The Blogoclump

Social Tech Survey closes tomorrow night!

Read & discuss at jeffpi1@gmail.com (Jeff De Cagna of Principled Innovation LLC, the association community's leading voice for innovation!)'s blog.

…association professionals. (context)

Tagged: Association Management; Associations; CAE; Certified Association Executive

Read & discuss at Ben Martin's blog.

    Reflections from Ann Arbor.
I spent three full days at an annual conference as a first-timer.

It was an awkward experience at times.
It was an eye-opener.
I’m glad I did it.

At times, I wondered if I really was able to think as a first-timer.

I work so much with associations helping them get members more involved.
I spent the last day interviewing […]

Read & discuss at Cynthia D'Amour's blog.

There was a time you’d have to search for a pay phone to make an emergency call. Now, you just reach for your cell. You don’t have to know where your child, friend, or employee is or how to reach them. Call their cell. No more expensive hotel room telephone calls. Use a cell.

We used to play board games like Risk, all the time wishing for a more realistic version. Now we have Sid Meier’s Civilization and countless other games. Budding urban planners would draw pencil sketches of street grids. Now there is SimCity.

Natural disasters, comedian bloopers, and police brutality have all been captured on cell cameras and broadcast on YouTube. Convenience and reality are just a click away and can be shared with millions.

Some advances don’t seem that helpful, though. Why would someone want to watch a television show or movie on a tiny cell phone screen? Or wake up in the middle of the night to read and respond to a text message (disturbing housemates with the ring)? Why twitter someone to tell them a meeting is a bore? Just get up and walk out.

Technological advancements have always been enticing, and they always will be. For lots of people, “cool” is a more salient feature than “utility.”

It will be nice when people get over the novelty of these devices and start using them appropriately. By then, however, a newer version of “cool” will probably be making the rounds.

Read & discuss at AEM's blog.

As I’ve mentioned before, I firmly believe that associations follow higher education’s path when it comes to online learning. Having said that, if you agree with me, you’ll want to be sure to read the Summer 2008 issue pretty closely.
Lisa M. Lane’s article, “Toolbox or Trap? Course Management Systems and Pedagogy” summarizes what I’ve been […]

Read & discuss at Ellen's blog.

I’m working on the second free, cool, course authoring option, and while so far I’m still thrilled with what I’ve found, I’m experiencing some issues with my own FTP. That’s what’s delayed my post on it, and will delay it for awhile.
Our annual conference is coming up next week, so posts will be even less […]

Read & discuss at Ellen's blog.

Tonight (in the rain, at a public event we sponsored) my association announced the winning videos in our “Your Piece of Maine” social media campaign. We’re thrilled with the quality and range of videos submitted. Asked the public to create and submit a video (up to 3 min.) to YouTube showing/telling why they love, or want to own their own piece of Maine. A separate prize for members participating in the contest (many of those excellent too). For any association that hasn’t yet started engaging the public in social media campaigns, it’s significantly different from just engaging the membership.

Here’s a viewer with the winning videos:

Read & discuss at CindyAE's blog.

Just found sub-$4.00 ($3.94) gas in Milford Delaware. Sad that I am excited by that! I’ll take any savings that I can get at the pump. #
And so begins the arduous drive home from the beach. Distance-wise it’s a relatively short trip but the vacation traffic definitely slows u. #
@jamienotter you rock jnott. Keep pushing. #

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Read & discuss at admin's blog.

Here’s a study that found word-of-mouth marketing more likely to be triggered by traditional media than by digital. Researchers also felt that “situational differences determine when advertising works.”

I guess that means marketers should select their tactics strategically and not expect the same thing to work every time in every venue.

Read & discuss at AEM's blog.

This quote from a volunteer youth basketball coach says it all:

“I can think of several reasons to not volunteer as a youth basketball coach. Time or the lack thereof ranks high on the list, as does politics and personality conflicts. But, no matter how long that list is there is one thing that makes it all worth while. As I did in my first season, I promised all of the families one thing - at the end of the season their daughter would be able to give a sincere hug. And the hugs are what make it all worth while … I cherished every moment of the season.” - Neenz Faleafine

Observations:

1. In a nutshell — the reasons people stop volunteering or seriously consider not volunteering are “time, lack thereof, politics and personality conflicts” … and lack of reward. In this quote the reward is the feeling you get from hugs when playing sports and the joy of making it a positive experience for the kids and their families. In associations, the reward is … what? It’s up to us as association executives that when volunteers participate with us that we figure out how to make them feel rewarded.

It could be showing them where their involvement specifically made a difference (e.g., continuing to communicate outcomes of their decisions AFTER the committee has stopped meeting), making sure you’re only having committee meetings if there is something relevant to work on, providing volunteer recognition — and seriously, anyone who believes that people “don’t care” whether they are recognized should think again — they do. I believe it’s part of “being human”. If they’re not feeling hugged at the end of the season, they’re not showing up the next season. And they’re probably going to tell everyone else how bad the experience was too. Word of mouth actually works stronger on the negatives than the positives.

I love the quote because I’m so certain of its truth: If we give people ONE reason to enjoy volunteering, they will overlook the “long list” of reasons not to do it.

2. Why would any association executive bemoan the fact that “politics are played” in associations? Were you honestly expecting otherwise? It’s a given. Not just in associations, but EVERY organization and EVERY volunteer group — schools, scouts, little league, women’s groups, country clubs, theater groups, and where I found more politics than anyplace I’ve ever volunteered in my life — when I was a Trustee of a church. The skills you might need to pass a law in a legislature or city council are the same ones you actually need to get a motion passed at a volunteer group or to get an idea moved forward or to get a school to approve a class trip. If you work for a volunteer organization there is absolutely no reason to think that politics are not part of everything. And good ideas do not just get magically embraced. Anywhere.

3. If you’re a volunteer coach, a player, or even a parent on the sidelines, your hugging skills are going to improve. This season I can remember one of those double-overtime scores where “our team” won a playoff game. And a huge group of parents (including me) were in a huddle (like the last episode of “Mary Tyler Moore”) jumping up and down in a huge hug … for a really long time. And the same thing was happening with the girls on the field. And the kids/coaches on the sidelines. Doesn’t get much better than that. And even when you lose, you hug.

ASAE just started a “vodcast” (sounds like doing something with vodka) — short videos (under 4 min.) of association news and info. First one is on the upcoming release of their “Decision to Volunteer” study/book — Click here to watch.

Read & discuss at CindyAE's blog.