Resources

Transformation in the Time of COVID

Lowell Aplebaum, FASAE, CAE, CPF & Cynthia Mills, FASAE, CAE, CMC

Over the past two months, we have wandered together through a trough that has left even the most accomplished and seasoned leaders stunned, worn out, and shaken. Yet through this unexpected breach of COVID 19 into this year’s aspirational strategies, we are witnessing the Power of Associations and watching new models and understandings being birthed moment by moment. This moment is shattering the most calcified of ‘we’ve always done it that way’ practices, finding leaders that are saying, “Yes” to operating in ways that only moments ago were anathema to tightly held beliefs about the speed with which new approaches can be implemented.  As relevance, need, community, connection, and value are being redefined, the capacity and tolerance for organizational experimentation has become the new pathway to meaning and impact.

The experience has had a rhythm to it. Weeks one and two were shock, adrenalin, reactive and chilling. Weeks three and four were bold, hard, gut-wrenching choices about major events, informational floods, and long, long hours. With weeks five and six came the realization that this isn’t just going away, and with it, exhaustion, hitting the wall, and Zoom fatigue. In weeks seven and eight organizations stare into the realities of reduced budgets, staff, and salaries and cash flow projection concerns. Before us is a mix of starting to get a sense of new stability, while pressing forward with figuring out what to expect, believe, and how to build the muscle around integrated short and long-term scenario planning.

Through voluminous numbers of conversations, we are seeing patterns. Denial, skepticism, and disbelief have yielded to initial understandings about a new reality that is a marathon not a sprint. These circumstances are unveiling compelling opportunities. Former methodologies, ones employed for years if not decades, are rapidly being discarded in favor of the deployment of choices that were not on the radar eight weeks ago. Tone deaf is today’s version of what Mom taught us about having 10 seconds to make a first impression – it’s hard to recover from now if it’s not authentic and caring at its core. There is a vast difference between the leader speaking from their voice, perspective, and heart with relevant information and reading a pre-vetted and canned speech to the membership. 

Opportunistic is a gross attitude to be avoided, while identifying the gaps and pivoting quickly to fill them is the new expectation; which redefines value propositions in a moment and wipes out lengthy researching, posturing, pontificating, or politicking in favor of action. Crisis response has not only become the mother of invention – it has forced the hand of leadership to shift from endless deliberation to rapid decision making, assessment of choice, and moderation of direction and next steps.  Boards and staffs that were high performing prior to the introduction of COVID 19 are still high performing and are reforming for the times at a break-neck pace; unlocking potential and mastering new ways of operating like a symphony’s ending crescendo. Where dysfunction was present before this discombobulating factor appeared, it still reigns. Wasted energy in struggles unrelated to fulfilling mission is adding an unnecessary risk management layer to the puzzle of what organizational survival will look like for those associations mired in these old stories.

Going into the third month of this experience, some organizations are thriving, because their members are thriving, and they are well-capitalized. Other associations have only a few months of cash flow remaining, do not see other revenue opportunities on the horizon nor do they have the resources to develop them and are aware of when they may cease to function. Some are already looking at whether merging within their sector will be a necessity, and others are looking at moving to AMC models as staff reductions hit and core functions could be preserved if managed differently. Others have made the bold decision not only to tap reserves for the necessary pivots but also to maintain a level of staffing for at least a period of time. 

And through it all, we are also people. There is the exhaustion of trying to figure out how to be safe personally, keep our families safe, juggle work environments that were never intended to house everyone, all day, with varied needs, every day. And we care – we see professionals and executives who daily turn their concern to keeping their teams safe, deciding which are the essential services, streamlining, responding, pivoting to all virtual, and doing this through what appears like a struggle to survive.

