This session reviews the purpose of associations, organizational structure, and roles and responsibilities of board members including the legal aspects of serving on a board. Participants get a thorough, yet dynamic session on issues of risk management and standards of conduct, including the opportunity to build and discuss various risk scenarios. We work with you to define what areas are important to discuss in this segment.

Have you ever experienced trying to explain what you do for a living? Do your family and friends look puzzled when you say you are an association management professional or provide services to the association management community? In this fast paced and interactive experience you will explore the important and varied functions of associations, understand key terms and language; expand your peer network; connect with seasoned industry professionals; and explore the unique nature of volunteer-based organizations. Put your seatbelt on for this fast-paced adventure and leave equipped with a solid understanding of the wacky and wonderful world of association management.

An effective meeting does not involve checking your creativity at the door. Participants will discuss how to make board and education meetings more productive and engaging. The session will investigate brainstorming techniques, streamlining agendas and new ideas for making meetings interesting.

Organizations across multiple industries realize the value of practicing relational guest experience behaviors. They communicate brand through experience in addition to advertising. In order to identify how they have put these concepts to work, participants collaborate together taking a virtual field trip exploring multiple organizations (e.g. Starbucks, Whole Foods, Urban Outfitters). Participants look for some or all the following: Is organizational mission obvious?  How are organizational values practiced or modeled?  Are there examples of customer service, care, or brand promise? Following the virtual field trip teams will report on their observations and findings. That data will then be used  to  explore what techniques could be used as a guide for their own organizations. 

Great leaders have the vision to clearly see what is ahead. However, vision only becomes reality when it is communicated, collectively embraced and followed by a clear action plan. In this program, participants will examine how to create and communicate a compelling vision; explore the tension between vision and reality through environmental scanning; understand how mission plays an important role, and learn how to set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals.

Designed with the mid-level manager in mind, this workshop assumes participants have already assumed leadership or been given the opportunity to exercise leadership behavior. We will help determine which issues are best for you, such as management vs. leadership; motivating co-workers; delegation; and conflict management.

This program investigates individual and environmental issues that affect our decision making process. Discover how these decisions are directly correlated with the four quadrants of the Life Balance model. Participants will address the definitions of ethical leadership; what ethical behavior looks like on the job; how to inspire; and values-based decision making.

An organization's most valuable asset is its collective team. Successful leaders know how to create an environment that encourages and supports employee initiative, involvement and commitment. This program considers what employees really want; discover how to create a motivating environment; learn how to empower and involve team members; examine individual vs. team rewards; and receive 101 ideas for motivating and rewarding your team.

Individuals support the community they create. A productive team must have an understanding of the mission, recognize the values of both individuals and the team, and the passion to work together to become a “performing” community. This session outlines the basics of working within a community environment; team stages; how to effectively communicate; and how to encourage those around you.

Participants examine what values they bring to their leadership role in their work or volunteer environment as well as exploring how to work with others who may have differing values. The issue of diversity, inclusiveness, and what lenses we look through is covered. Participants engage in an interactive activity that helps them identify their own values, the values of their work and/or volunteer environment.

Participants have the opportunity to explore how to lead their organizations to new levels. The session looks at best-selling author Jim Collins’ long-standing concept of leading with humility as well as choosing and involving the right team and who you need to “get on the bus.” We examine the differences in today’s workplace and volunteer mix and how exceptional leaders can respond to the needs of those diverse groups.

In this session participants examine the elements of influence and address persuasion strategies. Activities include identifying key stakeholders, constituency needs, and how to communicate key messages to those you want to impact. Participants receive a worksheet that will be used in the session to build their influence plan.

Participants explore and discuss their organization’s compelling vision and mission and how these drive decision-making and growth. Participants collaborate as they create “vision collages” that express what they see as the future of their organization and focuses on Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle Concept defining the organization’s provocative “why”. Participants are equipped with planning tools such as “S.M.A.R.T.E.R.” goals, Stop and Start Doing list, mindmapping techniques, and other analysis and planning tools.

Today’s most successful organizations are encouraging their teams to be innovative and creative in their structure and process. In this session, participants examine the benefits of taking a strategic approach to creative problem-solving, explore how to encourage innovation in the work and/or volunteer environment, and use practical techniques to discover new ideas and fresh insights. Participants will take home tools and techniques that can be used within their organization to boost creativity and put innovative ideas to use. Using a real-life example from the highly-innovative company, IDEO, participants will explore the “10 Faces of IDEO Innovation” as well as their “5 Step Methodology” in a purposeful and lively process that will show how these ideas can apply to their teams.

Haven’t we all experienced them at one time or another – curmudgeons, negative people, naysayers, criticizers, micro-managers, and interrupters? We interact with them daily in our workplace or volunteer communities. This session also includes a “conflict assessment” and strategies on how to avert issues before they cause conflict, and how to manage conflict from a positive growth perspective.

Most likely you’ve had the opportunity to facilitate dialogs with small or large groups; colleagues or clients; this program will help you improve your preparation, delivery, and interaction with participants. In this interactive program participants practice a variety of instructional techniques; review the basics on effective handouts, audio visuals; explore the principles of adult learning; and creative techniques for increasing interaction.

What is your motivation environment? Recognizing the efforts of employees can have a powerful impact upon an organization. Motivating and energizing employees doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming, but it does have to be sincere. BONUS! Workshop includes tip sheet with 101 creative recognition ideas.

When you think of coffee, why does Starbucks almost immediately pop into your mind? In this segment, we look at some different corporate community models and how their relational marketing approaches can be applied to a participant’s organization to increase participation and authentic engagement. Participants explore the areas of key messages, building a better brand, and how a premium client and/or member experience contributes to brand awareness.

Leaders must function in an ever-changing environment. Learning to communicate with different styles and preferences is key to a fully functioning leadership team. In this session participants consider change and how volunteers and staff react to it, identify predominate behavior style(s) and learn how this affects communication with others, and how both contribute to conflict. Techniques are shared for how to work more effectively with those with different styles. Peter Senge’s “Ladder of Inference” will be used to illustrate the lenses we look through when communicating and making decisions. Creative team activities help illustrate how to deal with different behavior styles and conflict styles as they show up in group dynamics. (Note: this is an example of blending several breakout topics into one breakout. Several issues can be discussed, but in less depth than the individual topic breakouts. We can work with the organization to combine other topics as necessary).