My aha for the day (maybe the week or month!): associations are approaching social media the same way they approach chapters and other components.  The aha came out of reading an insightful post from Scott Gould on How I Profile A Community’s Participation To Inform Next Actions. About four paragraphs into what Scott warns at the start is a long post, there is the statement that triggered by aha: Relationship is participation with one another.

PRSA Maryland launched their blog More Than PR Basics! It isn't their first foray into social media; they have a LinkedIn Group, Facebook Page and Twitter handle. It is however a big step for a small chapter. And it is an experiment. 

Frank Fortin wrote a compelling post What Staples Can Teach Associations in a Recession noting that “if you swap the term “member” for “customer” in this context, and you have a good template for leading associations through this recession.”

Two points he made really get at the heart of what associations with components must address.

Out of the mouth of the marketing guru Seth Godin comes a leadership truism worth frequent repeating:


Seth shared with Brian Clark in his interview on How To Become A Leader. The full piece actually offers Seth’s thoughts on five questions about the dynamics of tribal leadership (building from his book Tribes). The one that grabbed my attention focused on his “universal truths” many of which have a message for association’s in search of good volunteer leaders. Here are some of those truths and my reflections:

Ever noticed how when the going gets tough, we begin to expect more problems? Like in associations who are predicting that we’ll see softer renewals, fewer registrants and less volunteers around the table? (As an aside, read ASAE & The Center's new research for some comfort.)

With this conversation playing all around, it was a delight to stumble upon Ken Thomas’s posting on Six Ways to Engage People in Tough Times. I’d recommend association’s read Ken for two reasons ...

Just had a conversation with a chapter member -- who has also worn the chapter volunteer hat -- who gave a strong piece of advice to his chapter leaders as they approach the annual planning meeting: "Don't worry about winning Chapter of the Year. Do worry about helping members be better managers, keep their jobs and succeed this year."