Strauss Articles
Knowledge, Insight, and Experience
Every Thursday, our experts provide insights into industry trends and issues that readers can leverage to improve their associations and signature events.
Creating Successful Virtual Environments for Association Leaders
As the world continues to alter its response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the way in which associations operate has changed [...]
Courage: Try, Trust, and Tell
Despite the constant struggle with COVID-19, restrictions, and exhaustion that we have been facing over the past two years, the association [...]
Getting Together Again – Adjusting Expectations (Again)
Over the second year of the pandemic, we have experienced a lot of starts and stops. In October 2021 we felt [...]
Collaboration and Delegation: The Science of Working Together
There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’. Whether you’re on an association board or committee, you work together as a team. A [...]
The Membership Application Form – A Member’s First Impression of Your Association
Is your association membership application form sending the right impression to potential members? Your membership application process is the way new [...]
A Diverse Board Is Good For a Diverse Association
When discussing association board composition, it is important to consider the question: “What is the key function of a board of [...]
Return To The Starting Line: Lessons From the Race Management Industry
The association events sector is experiencing an unprecedented time of flux and uncertainty. One community that is leading the way back [...]
Word of Mouth: The Association’s Need for Communicative Media
No longer do we live in the days where messenger pigeons carried letters to home. It’s plain to see that we [...]
Creating To Do Lists that Keep Your Association Work on Track
To-do lists are a helpful tool for managing your association workload. Sometimes, however, instead of reducing your stress, they add to [...]
Making the Most of an In-Person Association Board Meeting
When was the last time you got together with colleagues for an in-person association meeting or event? For me, it was [...]
Teach Your Association Board How to FISH! The Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Argument
I don’t fish as I have never had the patience to sit that long but I recently took part in an [...]
Growing Your Association’s Membership Post-Pandemic
In the association management profession in Canada, we are now learning to adapt to the new normal and bring back business [...]
Taking Your Virtual Events from Good to Great
Our virtual events were good, but we wanted more for our attendees, our exhibitors, our sponsors, and our association partners. We [...]
Our First Post-COVID Trade Show
Flashback to February 2020, for one of our clients’ TRAVELING trade show tour. Our team is moving from Vancouver, to Calgary, [...]
The Gift of Volunteering
In addition to a hard-working staff, associations are most often run by a board and committees made up of volunteers. These [...]
Association Meeting Minutes: The Dos and Don’ts
One thing all associations have in common is the recording of meeting minutes. Minutes are an official record of actions that [...]
Planning Your Membership Renewal Campaign: Convey the Benefits of Renewal
The fall is a busy time for everyone. Summer vacation is ending and students go back to school. Suddenly, your inbox, [...]
Organization and Time Management: Four Steps to Success
For an association leader, the daily responsibilities tend to fall under a wide jurisdiction. Committee reports and board meetings require preparation [...]
Lessons From 20 Years of Association Leadership
Milestone anniversaries are a time to reflect on the past and to think about the future. I’ve recently reached the milestone [...]
No Two Boards are Exactly the Same
If you are an athlete, a sports fan, or played in a rec league as a child, you know that each [...]