct reports this week and, on the advice of one of those direct reports, I'm asking everyone for their feedback on my performance as well. MORE
As I said a few weeks ago, another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. I'm going to hit four subjects during my presentation: Board selection , Board discussions , Board decisions, and Board succession. MORE
As I said a few weeks ago, another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. I'm going to hit four subjects during my presentation: Board selection , Board discussions , Board decisions , and Board succession. MORE
I had a good discussion with my Board chair this week. We're looking ahead to our next Board meeting and it's time to start framing an agenda for the discussions that will take place there. MORE
I think I've mentioned Corner Office before -- an on-going series of interviews with CEOs of different companies and organizations that appears in The New York Times. MORE
Those of you who are chief staff executives of associations, I have a question for you. Each time you come back to the office after one of your Board meetings, what do you tell your staff about what happened at the Board table? Let me guess. Only what they need to know. I used to feel the same way. MORE
Two weeks ago, in Step Two: Creating Scenarios Based on Megatrends, Part 2 , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our recently completed Board meeting. MORE
Last week I wrote about a presentation I would be giving at one of my association's major conferences -- a presentation on the work product of one of our technical committees. MORE
Eric Lanke
APRIL 23, 2018
Two weeks ago, in Step Four: Discussing the Strategic Implications , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our most recently completed Board meeting.
Eric Lanke
JANUARY 15, 2018
I attended an educational conference last week and a wonderful thing happened to me there. I got a new idea. I don't know yet if it's a good idea or a bad idea. Maybe you can tell me. But that's not the point.
Eric Lanke
FEBRUARY 19, 2018
This week I reviewed the free e-book, Fueling Exceptional New Member Experiences , from Amanda Kaiser at Kaiser Insights and the Smooth the Path blog. My favorite part was the section that talked about the importance of making a positive first impression with new members.
Eric Lanke
APRIL 2, 2018
We focus a lot on membership sales in my association. This year perhaps more than at any time in recent memory because we have identified increasing our membership numbers as our Wildly Important Goal for the year.
Eric Lanke
MARCH 26, 2018
Two weeks ago, in Step Three: Writing Snapshots for Each Scenario , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our most recently completed Board meeting.
Eric Lanke
FEBRUARY 12, 2018
Two weeks ago, in Step One: Identifying the Megatrends , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our upcoming Board meeting.
Eric Lanke
FEBRUARY 5, 2018
Lately, I've been spending more time than usual on my association's financial operations.
Eric Lanke
AUGUST 21, 2017
Last week I wrote about a presentation I would be giving at one of my association's major conferences -- a presentation on the work product of one of our technical committees.
Eric Lanke
JANUARY 29, 2018
A few weeks ago, in Letting the Future Guide the Present , I provided some background for a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our upcoming Board meeting.
Eric Lanke
JANUARY 8, 2018
It's been a while since I wrote about my association's on-going experiment with 4DX -- The Four Disciplines of Execution.
Eric Lanke
APRIL 9, 2018
Two weeks ago, in Step Three: Writing Snapshots for Each Scenario, Part 2 , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our most recently completed Board meeting.
Eric Lanke
NOVEMBER 20, 2017
I used to blog a lot about innovation in the association environment. I used to think a lot about the subject, I helped write a white paper on the subject, helped launch a regional conference focused on it, and have tried to move my association on to a more innovative footing.
Eric Lanke
OCTOBER 30, 2017
I was recently interviewed by Joy Duling of The Joy of Membership blog, for The Movement Summit , an online event she is creating and hosting, which will be happening live next week, November 6-10, 2017.
Eric Lanke
MARCH 12, 2018
Two weeks ago, in Step Two: Creating Scenarios Based on Megatrends, Part 2 , I continued a description of a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our recently completed Board meeting.
Eric Lanke
DECEMBER 18, 2017
I had a good discussion with my Board chair this week. We're looking ahead to our next Board meeting and it's time to start framing an agenda for the discussions that will take place there.
Eric Lanke
OCTOBER 16, 2017
Last week I wrote about a message my Board chair and I had crafted to help frame the discussion at our recent Board meeting.
Eric Lanke
DECEMBER 11, 2017
We're looking ahead to another calendar year in our association, and as part of that look forward we are setting a year-long course for some of our working committees. Working Committee is the term my association uses for what others might call Program Committees.
Eric Lanke
DECEMBER 4, 2017
I was talking to a friend last night about one of the newest education programs in my association. He's a friend, but he's not in the association business, and I often find his viewpoint as an outsider to my world refreshing.
Eric Lanke
NOVEMBER 27, 2017
Another lesson for me this week that demonstrates how a strategy without the resources to support it is a recipe for failure. We sometimes deceive ourselves in the association business.