Inside of all of these patterns, there is the grief we are experiencing of our personal lives changing, our professional lives being altered, the unknown of whether this is for a while or permanent, the question of whether we go back to offices, and if so when, and the weight of whether that puts our teams at risk. There is the burden of future meetings – knowing when it’s right to encourage members to return to gatherings, when it will be allowed, how to handle existing contracts fairly between all parties, whether to initiate a future larger meeting contract, and what to do if the organization moves forward but team members choose not to or are afraid to attend.  Will we “force them?” Will we tell them they have to, and it’s a requirement to keep their job? What are the legal ramifications and what does our heart tell us about how to lead through all of this?

The heart of our organizations, of our associations, is the community we each create. Can our community be no less vibrant – can it be stronger and more resilient – when we must connect from a distance?

As we are living these moments, we are authoring new stories – stories of the traumas we are living through personally and professionally, stories of the traumas our members are living through, stories of lessons learned on where we held ourselves back in our aspirations or our operations because of fear, limiting beliefs, or old ways of thinking that we have been forced to let go of, stories of our new desires and opportunities we had no idea we would jump to so quickly, and stories of those who have surprised us by stepping up whom we never would have called upon to do so and others who are paralyzed by fear and overwhelm.  Through this we grieve, we move to acceptance, we let go of what was comfortable, we find what is new and compelling, and we move forward….because we have chosen to lead, and we must.

The experience we have all been in is a journey from a place of comfort through denial to new reality, grief for what is lost and may never be regained, recognition of the COVID 19 reality, followed by a determination to foster hope, design anew, deploy resilience and stand together to demonstrate the viability and vibrancy possible in a new experience.

Though we should not ignore the struggle we face today, and the symptoms of grief that our decisions and circumstances trigger – our balance must be a focus on hope and resilience. We must pursue those paths that can lead to strength – of our organization, of our memberships, of our staff, and of ourselves.

The decisions leaders are making today are not getting easier. How to balance staffing with a shifted financial landscape? When and how (or if) to reopen an office, and what is the greater success achieved by doing so? How to design new approaches and messaging around organizational value in a different landscape? Yet, with a focus on what is possible and on a hopeful tomorrow, rather than what we have left behind, there are paths ahead of mission impact, member success, and organizational rise.

Enhancing Virtual (Reality) Connections

Zoom fatigue – articles on this growing trend seem as ubiquitous as webinars on how to use the platform. While there are varied views on how reentry will look as our associations once again hold in-person meetings, we will continue to provide opportunities for meaningful connection and engagement between members, even if they can not gather in the same space.

For most organizations, the transition to Zoom, GotoMeeting, or other videoconference platforms has been an easier lift than expected, yet these platforms provide only a moderately elevated performance over teleconferences. Yes, on videoconference it is possible to see the faces of those you are meeting with (provided the # of people is limited), which is definitely better than a conference call, where only auditory cues provide connection. However, if we are looking to affirm our associations are dynamic, meaningful homes for connection and community, it is time to start looking further forward and creating elevated connection experiences.

VR is Already Here

One place organizations should be experimenting is in the world of Virtual Reality (VR) which comprises two parts – the headset and the platform – which can be leveraged separately or together. The headsets are still a bit pricey and are mainly used for gaming or simulation training – but they are ripe for use in virtual meetings and events. There are applications in the world of architecture and design , real estate, and even medical training that can give you an idea of the variety of non-event experiences that can be created.

From Gaming to Collaborating

As we turn to consider the platform, we should pause and think about the experiences of our members and employees. A significant segment of the workforce has grown up steeped in the worlds of Warcraft, Halo, Fortnite, and League of Legends. Chatting (collaborating) with friends (coworkers) on a headset and going after an in-game objective (deliverables) all while navigating a virtual environment (not Zoom) is a common experience for many. You’d be surprised at how many, seriously. Perhaps one of the reasons we are so burned out sitting in front of our Zoom webinars is that it’s less natural than stepping our avatars into a virtual environment and brainstorming (discussing tactics) around a conference table (save point) with whiteboards and sticky notes (items). Current virtual meeting environments are a far cry from the immersive worlds that video game developers have created for us, but what if they weren’t? What if the gap closes and we can move around comfortably in a virtual space without leaving our homes/offices? What if we just skip over the forced smiles of Zoom and move directly into a VR platform enabled workspace where we can work with each other more naturally? 

