AssociationOkie

What would happen at your organization if you unexpectantly died?

Would your staff and/or board know who to call? Where to go? What to do to keep it all working in the first 24 hours, 30 days, or 6 months?

In my case, my staff consist of 2 dogs and me. So without proper planning, and written communication, if something happened to me, the two organizations I manage would be slow to recover.

Don’t misunderstand me, I am not indispensable to USSA and ACCA-Oklahoma. They would hire a new executive director, and move on.

But in the time between my tragic and heartbreaking demise, and the hiring of my replacement, they have to function.

That is why I have a “If Jesus Came And Got Me” letter in an envelope taped to the back of my office door. (And yes, that is what it says on the envelope, might as well have a sense of humor about it).

In the envelope are instructions that would help with the continuity of the associations business.

What is in the envelope?

• Instructions for the officers on where the associations financial resources are. It includes a detailed list of USSA and ACCA-OK’s checking accounts, as well as reserves. Don’t assume that your officers will remember which bank you use, or have kept the financial statements.

• The contact numbers and names for the associations legal council, CPA, and officers. The reality is, my wife would have to make the initial call. She may not know who the president of the organization is, or how to reach him or her. Included are all the numbers for these contacts, cell, office, home and email. Tragedies don’t aways happen from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday.

• Contact information for your associations insurance policies, and where the policies are kept.

• Computer log ins and passwords. As we have become more technologically advanced, and more involved in social media, we have more complicated lives. What websites would need to have notice placed on them, Facebook? Twitter? Your blog, your association websites? What are your email passwords?

• Where are the corporate credit cards and checkbooks kept? Where is the association post office box, where is the key to the post office box.

This letter is constantly evolving and changing. My question for you is what have I missed? What would you add?

This entry was posted on July 29, 2009 at 2:59 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.