The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Association community. I’ve always been an advocate of well-designed, interactive virtual events because many people don’t have the time or money to attend in-person events. But there’s no replacement for conferences. At ASAE Annual, I met new people and hung out with friends and acquaintances. On the expo floor, at industry partner parties, and in restaurants, what a joy it was to be amidst my community. No education sessions for me this time—too expensive!—which is why I’m already looking forward to seeing many of you again at Non-Dues-A-Palooza (NDAP) in Denver next month.
Community as a feeling. Higher Logic reminded me why Annual and NDAP are such a big deal for many of us. They shared a definition of “community” on LinkedIn: a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals. They chose this definition because “it reminds us that community isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling.” Yes, our conferences are places, but they’re also where we double-down on this feeling.
Leadership pipeline. In some industries, employers have trouble cultivating and keeping talented professionals. Cutting back or eliminating management training programs certainly doesn’t help. TopClass LMS suggests your association offer management training programs for industry professionals. By educating the next generation of company and industry leaders, you’ll fill your association leadership pipeline too.
Change management. Impexium recommends five strategies for a change management framework. A few of them might surprise you, but they’re essential for technology project success.
Generational stereotypes. Cloey Callahan at WorkLife says, “While there are natural differences due to the environments in which each generation is raised, there are actually far more commonalities.” She points out six harmful myths about quiet quitters, snowflakes and other generational stereotypes deserving of debunking.
The SHEconomy. Meagan Loyst gives the Gen Z perspective on how brands “are tapping into the collective feminine experience vs. just slapping pink on something and saying it’s for women.” She says Taylor Swift and Barbie are quite literally saving the U.S. economy because they take the interests and experiences of women seriously.
Scientific society events. ExOrdo shares key findings from interviews with 27 scholarly societies about their event goals, activities, issues and challenges. Read what they learned about the growth of international audiences thanks to online events—and challenges with online networking and engagement—as well as on-demand online content libraries and problems caused by the lack of integrations.
Procrastination. Hal Hershfield at Behavioral Scientist says you need to have empathy for your future self or you’ll end up traveling to a different future than the one you wanted. If you avoid this time traveling mistake, you can reduce your tendency to procrastinate.
Quick hits
There is no happiness dial. You’re the one responsible for tuning into a good mood. (Nick Wignall)
A moving article about women artists, with a focus on Emily Dickinson and Sinead O’Connor. Please also read the article she links to in Rolling Stone by Shirley Manson about Sinead. (Freya Rohn)
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.
One of my favorite quick fish dishes: tilefish (or any fish) fillets with spiced breadcrumbs. I added poblano to the mix this time because the deck harvest is coming in.
A day after getting back from Atlanta, I didn’t feel like going to the store, so I turned to the refrigerator and pantry to see what I could throw together for dinner. Voilà: summer linguiça and vegetable pasta. Ingredients, in order, are: linguiça sausage, red onion, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, jalapeño pepper, broccoli stems, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, corn, spinach, arugula, basil, lemon thyme, canned clams and their juice, fettuccine, pasta water, butter and parmesan cheese. There’s enough left over for tonight, yay!
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 8/11 at 12:30 p.m.* – Conversations with Champions
Each conversation features an AWTC leader or AWTC Award winner, followed by breakout rooms with changing topics (selected by our featured guest). These intimate, virtual conversations are a chance to form meaningful connections with other women and allies in the association technology community. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Guest: Sarah Lewis, Senior WordPress Developer at Yoko Co.
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 8/11 at 4 p.m. – Diversity Discussion Series: Diversity Beyond Heritage and History Months (Panel Discussion)
Hear how diversity presents itself in the workplace beyond months of recognition, how next-genners want to show up and how organizations can be intentionally inclusive through strategic plans. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speakers:
- Carlos Cardenas, CAE, co-founder of Association Latinos and Senior Director of Information Technology at the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists
- Heba Mahmoud, Senior Manager of Inclusion & Diversity at MITRE Corporation
- Richard Yep, CAE, FASAE, founder of Ocean Vista Advisors
- Laura R. Caputo, J.D. (moderator), La Roca Consulting and AMC Source
Mon 8/14 at 8 a.m. – Community Marketing Supports Growth (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: Dana Freker Doody, Inktide Solutions
Tue 8/15 at 11 a.m. – How to Get Useable Results from AI: An Introduction to Prompt Engineering for Association Professionals
Much like you would provide an employee or team member with guidance on a specific project, generative AI needs prompting and feedback before it can be expected to give you the product you’re asking for. Learn about the background of AI, what it’s capable of, and how it works (on an introductory level); how to identify use cases for generative AI; and the fundamentals of prompt engineering, specifically for association applications, including prompt chaining, role prompting, think-reason-plan-act prompts and more. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Sidecar
Speakers: Thomas Altman and Dray Thomas, Co-Founders, Tasio
Tue 8/15 at 11 a.m. – Societies and E-Learning: Lessons from Experience (Fireside Chat)
Panelists with extensive experience creating and supporting e-learning products and platforms for societies talk about what they wished they had known as they embarked on this journey, what they learned, and what advice they have for others starting down this road. One of the panelists is about to launch their new product; another oversaw the launch of an e-learning program from scratch and now works with a more mature established one, and the other has seen many societies grapple with the challenges raised by this endeavor. More info/register.