Barriers and Potential

If you go to Amazon, you will find the VR headsets that range from $40 to close to $1000. While there is an investment involved, it’s still cheaper than purchasing iPads for every board member. For organizations wanting to connect members over distances, or around the world, this is a way to close the gap. Inclusiveness is also heightened for those with physical travel limitations, debilitating illnesses, mobility challenges, and even the introverts among us. Whether a digital native or not, with or without exposure to video games, the learning curve is not steep. Also, there is great opportunity to engage our hard-to-reach younger members in creating a strong sense of community in the virtual space.

Where to Experiment, Where to Start

Associations don’t have to start from scratch – there are already platforms built or in process with whom they can partner, and the platforms can be used with multiple technologies from laptops, to tablets, to VR headsets. For example (not an endorsement) check out: https://meetinvr.net/ or https://glue.work/, or https://www.virbela.com/.

This is the perfect moment to step back and reflect – if we were going to scope a meeting of our members in a VR world, what would we provide? Do we want to form a small test group and experiment? If each Board member was given a headset they returned at the end of their service, and meetings were held in VR, how much more efficient would they be? And the cost? Think what you are saving in Board travel and hotel costs.

If you want to dip your toe in, maybe try it out internally for some VR team building.

How could your association use VR platforms to virtually engage with members or employees? 

Does it Stay or Does it Go? Programmatic Evaluation in a Time of Shift

A key tenet of a healthy organization is a system of regular programmatic evaluation to determine which efforts are bringing return, which need to be sunset, and where programmatic invention/investment is needed.

In this moment of daily-shift, in order to survive and thrive, associations are being forced into rapid resource evaluation conversations that demand programmatic prioritization. From an output-first standpoint, the association landscape is full of examples of organizations pivoting to create the in-time value their members and industries need – daily briefings, webcast updates, COVID communities, and pivots to virtual meetings and learning approaches. Truly, our organizations are demonstrating daily the Power of “A” – the strength industries find in their association serving as a professional hub and home.

As organizations refocus to create these new value outputs, which existing products or services are being put on hold/eliminated to create the space to do so? As our virtual work life becomes ever more normalized, what were initially emergency measures are becoming new realities. Associations are looking at their P&L sheets, creating new projections, and having difficult conversations around everything from when to trigger event insurance to staff pay reductions/furloughs/releases. As a next step in this adjustment, organizational governance is being asked the difficult question of where to pull back. Their association can’t do everything. The formats in which the organization has traditionally provided value and operated have shifted, and the needs the organization is trying to meet look radically different than a few weeks ago.

In a time where so much has changed due to crisis, bringing forward programmatic decisions that are one-off, go/no go decisions are causing feelings of fear and loss. Knowing these rapid-decision points are going to continue to emerge, a revised system and language of evaluation that can serve as a foundation for discussions among the Board can help distance the feelings associated with having to simply stop doing those things which have been normative for so long. This can help our leaders refocus on future-oriented choices of greater impact and value to sustain and expand the worth the organization provides to the industry and the members it represents.

Measures of Programmatic Impact

Board members need a simple snapshot of return for each output of the organization if they are going to evaluate what should be kept, invested in, or sunset. While generating a full Program Impact Matrix is ideal, in times of duress, a simple listing with three columns for each program may help.

  • Fiscal Return – Without funds there is no organization. Which line items provide the means by which the association can create necessary mission-focused outputs? In thinking about where those lines of revenue come from, what modifications need to be made to ensure they evolve to fit the current environment?
  • Mission Return – Not every output the organization produces has the same impact on mission. Which are mission critical? Which are mission aligned? Which are mission minimal – having outlived their time or no longer serve a greater audience?
  • Momentary Return – This moment in time has highlighted organizational output areas that have either taken on greater relevance or have been quickly created to serve the needs of an isolated, digitally connected constituency. Which of these are current context relevant? Which provide value only until a sense of next-normalcy is realized?

