Our Passions Give us Purpose People volunteer for associations to contribute to a cause that directly impacts their community. It is their passion to impact the world in a way that will improve it for themselves and those in their family, community, city, province, or country. Volunteers are [...]
My husband, Jarred inspired me to write this article. Jarred is a board volunteer. Earlier this year, he became Board President of a minor hockey association. After an election where thousands of members of the catchment voted him into this role, he hit the ground running. The COVID-19 pandemic [...]
You have made the decision to start a blog for your association. You probably already know the many benefits of blogging include establishing yourself as a leader in your field and greatly improving your website’s SEO. We have discussed some reasons for blogging in further depth in a previous [...]
Cash flow is an important concept for association staff, volunteers, and leaders to understand especially for small or medium sized associations. A previous article I wrote discusses what cash flow is and how it differs from profit on an income statement. It also includes some ideas to improve cash [...]
Pandemic planning was NOT part of my vocabulary at the beginning of 2020. Earlier this year, an association we manage had recently welcomed a pandemic planner as a new member. Many association members didn’t understand the complexity and details of pandemic planning and how it could positively impact their [...]
Membership associations exist to serve their members. Ensuring members are satisfied and engaged should be a key priority for every association. To deliver on this, members must be able to express their support of the actions of the association. Membership satisfaction and feedback surveys help associations realize members’ wants [...]
I recently received an invitation to an annual general meeting (AGM) for an association of which I am a member. My first instinct was to ignore the email and not attend the AGM, especially since it is not part of the annual conference and it will be held virtually [...]
New members should feel welcomed and receive guidance to connect with other members when joining an association. Making an association a welcoming environment is essential for recruiting new members but also for keeping the members you have! In this article, I will explore four essential components to increasing your [...]
Ethical behaviour means acting in ways that are consistent with behaviours that society, individuals, and businesses have deemed to be “proper” or “correct.” Good values involve demonstrating respect for key moral principles that include honesty, fairness, equality, dignity, diversity, and individual rights[1]. The most important influence on ethical values [...]
As we continue to live and work through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever for association leaders to actively listen to members’ needs. During this difficult time, associations must keep an open line of communication with members to gauge the overall morale of the association. Members [...]
