Learn a language online, conversing with native speakers, at LiveMocha.com Featured in today’s Wall Street Journal special section on technology, the site promises a social media method of learning another language. Scott Austin, editor of VentureWire, reports that “…LiveMocha.com carries…
On Saturday morning, I dragged myself out of bed, after a late night, to go speak to a group of 30-odd students in my biggest training program. I had called the meeting, to take place during their half-hour morning break, to ask them about what I could do to encourage them to come to our end-of-year Awards Dinner in June.
I explained that we were going to try something new this year, where we combined the Awards Dinner with the Annual Meeting, which traditionally happens a couple weeks after the Awards dinner and to which (therefore) no-one really shows up, (not even most of the Board!). The main business of the Annual Meeting is to vote in new directors, which happens by mail ballot in advance anyway, so we checked the by-laws and saw we could cover that by having a few minutes of business during the speeches at the Awards Dinner.
But also, we have had an issue that even though attendance has been pretty good at the dinner, not many students would show up, despite it also being for graduations and to introduce new incoming students. I went for the first time last year and felt bad that hardly any students were there to meet the new incoming classes. I knew the cost was a factor - $90 a plate. But we had had a fund available to subsidize students, which few took advantage of, so there must be more to it, and I thought I would go and ask.
The feedback pretty much confirmed my own feelings about it, namely that it seemed like the graduations and new student intros were a bit of an afterthought, that the format was too formal (speeches too long), that there was no opportunity to mingle, etc. All of which I will try my best to improve, while using gentle persuasion on the resisting “we have always done it that way” crowd.
But my biggest “Doh!” moment was this: at the end of the discussion, I was thanking everyone for giving up their break time and talking to me about it, and someone said, “No, we want to thank you for coming here - nobody has ever asked us what we thought about it before.”
I mean, I knew this was true, because I have made it my number one priority for us staff to have a real presence at all of our events and for all of our members to know who we are and be free to talk to us about anything. But to have someone actually say it, point blank, made me realize that there is a HUGE cultural shift that I need to make happen, where all members and students are made to feel part of our community, not just the core few who are involved the most. And all it takes to make that shift start to happen, is to be able to show that I care what each of them has to say. Which I do! So I will keep asking.
Ben Martin recently compared membership dues to taxes. Acknowledging that Ben is engaging in a thought experiment/debate, I do think this a horribly damaging analogy.
If your members think of paying dues to you like paying a tax, you are dead meat.
If your staff consider dues income to be a tithe from the industry or field, […]
Read & discuss at david@highcontext.com (C. David Gammel)'s blog.
I mentioned in an earlier post that many in the certification industry are still debating the appropriateness of certifying agencies selling products or services other than certification. The certification industry standards (like NCCA and ANSI) do NOT prevent selling products or service except under certain conditions like 1) requiring a separate product purchase as part of certification or 2) accrediting the education programs leading to the certification. However, some individuals believe certifying agencies should not…
Got turned on to Hugh MacLeod’s October 2007 musings about Social Objects here and here. Around the same time, Maddie Grant tagged me with the Meme that’s been going around (it’s like catching a cold, only fun.) Somehow, my mind lumped them together.First, some poetic thoughts from Hugh… “Social Networks are built around Social Objects, […]
Now that most have capability of immediate communication it can really be meaningful to use it that way. There’s something about getting compliments for a presentation (or whatever) immediately - gives a sense that so good they couldn’t wait any longer to tell you again. The truth could be that it’s easiest to do it right away so don’t have to remember to do it later, but doesn’t come off that way.
If you want to thank someone, and can do it immediately, why wait? You can still send formal letter, card, flowers, etc. later … but why not the immediate thank you too?
Miss Michigan - make that Miss America!
After writing about the Miss America reality show and getting the inside scoop in a comment from one of the executive directors, I had to watch the pageant on Saturday.
The attempt to be hip was different…
The contestants wore jeans for their introductions.
Eliminations felt more reality show - than pageant.
When […]
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For my first official post I wanted to cover some tips for prospective CAEs. I took my CAE credential examination in December 2007 and learned of successfully passing just this last Friday. Very good news indeed.
Without further delay, my tips:
Join a Study Group- […]
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