Each of these factors can be used to create a balanced ranking of organizational outputs most valuable to members in this short-term, difficult time.

Language of Evaluation

With a resource in place by which a Board can see the snapshot of programmatic impact, a second, helpful strategy is to expand the language of evaluation they use. The decision of where to align resources is not just in funding – it is also in staff time, volunteer time, and communications space. Rather than a go/no-go decision for a program, consider this five-level system.

  • Invest – These programs are best serving the needs of the membership and the organization right now. They may be new efforts, never-before tried, or modifications to existing programs – having emerged from COVID-19 response. The gradient of investment should include consideration of the potential long-term value and return of the solution under consideration.
  • Maintain – These programmatic efforts are continuing to bring value and return to the organization as currently structured.
  • Modify – These outputs and efforts have potential to serve the organization well in this moment, but not in their current form. It is worth an investment of resources to increase their potential value and return with specific guidance on what to invest and what is expected from the investment.
  • Pause – This is perhaps the most powerful tool. Instead of elimination, leadership can choose to put a program on hold for a time period (e.g. we are going to forgo the personalized mugs this year) and return to it for evaluation at a future time. At the future time, when emotions are muted; an objective decision about the value of the program can be made with information collected during the pause period.
  • Sunset – Whether it is because we are in the midst of more permanent changes or due to temporary reduction in resources, there will be those efforts which have run their course. Capacity isn’t infinite – organizational strength is found in saying yes to the right things, and in recognizing and acting upon those that have ceased to provide meaningful value and return.

Once created, a grid of programmatic returns with action recommendations can become a powerful governance tool for use during tumultuous times as well as more stable ones.

In the end, at this moment every association is faced with having to make rapid, critical decisions of resource and value. Establishing a system of value contrast, incorporate a language of commitment gradients – each of these tools will help your governance not only lead through crisis, but author the hopeful future our members need.

No Need to Miss Your Badge Ribbon

A quick, simple digital networking idea

Let’s be honest – members find ribbons to be the exciting part of their name badge. If they are a volunteer, it shows where they are giving of themselves to the organization. A ribbon can be how they demonstrate their loyalty through repeat attendance or years of membership. A ribbon can share which sub-discipline is their area of interest – helping to connect with other like-minded colleagues. And then, of course, there are the light-hearted ones that just bring a smile.

Ribbons are the flair of the meeting experience.

In this next chapter of member organization, connection, meeting, and learning – our name badges have shifted. We might go around at the start of a meeting and introduce ourselves from our Brady Bunch display on Zoom – our name proudly displayed below our face – but that is just the beginning of personalization.

I was recently in a meeting where we started changing the name below each of our video shots to be more ribbon-esque. There were little insights into personality, imagination, and – as some continued to update their digital ribbon aka their name bar – commentary on what they were thinking about what we were discussing.

So, yes – you can play with backgrounds and be underwater or in outer space – that is also fun. Yet, when you are looking for an easy way to connect and personalize a digital meeting experience – take a moment to create-your-own-ribbon – even in isolation we should have a bit of flair!

(h/t Teri Carden & Ben Martin for letting me experiment with this networking approach during their recent connection event)

Rise of the Compensating Introvert

This day has long been coming.

For years, we have structured our meetings, our organizations, and even how we work as staff to lean in on extrovert-friendly approaches. Board meetings arranged in large, hollow u-shaped seating designs instead of smaller group tables. Seeking senior staff leaders who are adept at schmoozing with many staff and monitoring the cultural health and stability of the team. Having networking events where meaningful relationships and connections should be made – the heart of the value of many associations – where, when you walk into the room, it feels like a huge crowd with everyone talking to someone. Putting the burden on the attendee to find a stranger to introduce themselves to.

And introverts? To succeed they have navigated the waters as compensating extroverts. Utilizing the tendencies and approaches that best fit the extrovert-friendly situation. This can be a huge draw of energy – exhausting them after acting as an extrovert for any extended period of time. How many times have you mentioned to a peer that they seem extroverted and they respond that they are actually an introvert but know how to act. That moment is exactly the world we have created.