Host: Society Street
Speakers:
- Sophia Anderton, Cheif Executive, BJU International
- Helen Davies, Head of Membership and Professional Development, Healthcare Infection Society
- Melissa Seserko, Chief Operating Officer, Cadmore Media
Tue 8/15 at 12 p.m. – CRVM August Crunch and Munch
What did you learn from #ASAE23? Biggest takeaways? Do’s and don’ts? Ah-ha moments? Hopes/expectations for next year? Join Crunch and Munch where we’ll dissect the good, the bad, and the CRVM-specific elements of this year’s ASAE Annual Meeting. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Council
Facilitators: Elisa Pratt, MA, CAE and Marty Tatman
Tue 8/15 at 12 p.m. – Onboarding Strategies for All Stages of Membership
Does your onboarding strategy include new members and renewing members? Learn how to implement innovation into your onboarding process to encourage all members to be committed, engaged and value-driven. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: GrowthZone
Speaker: membership expert Shari Pash
Tue 8/15 at 2 p.m. – Event Budget Magic: How to Hit KPIs in Any Economy
Learn how to use a 19-tab spreadsheet template to link expenses to key performance indicator goals. Hear about a five-step process for creating and managing a budget, how to make budgets easy and fun, tips and tricks to save thousands of dollars, and how to communicate your vision to decisionmakers. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Speaker: Melissa “Mel” Park, founder and CEO, Melissa Park Events
Wed 8/16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT – Chicago Roundtable Event (Chicago IL)
CNG is bringing together industry experts to discuss topics pertinent to your work with certification programs. Topics include: Accreditation, Workforce Development, SME Management, Psychometrics, AI, Candidate Experience, and Employer/Employee Considerations. You will have the opportunity to move from table to table and learn from the table host and your peers while participating in lively discussions. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.
Host: Certification Network Group (CNG)
Wed 8/16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Destination Experience Summit
Learn about the approach meeting destinations take to innovation, sustainability, diversity, and inclusion; the transformative power of destinations in hosting extraordinary experiences and unforgettable meetings; and the latest trends, best practices, and success stories. 2 CMP credits. More info/register.
Host: Skift
Wed 8/16 at 1 p.m. – Get Sponsored: How to Make 6-Figures in Digital Sponsorship for Your Association
Hear insights on how to make the most out of your association’s digital sponsorship opportunities. Learn how to price your content marketing offerings for success, structure digital sponsorship that works for sponsors AND members, and create the behavior in your sponsors that helps improve your digital content calendar. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Fonteva
Speakers:
- Dan Stevens, President of WorkerBee.TV
- Erin Lemons, Vice President, Marketing, Fonteva & Protech
Wed 8/16 at 2 p.m. – Design Think Your Way to More Engaged Stakeholders
Hear about a strategic methodology—with real world examples and practical tools—that can guide your association to think differently about your meeting stakeholders. Learn how to analyze your event stakeholders and discuss the value of applying empathy in design, articulate the unique purpose and value of your event for each stakeholder, and understand the scalability of the Event Design Process and how to apply the methodology to your own events. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Speakers:
- Emilie Perkins, CMP, CAE, CMM, PMP, CED, Director Client & Conference Services, Raybourn Group International
- Katie Riggs, CMP, CAE, CMM, HMCC, CED, Chief Event Strategist, Riggs & Co
Wed 8/16 at 2 p.m. – The Future of the Attendee Experience
As the line between in-person and digital events continues to blur, attendee expectations have shifted due to the integration of technology into daily life. Learn how people are consuming content and how to blend physical and digital experiences for your events, trending ways to use events to engage and build community, best practices for extending event engagement, and strategies to deliver amazing attendee experiences. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Speaker: Alyssa Peltier, Senior Manager, Market Insights, Cvent
Wed 8/16 at 3 p.m. – Next-Level Governance™: Leading with Strategic Agility
Hear the latest data-driven insights on how to get the strategic agility your association governance needs to meet the challenges of the moment. Learn about board success factors, key risks and disruptors boards face in 2023, and characteristics needed to build a board with strategic agility. More info/register.
Host: McKinley Advisors
Speakers: Patrick Glaser, Jon Hockman, Tim Hopkins, CAE, and Suzanna Kelley, FAIA, McKinley Advisors
Thu 8/17 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In
A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.
