The Art and Science of Association Management: How to Avoid “Bored” Meetings

Maria Bianchi, CAE

Maria Bianchi, CAE has worked for the past 15 years in non-profit management. Currently, she serves as Vice President of Association Practices, AMG and Executive Vice President for the American Ambulance Association.

Ever get the feeling that people who have never worked in Associations think that what we do is easy, with little or no rationale for how we accomplish the vision, mission and goals of the Association? I do. In the 25 or so years that I have worked for associations, I have learned that the science of association management and best practices are equally as-- if not more-- important than the art of working with volunteers.

Why? Think back to the tireless work toward your CAE accreditation, all that you’ve learned at ASAE’s Annual Conferences, and the industry publications and blogs you read. The best practices we’ve learned are tried and true methodologies that allow us to get the results we need to fulfill the Association’s strategic mission.

Board meetings are good examples. Your Board meets face to face four times a year. In order to maximize their time together and avoid “bored” meetings, you need to:

• create an environment where active debate and dialogue takes place amongst the Board members,
• provide resources, data and the necessary background information prior to the meeting to prepare Board members for the discussion AND
• frame the conversation in a way that allows the Board to focus on strategic governance and not day to day management.

Following best practices is the only way to accomplish all of the above.

Best practices guide association professionals to set the table for the Board meeting in a way that allows for robust discussion. This allows board members to make policy decisions based on knowledge and facts and not emotional or anecdotal evidence. Emotional decisions are rarely good for the Association or its members. The leadership owes it to their dues paying members to make the best decision possible and this can only be done by using the science, or best practices, in association management and good governance. While relationship management with volunteers may require the art of charisma, it is the science of best practices that will carry the day.

The next association best practice blog? The science of the meeting agenda…

Thoughts on Volunteering for fellow Volunteers

Photo courtesy of www.jamestown2007.org

Serving and volunteering has always been a meaningful activity for me, as it probably has been for you.  From my teens, to young adult, to being within the workforce; now as a business owner, and looking way into the future as a retiree, I have found and will find many positive rewards from giving back, doing for others and finding meaning in my activities as a volunteer.  Research has shown that meaningful activity through volunteerism greatly contributes to a person's abilities and outlook on life and to his or her general “happiness” level. The need for volunteers of all ages continues, especially in the community and for numerous philanthropic organizations.  As the boomer generation ages, older volunteers, with their longer experience, may rise to the leadership within certain nonprofit organizations whose programs and activities depend purely on voluntary help.

I have found the personal benefits of volunteerism to be numerous.  For me, these include self-satisfaction, learning or acquiring new skills, socialization, new relationships and community improvement.

Recently, following many years of serving on, or consulting to nonprofit trade and professional governing boards, I was elected to the Associates Board of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.  In this new volunteer experience, I have learned that Wolf Trap, in addition to being America's only National Park for the Performing Arts, plays an important role in both the local DC and national performing arts communities. Through a wide range of artistic and education programs, Wolf Trap enhances our nation's cultural life and ensures that the arts remain accessible and affordable to the broadest audience possible. A typical season at Wolf Trap includes something for everyone with performances ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to orchestra, dance, theater, and opera, as well as innovative performance art and multimedia presentations. I’m looking forward as a new board member to being more involved in the many arts and education programs that touch thousands of students, parents, and teachers each year.  And yes, AMG will hold its summer staff party on the lawns of the Filene Center Stage, with music, picnic baskets and drinks on ice.

I commend each of you who are currently giving and volunteering on the board of an AMG client organization, or for your church, your community, your homeowners association, your school, etc. to think about one of my favorite quotes on volunteerism, which reads, “A pessimist sees a glass of water as being half empty; an optimist sees the same glass as half full, but a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty.”

Deleting drama from my inbox with emotional intel

Have you been in this situation?

An email sent to the board of directors or colleagues at your association sparks controversy. An argument ensues and the email trail grows rapidly. Emotions flare. Side conversations erupt and blind copy is used. Before you know it, the point of the original email is totally lost.

Some days it seems the "e" in email stands for "emotional."  Wouldn’t it be easier to cut through that drama and discuss the association’s strategic direction, membership retention or marketing initiatives? After all, isn’t that why we are associating in the first place?

Association professionals know the importance of effective communication and since email is an integral part of our daily lives, being good at email communication means being an effective association professional.