Welcome to a new world.

As we now work and live in a time of isolation, I have had conversation after conversation with introverts who express an easier (not easy, but easier) time adjusting to this norm. They can focus on what needs to be accomplished, without the energy distraction of multitudes of others.

And extroverts? They are quickly being forced to learn how to be compensating introverts. How can they keep their energy up, without the community of peers and people that typically surround their days? In order to succeed in this environment, this new chapter requires skill sets and practices on both fronts – enabling people to thrive in isolation.

Yet – before we think our introvert friends have it made – I would bring you back to how you feel around 4pm each day after being on video for 8 hours of Zoom meetings and responding to endless messages on Slack. It is still exhausting to be front and center – your face full-on in the lens for hours on end.

Knowing we each are learning how to not just survive but thrive in this moment, here are some cultural thoughts to care for all the i/e-verts in our midst.

  • Give moments of personalization as options, not as requirements. I have seen some really innovative ideas for sharing more about who you are during this time. Organizations asking those on a Zoom call to tell the story of one thing in their background. Others have instituted a “Cribs” association edition – where a different staff member gives a house tour on video each meeting. Still others are having “fun hat days” at staff meetings. Provide these as options and allow people to indicate before if they would like to participate since live peer pressure to share is not always welcome.
  • Make turning off video on occasion “ok.” Appearing on video for hours at a time can be exhausting. Consider making video optional on internal business meetings after 3:30 or 4:00. This makes it acceptable for those who have spent hours on video to still participate, but be able to do so without being visually ‘on.’
  •  Host a Virtual Happy Hour. In an effort to create social connection in a time of social distancing, many companies and organization have started virtual staff happy hours – a chance to just see each other without a work agenda. Creating space for connection and support is always positive. If these are regular (as in bi-weekly) and ongoing, make participation optional, encourage multitasking (making dinner, folding laundry, etc.) or let people know perfect attendance isn’t required. Thus taking away the stigma of having to be at all of them.

This moment doesn’t feel momentary – for many the radical change we are experiencing is overwhelming. Acknowledging and structuring staff interaction to accommodate the many i/e-verts among us can help everyone thrive in this time of change.

The Need for a Crisis Response Architect and Curator

I have been truly amazed, though not surprised, at how hundreds of associations have pulled together rapid-response information, updates, teachings, and even town halls for their members (and in many cases nonmembers) in the face of this current moment of upheaval. Founded to be the voice of their represented industry, the professional home and advocate for their professionals and companies alike, associations are a source of strength when so much is in flux. Yet, functioning in rapid-response mode without attention to structure and experience runs the risk of diminishing the value our organizations can provide.

We know that more is not always better – our members don’t come to our organizations because of the quantity of content and information we can provide, per se – but because of the quality we are able to easily identify, surface, and craft into applicable templates. If Google can produce millions of pages of sites and information for a key search term, our associations shine when they serve just as page one – that which is most essential.

In the face of this moment, I see Covid-19 response pages that, each day, have more and more content and resources added to them. While the filter of latest-breaking news is one factor in priority, it should not be the only. I have spoken with CEO’s about what has proven most valuable and when we went to look at it, it took scrolling and searching to find it – and in some cases, new, less relevant information has pushed it out completely.

Yes, we need staff and leaders with their ears to the ground and their eyes to the horizon – bringing in that which is emerging. I posit you ALSO need someone whose job it is to architect and curate how these resources are provided on an ongoing basis. Some guiding questions that they can use to help could be:

