The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Association management. I’ve been dipping into Associations Evolve 2024—find it on the front page of Answers for Associations. Editor Belinda Moore describes it as including “more than 50 association thought leaders from around the world [who] have contributed inspirational insights, practical tips, and motivational stories to get you fired up for 2024.” So far, reading an article here and there, I’m liking it.
Career flux. TopClass LMS describes how assumptions about careers don’t always hold up now. With constant change and uncertainty, we need a flux mindset to survive and thrive. They explain what that means and how associations can help members adopt a flux mindset and a portfolio approach to their careers.
Mentoring program. “While starting a mentoring program isn’t rocket science, there’s certainly an art to it.” With 20 years of experience developing mentoring programs, Art of Mentoring knows both the art and science. They describe the seven steps of starting a successful association mentoring program from pre-evaluation and research to planning, design, recruitment, matching, training, support, and evaluation.
Board responsibilities. At Naylor, Jeff De Cagna of Foresight First describes three actions that boards, CEOs, and other decision-makers should implement “over the next 12 months to begin addressing the challenges facing their associations, stakeholders, and successors in the decade ahead.” He says these initiatives will have an immediate beneficial impact on your association.
Lives of Gen Z and millennials. Juliana Kaplan at Business Insider describes how Gen Z and millennial parents are struggling right now. Make sure your association’s messaging and expectations reflect their reality.
Online communities. Since associations are communities, it’s good to know what community experts believe is on the horizon. This Guild report on online community trends put together by Michelle Goodall focuses on brands, but many of the trends pertain to associations and their communities too.
Online communities, again. Research tells us over and over that members join associations primarily to connect with and learn from other members. It’s the primary reason I belong to ASAE, which is why I think online communities are a must for associations—plus they’re extremely popular with younger audiences too. Nimble AMS explains how an online community helps you attract, engage, and retain members. The guide also provides a useful plan for launching and managing a community.
Membership experience. Our approach to membership needs something radically different—and the approach suggested by Amanda Lea Kaiser is not so hard. You just have to take time to pause and think about it the way she suggests.
Event networking. At Texas SAE’s Association Leadership, Miguel Neves of Skift Meetings describes a human way to boost event networking: networking ambassadors. He saw the idea in action at the Social Media Market World conference.
Gen Z and subscriptions. PYMNTS reports that Tinder is promoting short-term subscriptions for Gen Z. If Gen Z is hesitant to invest in year-long association memberships, maybe a short-term subscription is a better option.
Off-topic
On Twitter, I found this lovely, heart-warming story about Jimmy Stewart’s WWII service and performance in It’s A Wonderful Life, one of our favorite Christmas movies. In case you’re wondering, White Christmas tops my list.
During the holiday season, let’s not forget the Israelis who are missing the company of their loved ones held hostage by Hamas. I think about Naama Levy every single day. Is she dead or alive? Who knows, but once you’ve seen the video of her being dragged around by Hamas terrorists, it’s impossible to get her out of your mind. Her mother, Ayelet Levy-Shachar, wrote a heart-rending article about Naama and the other hostages for The Free Press. Please pray for these poor souls.
You never grow old at the table
My seafood share is on holiday break, so I’ve had the chance to enjoy wild salmon—not an NC fish so never sold by my fish shop. One of my favorite salmon dishes is chipotle salmon. On the side, I fried up the last of our green tomatoes before an overnight freeze decimated the plants.
A fairly quick one-pot dish for a cozy night: tortellini with Italian sausage in a tomato cream sauce. My version was originally inspired by this recipe. You cook the tortellini in the sauce so there’s no need to dirty another pot. I doubled the recipe except for the canned tomatoes and tortellini. I used sweet and hot Italian sausage; added red and orange bell pepper, mushrooms, basil, and oregano; used homemade marinara sauce; and omitted the chicken broth. Sometimes I add spinach but forgot this time.
On the side, an asparagus sauté with green onions, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese.
