The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
This is the last edition of Association Brain Food for the year. I’ll see you again on Friday, January 7, 2022. Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas and a festive, fun holiday season.
AMS/CRM software selection survey. 501Works, in partnership with Branching Knowledge, is inviting association staff, vendors and consultants to participate in a survey whose purpose is to improve this industry’s friction-ridden and fractured process for selecting, implementing and using AMS/CRM solutions. The goal is to better understand pain points and consequently uncover best practices that would lead to better buying decisions, processes and systems for associations and non-profits. Please participate before the survey closes on Friday, December 31, 2021.
Change fatigue. We’ve all experienced more than enough change in the past two years, yet we know more lies ahead. MemberSuite explains how to help your team overcome change fatigue when you’re planning an AMS or other technology implementation.
Sponsorship. WBT Systems shares ideas inspired by Bruce Rosenthal and Tracy King for a new approach to sponsorship. This strategy allows sponsors to meet their marketing goals while contributing valuable information and education to your members and market. Now what could anyone find wrong with that?
Strengths. After reading this post from Achurch Consulting, I’ve put CliftonStrengths on my holiday break to-do list. I did the assessment back in 2009, but I’m curious to see if I’d take the test differently (more honestly) and if my strengths change as a result. The post explains how this tool can help organizations, especially those with hybrid and remote teams, build understanding and trust, and improve communication and collaboration.
Ostrich employers. By now you’ve probably seen several headlines about the disconnect between employers and employees on remote/hybrid work. McKinsey & Company dives into the impact of employers’ wishful thinking and suggests what they should do instead. The problem is: many employers don’t know how to adjust to and manage in this new hybrid/remote reality and don’t want to learn how. They rather return to familiar ways of working than provide a more flexible workplace.
Busyness badge. I hope one of the pandemic’s silver linings is the end to wearing busyness as a badge. Tim Denning says, “Bragging about a calendar full of meetings is a tragedy.” It’s a tragedy for the person doing the bragging but hopefully they will recognize themselves in this article.
Personalization. Preeti Kotamarthi at The Decision Lab dives into using tech to personalize the customer experience: why it works, when it works, when it fails, and, if you decide to use it, how to ensure it works.
Empowerment. SwissMiss found a quote that struck me: “Speak to your children as if they are the wisest, kindest, most beautiful and magical humans on earth, for what they believe is what they will become.” What if you spoke to your employees that way?
Browser bookmarks. The Literature Clock brings up a passage from a book that cites the exact time of your visit. It reminds me of another fun site, WindowSwap, where you can take in the view from someone else’s window—perhaps on the other side of the world. At Drive and Listen, you can drive down the streets of whichever city you pick while listening to one of its local radio stations—vicarious traveling. Boa viagem!
Quick hits
- Ask the experts you’re working with (especially on big projects) the stupid, obvious questions you’re worried about asking. (Austin Kleon)
- Here’s another one in favor of stupid questions and fostering a beginner’s mindset and curiosity. (Jennifer Payne, Voice of HR/IA)
- How to improve your content marketing SEO. (Jim Yu, Content Marketing Institute)
- The next time you’re stuck in a worthless meeting, think about this possibility: an anonymous “vote to end meeting” button where if 50% of participants press it, the meeting ends immediately. (Joey Lorich)
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout.
- Blackened pan-fried fish fillets is a quick dinner to get on the table—this time I made it with dogfish. I haven’t had dogfish in quite a while and boy oh boy is it good. I’ve read it’s used for fish and chips over in the UK. On the side, a sauté of greens (collards, kale, and spinach) with bacon, onion, red bell pepper, and dried apricots, plus a nuked sweet potato.
- I can imagine using this creamy jalapeño sauce for all kinds of dishes but we love it with fish, this time, amberjack, an underappreciated fish that’s like a cross between swordfish, yellowfin, and mahi.
- I made my new favorite stuffed pepper recipe for my first festive gathering, a Sunday afternoon party at my sister-in-law’s: smoked gouda and chorizo jalapeño poppers. Every single one was eaten, so if you need a new app recipe, give this one a try. I used half a pound of ground chorizo instead of the two links.
Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. 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’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.
Fri 12/17 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat
A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.
Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting
*All events are at Eastern Standard Time and online unless otherwise noted.
Fri 12/17 at 4 p.m. – Open Networking-Ugly Sweater Party
Join your Fridays@4 colleagues as we celebrate a successful year of building our professional networks and improving our career and professional development. We’ll discuss the Fridays@4 accomplishments in 2021 and future plans for 2022 and beyond. Don’t forget to wear your ugliest holiday sweater; there just might be a prize! More info/register—must join before registering.