  • What are the categories of information, resources, and solutions that we are providing, and how are we structuring our digital hub so that a user can quickly go to the category they want (association news, world news, in-time templates and resources, virtual learning opportunities, etc)?
  • How are we tracking which resources we provide are the highest value? The most viewed? The most used? Making the biggest impact in real time? How do we make sure these don’t slip below the surface?
    • The California Landscape Contractors Association drafted a template letter for their members to use when encountering officials who weren’t sure if they work qualified as essential under the latest executive order – and placed it as an open template in the side bar so it wouldn’t get lost and could be copy/pasted out
  • If there are resources and approaches we create or curate that have wide-spread appeal or use, are we weekly seeing what rises to the top and proactively sending that out to our members?
  • For the learning, town hall, and virtual community experiences we are creating – are we conducting pop-up feedback loops before/after each to ensure the formats we are using are meeting end user need.
    • I was with one organization who had a town hall of 350 mental health professionals on zoom – the purpose was to give them space to connect and discuss how they were handling a virtual practice, and because of the numbers only 9 voices were heard and none of them had their questions/concerns discussed by their peers.

Our members, our communities, need the information, guidance, and solution that our organizations are creating. Yet, if our answer to how to access those key pieces of value becomes “It’s on the hub page,” without thought to how easy it is to find and access on that page, our ability to make impact will diminish in kind.

So turn to a colleague – ask them, what are top 3-5 things that our members need at this moment – and then go for your own digital scavenger hunt – are they easy to find? In formats that are easy to use? If not, you too need a crisis response architect and curator.

A Fresh Lens on What we Know

I will admit it – I consider myself a student of Sinek, and a bit of a follower of what Simon teaches. I find that Simon Sinek is able to take powerful approaches and lessons that marry business practice with empathy and share them in a way that is relatable and imprint. His latest offering reinforces his wisdom in both content and approach – and I believe holds an excellent example for associations to consider.

At this moment I see our organizations acting in rapid-response mode – offering in-time virtual learning and updates. These are great examples of the value of an organization to bring together an industry and a membership around key knowledge and practice recommendations. They are also, by and large, one off pieces of content. We take each bite, analyze what we need to apply, share or incorporate it, and move to the next. At some point, this adrenaline-pump-esque learning style will start to have tiring effects. Our brain, our attention, can only work in hyperdrive for so long, hopping from topic to topic, scanning and scanning, before there is drain and lag. Now is the time to start to think about how we ALSO provide a consistency in learning that can balance the fleeting nature of daily updates.

Back to Simon – I imagine that he has some insightful thoughts about society at this moment – about the care of our employees as they are thrust into new, and often trying, circumstances while worrying whether they will be furloughed or their position eliminated. Yet, instead of launching a new book, Simon is offering this:

Instead of a one-off, a live learning series based on his fundamental teaching but through a new light. A few key elements that I think make this the right move in this moment – and that associations can consider:

1.      You don’t need to read a new book – Simon’s “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” TED talk – where he discusses starting with why – is the 7th most watched TED talk of all time. Needless to say, that talk in conjunction with the book he wrote, is WELL known. Much like going back and re-watching a movie you have seen many times, there is comfort in already have the foundation of knowledge to engage.

2.      Take what we already know, see how it applies to this moment – What Simon is offering is to take this approach that so many have learned, adapted, and adopted and offer a means by which, together, we can take what we know and have mastered and look to how it applies to this unique moment in time. Can we quickly become oriented to new terms and circumstances through one-off learning modules that are coming our way every day? Yes. Will we gain mastery in each of them in just a few days? Not likely. Here is a solid place where many have been practicing for years – and rather than start from scratch we can work through how to shift for maximum impact.

3.      Structured, reasonable time frame – This is a 6-week endeavor, the same time each week. This isn’t months long – and if we are still in a state of differentiated work when the 6 weeks are over, there is the possibility to assess and see what is offered next. The consistency of time means it can be blocked out as a weekly reminder/hold. Mid-afternoon accounts for all the U.S. time zones. Again – not a one-off, but a micro-course of consistency.

4.      Encourages community (even if virtual) – Though individual participation is welcome; Simon has structured this with the intention of micro-community. Form a book club so you can experience this together. We know human connection in learning makes a powerful experience.