If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’m happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.
Fri 12/15 at 1 p.m.* – From Intuition to Insight: Transitioning to Data-Driven Learning Strategies
Learn the art of presenting compelling data to secure executive buy-in through success metrics. Discover streamlined methods for accurately obtaining data without investing excessive time and resources. Uncover the meaningful insights behind your collected data and leverage them to refine your eLearning strategies effectively. Explore innovative approaches to gathering valuable feedback and optimizing course evaluations. 0.75 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: Blue Sky eLearn
Speaker: Dr. Kristen Wall, MA, EdD, Director of Learning and Development, Blue Sky eLearn
*All events are online at Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 12/15 at 2 p.m. – Consultant Community Virtual Networking Event
Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Fri 12/15 at 3 p.m. – Ready24: How Your Association Can Stay Ahead in 2024
The challenges facing associations are significant: technology, competition, funding and fatigue. But so are the opportunities. New and impactful solutions can empower your association to deepen human connections, automate personalized membership experiences and accelerate growth. Learn why strategy, leadership and technology are imperative for your membership in associations; strategies to build and maintain a high-performing team; and how to check your cybersecurity measures to help ensure your data is secure. More info/register.
Host: Wipfli
Speakers: Caroline Nuttall, Manager; Ryan Peasley, Senior Technology Manager; and Chad Stewart, Senior Manager, Wipfli
Fri 12/15 at 3:30 p.m. – The Role of Ethics in Volunteer Engagement
Learn about the difference between personal, organizational and professional ethics, and the core values and principles identified by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration. Hear about a process for ethical decision-making that can be applied in any situation, and practice this using real-life scenarios related to volunteers. Learn strategies for increasing awareness of ethics within an organization and helping both volunteers and staff become more effective at handling ethical dilemmas. More info/register.
Host: Volunteer Managers of Central Iowa
Fri 12/15 at 4 p.m. – Open Networking: F@4 Year End Highlights
F@4 President Shelly Trent will provide a “year in review,” discussing our successes in 2023 and plans for 2024. Please attend to provide ideas for next year and feedback about this past year. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Mon 12/18 at 8 a.m. – Influencing Board Culture (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)
Every week Rogue Tulips brings the nonprofit community intriguing guests discussing vital topics affecting nonprofit organizations around the world—and we have fun doing it! Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format, available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast (to name a few!).
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Guest: Cheryl Ronk, CAE, FASAE, President/Owner, So Right, LLC
Mon 12/18 at 11 a.m. – Communicating with Authors: How Do Societies Stay Connected with Their Authors?
Hear from three people who have extensive experience in building communication strategies to ensure societies stay connected with their authors. Find out how and why that is different from wider society communications and outreach, and how and why those activities should overlap. More info/register.
Host: Society Street
Speakers:
- Sara Killingworth, Head of Marketing, Institution of Engineering and Technology
- Mithu Lucraft, Senior Consultant, TBI Communications
- Jennifer Regala, Director of Publications and Executive Editor, American Urological Association
Tue 12/19 at 12 p.m. – How AI and Automation are Reshaping the Future for Associations
Discover the transformative power of AI and automation. Learn how to navigate the tech evolution and position your association for unparalleled success. Uncover key strategies to consider when adjusting your digital roadmap. Jump-start your association’s planning with interactive Q&A, explore crucial insights and more. More info/register.
Host: iMIS by ASI
Speakers:
- Rob Wenger, CEO, Higher Logic
- Tim Clarke, CRO, ASI
- Troy Stenback, Director of Client Performance Improvement Client Success, ASI
Tue 12/19 at 12 p.m. – Component Affiliation Structures (Crunch ‘n’ Munch)
Are your components structured as affiliates of the parent organization or independent entities? Are you working towards a centralized model? What are the structural, operational, and financial considerations of these changes? 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Advisory Council
Facilitators: Rachel Grimes and Michelle Runge
Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Frede Langlois via Unsplash
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