Eric Lanke
NOVEMBER 13, 2017
I had an interesting conversation this week with a colleague on the subject of membership engagement tracking. It's not something that every association does, evidently, but it is something that my association does.
Eric Lanke
OCTOBER 23, 2017
Like many association professionals, I suspect, I belong to a number of associations myself. One of those associations -- comprised primarily of the staff executives of associations that look and behave like mine -- recently conducted a survey of its membership.
Eric Lanke
OCTOBER 9, 2017
I'm gearing up for another Board meeting this week. That means, among other things, that I've been in communication with our Board chair about necessary agenda items and things that we would like the Board to achieve by the conclusion of the meeting.
Eric Lanke
JULY 24, 2017
The Board of my association uses a structure we call Strategic Task Forces. I think I've written about them before on this blog. They are task forces of the Board, but we invite a number of non-Board members to serve on them as well.
Eric Lanke
OCTOBER 2, 2017
As I said a few weeks ago, another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. I'm going to hit four subjects during my presentation: Board selection , Board discussions , Board decisions , and Board succession.
Eric Lanke
SEPTEMBER 25, 2017
As I said a few weeks ago, another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. I'm going to hit four subjects during my presentation: Board selection , Board discussions , Board decisions, and Board succession.
Eric Lanke
SEPTEMBER 18, 2017
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma were on everyone's mind these last few weeks. Even if you weren't directly affected by them through mandatory evacuations, storm damage, or the tragic loss of life, the hurricanes were undoubtedly on your mind and they probably impacted the way you did your job.
Eric Lanke
SEPTEMBER 11, 2017
As I said last week, another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. I'm going to hit four subjects during my presentation: Board selection , Board discussions, Board decisions, and Board succession.
Eric Lanke
MAY 16, 2016
There is a clear and important reason that associations are organized as non-profit organizations, and it isn't so they can get out of paying taxes. My musings in this regard were inspired by this post by Anna Caraveli on The Demand Networks blog.
Eric Lanke
SEPTEMBER 4, 2017
Another association has invited me to speak at their Annual Leadership Conference on the subject of high-functioning association Boards. A handful of these opportunities have come my way since I started blogging, and I frankly relish them.
Eric Lanke
AUGUST 28, 2017
One of the central challenges we face in our association is determining how we're going to measure success.
Eric Lanke
AUGUST 14, 2017
It's hard for me to write about anything this week except the presentations that I'm going to give at one of my association's major conferences next week. Hard, because creating and rehearsing them has occupied an enormous portion of my mental life this week.
Eric Lanke
AUGUST 7, 2017
I heard a great way for organizations to give their core values "teeth" at a recent conference I attended.
Eric Lanke
JANUARY 22, 2018
Spark Consulting is out with another white paper -- this one on what associations can learn about relationship building, campaign management, and attracting Millennials from charitable fundraising organizations. It's another thought-provoking read for association CEOs. If you're interested, you can download "Steal Like a Fundraiser: Innovations in Cause-Oriented Fundraising for Associations" here. It's free and you don't even have to register for it.
Eric Lanke
JULY 31, 2017
I think I've mentioned Corner Office before -- an on-going series of interviews with CEOs of different companies and organizations that appears in The New York Times.
Eric Lanke
NOVEMBER 6, 2017
Most people are familiar with the 80/20 rule. If not, Google it, which, oddly in my browser, consistently provides the definition from Wikipedia in a box at the very top of the search results. Maybe I should cut out the middle man and just start searching for things on Wikipedia? But I digress.
Eric Lanke
JULY 17, 2017
I'm doing performance evaluations with my direct reports this week and, on the advice of one of those direct reports, I'm asking everyone for their feedback on my performance as well.
Eric Lanke
JULY 10, 2017
At our recent strategic Board retreat I had an interesting experience. I was sitting at the head of the Board table, as I always do, only the person on my left was not the Board chair that I had worked throughout the past year with.
Eric Lanke
JULY 3, 2017
Those of you who are chief staff executives of associations, I have a question for you. Each time you come back to the office after one of your Board meetings, what do you tell your staff about what happened at the Board table? Let me guess. Only what they need to know. I used to feel the same way.
Eric Lanke
JUNE 26, 2017
As I write this I am on the plane out to my association's annual strategic board retreat. For those who wonder when I find the time to write my blog posts, airplane rides are great for my output. I just finished re-reviewing the report I've prepared and will give to the board.
Eric Lanke
JUNE 19, 2017
My phone doesn't ring as much as it used to. Fifteen years ago, it seemed, my phone rang all the time.
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