5.      Questions before we start – The sessions will be based, at least in part, on questions submitted BEFORE each module. This structure implies that the communities should be communicating beforehand, being able to voice what is top of mind about the material. Simon can then be responsive to those themes that most need to be addressed based on patterns of priority. This is starting from a place that, though he may be the expert on the material, the learners are participating in driving the content.

6.      Public access to the conversation – Could Simon sell these recordings? Absolutely. Yet, there is service and wisdom in choosing to have them on a public platform (YouTube in this case) where anyone who will find help with the content can benefit. Yes – I imagine it will bump sales of his book – but it is also easy to forward and share, expanding his audience, and hopefully making a greater shift in society.

As I said, many thoughtful and meaningful structural pieces here. So, for organizations, who is a rock star thought leader that has crafted a seminal work in your organization’s landscape? Something that if they were to do a re-read and lead a learning series on how it applies to what we are facing today, your members would not feel daunted at having to read another long piece of information, but comforted in that they knew the content and could approach it from a fresh point of view? How can you structure the learning not as oration, but as learner-driven in focus so that what is top of mind for those attending drives each lesson? How can you offer this to your broader community – member and non-member alike – demonstrating how your organization is the voice of your industry, and not just the members – building organizational value-awareness and connection to everyone?

It might take a bit of extra focus – but in a world-changing-every-hour moment, a consistency of learning and community from foundational knowledge and inspiration can bring value that our members need.

Remember Gratitude

In the best of circumstances, moments of change can cause stress and anxiety as we face unforeseen circumstances and build a new normal. In this moment of societal shift, when it feels like change is emerging multiple times a day, organization after organization has shifted into rapid response mode – adapting how they work, how they organize, how they create solutions their members and industries need for the world today. In the midst of all the just-in-time action being taken, an important element will add sustainability to heightened-need times – gratitude.

Staff – If you had a snapshot of your staff 3-4 weeks ago and your staff this week – how many things would look different? Have they had to transition work space and environment to create an ‘office’ in their home? The daily strength they drew from their colleagues – are they adapting to try and find it virtually? Has need shifted such that they are working early mornings? Late nights? Weekends? How many of them are wondering about job security? Perhaps this isn’t a moment where Starbucks gift cards are the best answer (though Krispy Kreme is still delivering!). How are you structuring genuine, regular gratitude? Some examples:

  • Message from the Chair – Have your Chair record or write messages to the membership about the efforts of the organization, acknowledging and expressing gratitude to the staff as they do so.
  • Meaningful member stories – If your organization has pivoted to provide solutions your members need to survive/thrive today, try to find at least one such example of impact each week and invite the member to a video staff meeting to tell their story for a few minutes. Hearing how their efforts are making impact is priceless for raising morale and reminding staff of their value.
  • Thank you notes – Old school, it’s true. Yet, the C-suite writing hand written notes of thanks (sent via postal mail in a time of physical distancing) to staff for what they have been doing shows their efforts are seen and appreciated.

Volunteer Leaders – If volunteers are normally the backbone of our organization, they have become the exoskeleton in these times. More than ever, our organizations are relying on them to feed real-time insight into what is happening on the ground floor while concurrently serving as the voices of organizational direction and stability to the membership, to the industry, and to the public. On top of that, many are stepping up to take on additional volunteer responsibilities to adapt association offerings in this moment of high-disruption. Some examples of recognition:

  • Recognition of the individual – As new efforts emerge, whether they are fully developed actions, initiatives under development, or insight inquiries, organizations can directly tie recognition  to the volunteer(s) who are contributing. Acknowledge names and roles instead of just subsuming volunteer effort and labeling it as the efforts of the organization.
  • Board as Chief Recognition Officers – Acknowledging peer to peer recognition is powerful. Organizations can tally which volunteers/volunteer groups are making far-reaching efforts each week, and assign gratitude lists to each Board member. Each Board member is asked to send a brief note/video/message to say thank you to the individuals on his/her list.
  • Space to recognize and process – Knowing that volunteers have taken a larger share of the burden these past few weeks, create an every-other-week Zoom-check-in just for volunteer leaders. It is a way to say thank you, and for volunteers to feel that they are part of a unique and meaningful community while continuing to share important insights about what they are seeing with each other and the association.