When I participated in a tweet chat on emotional intelligence (EI) via #assnchat on Twitter, I couldn’t help but wonder how EI can be used to avoid email disasters like the scenario above. Working with volunteer leaders at various trade associations, some of my relationships are exclusively based on email. Using a bit of EI in my email correspondence goes a long way in getting my messages across and increasing productivity.

So, what’s Emotional Intelligence?
During an ASAE CareerHQ event this week, executive coach, trainer, and facilitator Tom Pierce shared how EI can be used as career insurance. People are hired for their IQ, he said, and fired for their personality, or low EQ (emotional intelligence). This makes EI pretty important!

So what is emotional intelligence? EI is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and in others. Emotional Intelligence 2.0, a book by TalentSmart, describes the building blocks of EI as:

• self-awareness,
• self-management,
• social awareness and
• relationship management.

A basic component of EI is awareness of your own feelings and mood as well as those of others. The book also includes a test to measure your EI and gives tips on how to boost your emotional intelligence.

In an interview with Kiki L’Italien on EI, Jamie Notter noted management of emotions--of self and others-- are more important aspects of EI than the way one expresses emotions. Having a sense of empathy, or the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, also improves your EI.

How to use EI in email communication
Miscommunication involving emotional breakdowns is breeding ground for major problems with governance groups. Intentional sarcasm, condescension or anger in an email message only makes matters worse. Emotion portrayed in an email can be interpreted differently when being read by different people in the same way that a story or poem will have various interpretations. This makes awareness of emotions over email very tricky, even for those with the most advanced EI.

I employ these tactics to delete the emotional drama that is taking up so much of my "soft drive:"

• Be brief and be clear. – Write short email with a crystal clear point. Use facts and avoid being too opinionated. It leaves room for misinterpretation.

• Wait. – Write your email, proofread it, and take care of some other business before you have second look at it. When you read it a second or third time, did it convey the tone you intended? If you were emotional when you wrote it, a little time can settle you down, allowing you to communicate your message in a much better way. Obviously, not every email can be treated this way, but pick out the important ones.

• Pick up the phone! – While email can be quick and convenient, certain discussions need to be handled over the phone, or in person. It is easier to gauge emotions when you can pick up on cues like tone and body language when you are speaking over the phone or face to face.

Emotion is a natural part of any communication and shouldn’t be avoided completely. The challenge is to avoid turning conflicting emotions into drama. Engaging your EI, managing your emotions and those around you while communicating via email will make your job a lot easier.

Is Technology impairing the EI of young professionals?

As part of his presentation, Tom showed us some interesting data on age and EI trends. The older you are the more EI you possess. Does this mean young professionals have less EI because there is more technology out there (social media, texting, email) that virtually eliminates the need to interact with human beings? Or, does the data indicate that it takes time and experience to cultivate and nurture your emotional intelligence?

I like to think that the latter is true. Research has demonstrated that EI is crucial in relationship management at any age, but if you are aware of EI and build that relationship capital as a young professional, you will be ahead of the curve. I don' think technology impairs EI, but rather helps to flourish it. As Daniel Goleman noted in his pioneer 1995 New York Times bestseller Emotional Intelligence, the practical lesson for us all comes down to: Nourish your social connections.

Governance vs. Management: Policy Governance® model can help Directors “get out of the weeds.”

For more than two decades now, I have been observing the election, development, conduct, and decision-making processes of nonprofit governing boards. My interest in how boards govern (or don’t) has increased to the point where the characteristics of elected leaders has become more interesting to me than ever before. I share these interests with many senior association professionals. Closely connected are my observations of board-staff relationships, primarily because these are the key success indicators relative to AMG’s successful service to clients.

Recently, at a session of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) annual meeting, we discussed observations on governance versus management among nonprofit organizations. Our discussion on why boards exist did not demean the passion, energy, and commitment of board members. Those of us in the profession know Board members to be very intelligent, experienced people as individuals. Yet as John Carver, author of Boards That Make a Difference states, “sometimes boards tend to be incompetent groups of very competent individuals.”

In our ASAE session, we spent a good amount of time discussing Carver’s Policy Governance® Model (www.carvergovernance.com) and concluded that one central reason a board exists is to be accountable for the efficiency of its association. The board is where all authority and accountability resides. And yet, so many boards do not understand governance and instead involve themselves at various levels in management and operations.