Host: Fridays@4
Mon 12/20 at 1 p.m. – Looking Ahead to 2022: Preferred Futures (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)
This series of 15- to 20-minute videos covers hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted around 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.
Guest: Cheryl Ronk, CAE, FASAE, President/Owner at So Right, LLC
Hosts:
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
Tue 12/21 at 12 p.m. – Crunch and Munch Monthly Chat
Join a discussion session featuring different questions from our community and helping each other with best practice sharing and idea generation. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Section Council
Tue 12/21 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds
These impromptu, casual discussions about membership concepts, issues, and challenges are conducted live online and open to membership professionals to comment and offer insights. More info/register.
Hosts: Dan Ratner, The Business of Membership, and Scott Oser, Scott Oser Associates
Tue 12/21 at 1 p.m. – Association Fundraising Brown Bag
For association fundraising professionals (or not yet professionals) who are responsible for fund raising and donor development within membership associations, come together in a free-flowing environment to share your lunchtime and discuss relevant topics. More info/register.
Wed 12/22 at 11 a.m. – Live Q&A: What Hybrid Events Will Look Like in 2022
Hybrid events—as we’re currently defining them—are a lot of work! Is this the right engagement model for your customers and employees? Or is there a better way to engage in-person and online audiences? Hear about the foundation of business event engagement, event business models, and why hybrid events in 2022/23 may not be what you think they are today. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Cheri Hulse, Head of Strategy, ON24
Thu 12/23 at 11 a.m. – How to Write an RFP (Request for Proposal) for Merchant Services
When releasing an RFP to evaluate new merchant service providers, knowing how the credit card industry works is crucial. Your fiduciary obligation and reputation are on the line. With compliance standards to meet and risks to mitigate, there is much to understand. We will demystify the credit card processing flow, players, terminology, and musts to consider. Learn how to identify the gaps in your current payments ecosystem and find out what questions to ask to reduce these issues in your future state. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenters: Julie Duncan, Association Practice Leader, and Wade Tetsuka, CPA, President, U.S. Transactions Corp.
Thu 12/30 at 11 a.m. – U.S. GAAP Knowledge Series: Implementing ASC 842 Accounting for Leases
Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 842—Leases is almost effective for nonpublic companies and certain not-for-profits. We’ll cover the scope, adoption method, key provision and why any of this matters to you, including impacts on the statement of financial position, financial ratio, and covenants. Learn what you need to know to make sure you understand how leases are classified under ASC 842 and provide examples and illustrations on how to initially calculate and subsequently measure leases under this new standard. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Mark Robins, CPA, Partner, Assurance Services at Aronson LLC
Mon 1/3 at 1 p.m. – Association Meeting Planners: from Tactics to Strategy (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)
This series of 15- to 20-minute videos covers hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted around 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.
Guest: Stuart Ruff-Lyon, CMP, DES, VP, Events & Exhibitions, RIMS
Hosts:
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
Wed 1/5 at 12 p.m. – Better Engage Your Members and Attendees to Solve Association Challenges
As an association, job #1 is solving the problems your members face. Your meeting attendees, whether in-person or virtual, want to help. Help them help you! At the same time, engage your attendees and energize your meetings. We’re not going to just be talking about it—we’re going to rolling up our sleeves and doing it! As a proof of concept—we’ll be collaborating, as member-attendees, to identify ways to generate non-dues revenue. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Insights in Old Town aka Monthly Events in Cyberspace
Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder, Better Meetings
Thu 1/6 at 2 p.m. – Shaping Conversations Utilizing Your Communities
Explore how you can use your community to shape conversations your association members are having or should be having around key issues, such as regulations, hot topics, market trends, education and training. The new age of community has expanded forums to be engaging professional networks. Learn how you can use new tools and methodologies to enrich members online experience to increase engagement and lead important member and industry conversations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: 501Works
Presenters:
- Wes Goldstein, MBA, PMP, CSPO, Re-Founder & COO, Mobilize
- James Marquis, Chief Innovation Officer and The CIO, 501Works
Thu 1/6 at 3 p.m. – How to Prepare a Comprehensive Membership Website Plan for Non-Techies: Convince Your Boss that Your Proposal Will Bring Results
Learn about how to take charge of your association’s membership website development project planning. Find out how to prevent scope creep to stay on time and on budget and understand where your developers’ responsibilities end and yours begin. More info/register.
Host: Grype
Presenter: Natasha Golinsky, Lead Project Manager at On Purpose Projects
Fri 1/7 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat
A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.
Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting
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 or Twitter by Wednesday afternoon.
Creative Commons photo by Nazrin B-va via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 