Host: Black In Events Network
Thu 8/17 at 12:30 p.m. – Enforcing Association Codes of Ethics Effectively While Minimizing Legal Risks
Nonprofit membership organizations have been increasingly active when it comes to regulating conduct and ethics of members, both in their professional roles and in connection with association activities. When done properly, this effort can serve to enhance the value of membership and the public impression of the association’s industry or profession. However, this practice can carry legal risk if the proper procedures are not followed. Learn how to develop and enhance an enforceable code, create and follow a procedural framework that is both workable and legally defensible, and identify the different considerations that can arise when enforcing a code that applies to members, certification holders, and association leaders. More info/register.
Host: Venable LLP
Speakers: George E. Constantine, Partner, Co-chair, Nonprofit Organizations Group, and Andrew L. Steinberg, Counsel, Nonprofit Organizations Group, Venable LLP
Thu 8/17 at 1 p.m. – Accessibility and Event Technology: A Beginner’s Guide
As an event organizer, you can expand your attendee base, create richer customer connections, and drive your business goals further if you create an accessibility-friendly experience for your events. Get a deeper understanding of accessibility: facts, figures and definitions. Hear about specific types of disabilities and how these can influence your event planning, and the surprising consequences of not incorporating accessibility concepts for your attendees. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Speaker: Stephen Cutchins, Product Manager and Accessibility Expert, Cvent
Thu 8/17 at 2 p.m. – Mission Possible: Mapping Your Path to More Effective Marketing
Your organization’s marketing ecosystem lives on a maturity spectrum—the more mature, the more impactful, the less mature, the less effective. Hear the results from the 2023 Marketing Benchmarks for Mission-Driven Organizations report and learn how to leverage data and insights to better understand how you stack up to your peers. Take away tools to develop more impactful strategies that lead to higher marketing effectiveness. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Mighty Citizen
Speakers: Jarrett Way, Content and Digital Marketing Manager, and Brianna Martin, Director of Brand Marketing, Mighty Citizen
Tue 8/22 at 11 a.m. – Unusual Collaborations: Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Unusual partnerships and collaborations can be found in music, art, movies, business, athletics, and in other disciplines and industries. Where are associations with partnerships and collaborations? Learn about the basic principles for these engagements, what makes some successful, and what to avoid; when and where your association should be taking chances, when is crazy borderline genius, and when is crazy just plain crazy; and how to get out of a rut, start placing small bets, and build on what works now. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed., Chief Communications Officer/Owner, CQbd
Wed 8/23 at 1 p.m. – Marketing Artificial Intelligence in Action
Gain an overview of the current marketing artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. Learn about marketing AI tools you can begin using right now to optimize your marketing strategy, how to embark upon easy marketing AI experiments, and use marketing AI to enhance your processes and make workflows less time consuming. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Erica Salm Rench, MBA, COO, Rasa.io
Wed 8/23 at 2 p.m. – Expert Series: Get Sponsored: How to Make 6-Figures in Digital Sponsorship for Your Association
Learn how to optimize digital sponsorship and capitalize on the huge opportunities to grow digital revenues to 6-figures or more. Find out how to consolidate and price your content marketing offerings for success, structure digital sponsorship that works for sponsors and members, and create the behavior in your sponsors that helps improve your digital content calendar. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: WorkerBee.TV and Non-Dues-A-Palooza
Speaker: Dan Stevens, president, WorkerBee.TV
Wed 8/23 at 3 p.m. – The Dating Playbook: Applying the Rules of Love to Your Membership Campaign
Whether you’re looking for marriage or membership, techniques to build interest and commitment are the same. Learn how your association can stop making common membership marketing mistakes and start to reinvigorate your membership campaigns using lessons from dating coaches and matchmakers; help prospects get to know your association better before pushing them to join; and use skills and tools to help you nurture your relationships including SEO, marketing automation and analytics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Speakers:
- Chris Gloede, Chief Consultant, Ricochet Advice
- Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics
- Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales, Association Analytics
Thu 8/24 at 12 p.m. – Smooth Sailing: Association Operations Best Practices
Explore the key strategies, systems, and processes that can enhance efficiency, member engagement, and overall organizational performance. More info/register.
Host: Nexus Marketing Agency
Speakers:
- Neeraj Garg, Chief Operating Officer at Aplusify
- Thorben Grosser, Vice President of Product Marketing at EventMobi
- Brian Lacy, CEO & Data Consultant at NPOInfo
- Thomas McClintock, Senior Client Services Manager at Empowered Margins
Fri 8/25 at 12:30 p.m. – How to Create an AI Usage Policy AMA
Join this discussion on approaches to consider as you develop your AI guidelines and policies. Explore topics such as ethics, copyright, security, and data privacy. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speaker: Juan Sanchez, Chief Information Officer, Inteleos
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 Collin via Unsplash
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