I like Carver’s model because it doesn’t make room for board members to involve themselves in the operations of the organization. Instead, boards should be strategic thinkers with the long term health of the organization in mind. To do this, boards employ a CEO or Executive Director to report on the operations of the organization. Through this executive figure, Carver asserts that boards need (1) to be definite about its performance expectations, (2) to assign these expectations clearly, and then (3) to check to see that the expectations are being met.

To achieve a harmonious board-staff relationship--and ultimately succeed as an organization--boards should demand organizational achievement in a way that empowers the staff, leaving to their creativity and innovation as much freedom as possible. This is a question of what and how to control, but it is equally a question of how much authority can be safely given away. Carver argues that the best guide for the board is to give away as much as possible, short of jeopardizing its own authority.
Board members should no longer be recruited based on their having skills that mirror the skills of staff. Policy Governance® seriously asserts that boards be visionary and provide long term leadership. Boards must persevere in describing purpose and ethics/prudence boundaries. Forming clear policies from those values is far harder than telling the staff how to do its job. Board members must be experts in governance, not management.

Carver’s Policy Governance® model provides an alternative for boards unhappy with the amount of reactivity, trivia, ritual and management they are involved in and are seeking to be truly accountable. But attaining this level of excellence requires that a board breaks with traditions and preference to manage and embrace governance. The model offers a challenge for visionary groups determined to make a real difference in tomorrow's world. That is why those of us in the business of association management believe Carver’s model has much merit.

CAEs More Attractive in Executive Searches

I recently returned from a recruiting trip for an executive director for one of AMG’s association clients. Interviewing potential candidates with a task force comprised of board leaders, I am reminded of the importance of the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation. Participating in many, many executive searches for various clients over the years, I have seen that the success of an association depends on the leadership embodied by a true association professional.

For the few that may be unfamiliar, the Certified Association Executive (CAE™) program is designed to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and designate association professionals who demonstrate the knowledge essential to the practice of association management. Earning the CAE credential is the hallmark of a committed association professional.

Indeed the successful candidate from this recent search has worked toward the CAE credential. The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) maintains recognition among board leaders, members, and those involved in hiring nonprofit professionals including executive recruiters and association HR directors as one benefit of successfully completing the program. I agree that the program makes candidates for executive association positions more competitive. As I assist and lead searches for association leaders, I value resumes that come across my desk with the CAE designation and will continue to do so. True association professionals are ideal candidates for managing associations in my book.

If you are interested in becoming a Certified Association Executive, check out more detailed information from ASAE.

Attracting, Selecting, and Empowering Appropriate Volunteer Leaders

I think we’ve found ourselves a problem. Non-profit organizations are finding it more and more difficult to attract their most respected, qualified leadership candidates while the leaders who accept these responsibilities find themselves frequently overwhelmed by the tasks given to them.

How can this be!

Primarily because the old system of contested elections based on popularity and the demands of today’s business world are not producing enough qualified leaders to meet the needs of most non-profits. Popularity, as significant an issue as it may be, has little to do with enabling an individual to be an effective association leader. Running or managing a good company or business does not prepare an individual for the duties of leadership. The size and complexity of non-profit management, board politics, the constraints of non-profits, spokesman and chairing responsibilities, and the many other requirements imposed on organizational leaders are not always considered.

So what is the solution to this predicament? Associations should and must allow uncontested slates or “nominations from the floor” and they should work diligently to identify the most qualified candidates from among committee members and industry and profession leaders. For the sake of the organization’s success this identification process, typically delegated to a nominating committee, must be clarified through specific selection criteria. The selection criteria must be appropriate, broadly supported, and explicit in order to discover the most qualified, competent candidates.

But having detailed, precise selection criteria is only half of the need. The role and structure of the nominating committee must also be reviewed. Once the committee is selected (via election or otherwise) providing the nominating committee with a clear direction for the search reduces the chance for oversight and mix-ups. A well informed, representative, and trusted nominating committee can be the key to selecting great volunteer leaders.

Even with the revamp of leadership selection criteria and methods, we need to orient and equip most leaders to perform the unfamiliar tasks they inherit. No longer are associations simply clubs or social groups. Organizations require volunteer leaders to have knowledge and skills they are not likely to have acquired in their previous work experience. Orientation to the unique requirements of leading a nonprofit organization is now a necessity and the final step in modern leadership identification, selection and empowerment.

So go get yourself a great nominating committee, provide them with specific criteria for selecting leaders, and orient your leaders with effective training to empower them to lead your non-profit where it needs to go.