Members – In these extraordinary times, we know it is not business as usual. Within our very membership, there are those members or member companies who may be going above and beyond to contribute to the community or to society. This is a key moment to highlight those making efforts to help and aid others. The story of the organization is the story of its members – individual narratives of dedication and helping others further expands the perception of the association as a place of strength in trying times.

Solution Partners – We know with the shift of our meetings, conferences, and trade shows, the very nature of how solution providers have been able to connect with potential customers through the organization has shifted. As associations pilot new approaches to create these meaningful connections, solution providers contributing during these rocky times – sponsoring learning, providing knowledge from the field, etc. – can be recognized for stepping up and encourage others to do the same.

To close – a peek behind the curtain – my inspiration for this article has come from my conversations and observations with dozens of associations over the past week. The awe I feel at how each is rallying their strength to embody the purpose of associating. Together, there is power to overcome, succeed, and thrive. And in that observation, the gratitude I feel for the mission and work of our industry.

Permission to Play: Digital Experimentation

There are many reasons why our organizations have been a bit….hesitant…to really dive into the digital world. We know the power of in person. We have tried and true traditional methods of delivering value that bring both revenue and membership stability. We have staff who have established foundational practices to run the organization who may be more reticent to change. We have volunteer leaders who vocalize awareness of digital trends without wanting to be the ones to direct the organization to shift from traditional forms and formats – because there would be a sense of loss for those who are used to the way things are and because there is risk in trying something new. Leaders are inherently adverse to failure happening on their watch.

Welcome to a moment in time where digital experimentation is not only welcome, it is necessary.

Video conferencing, whether Zoom, GotoMeeting, Microsoft Teams, Facetime, etc. – has been ubiquitous for years. Yet, we know of more than one leader, member, or staff that has resisted turning on video on a call. In our new reality, that isn’t a choice any more.

Nearly every organization has come to embrace offering virtual learning as a key piece of value for their membership throughout the year. Most often the offering comes in the form of a passive webinar with learners mostly in receptive mode. This past week, I have had no less than six dozen of these come across my inbox. If you want your digital learning experiences to stand out, they have to embrace adult learning approaches – specifically they have to be virtual-experiential and interactive.

Networking – forming meaningful relationships – is at the very heart of our organizations. We know “in person” is a powerful vehicle for meeting new colleagues. Now, while we are isolated at home, is the moment to shift into a mode of creating connections and community in the digital space. Your organization can create hyper-focused community engagement opportunities – by discipline, by career stage, even by geography – and then simply invite whoever would like to join a virtual happy hour or coffee talk. For those who attend, remember to invite them to connect on LinkedIn in real time.

This is a moment where, if there was a digital engagement or value experience you always wanted to pilot but were met with resistance, do it! There is a great tolerance for experimentation right now. Members will appreciate organizations who, in a moment of global disruption, try new methods to provide value, community, and stability – even if some of those trials are a bit of a miss. Remember, setbacks can further refine future efforts.

So, gather your team, and for just a few moments dream together – if we were going to surprise and delight our members in this age of virtual, if we were going to create meaningful opportunities for learning, knowledge, collegial relationships, and united voice – what would we create? The time for digital innovation is today – whether the results are a home run or a lesson learned, your organization’s efforts will be recognized as a nimble adaptation to meet the needs of your member in real time. 

When Transparency Becomes a Bad Word

Over the past week I have been in two strategy engagements where, in the process of setting goals and core values, the term transparency has risen to the surface.

But not in a good way.

In one instance, upon an elder statesperson raising transparency as a possible place of cultural focus for the organization, a nextgen voice at the table shared strong feelings that by needing to say the organization was going to be committed to transparency, it was inherently demonstrating it was not transparent.

In a second case, a board member queried committee and local leaders on how they viewed transparency within their organization. The conversation that followed quickly evidenced an undercurrent of potential mistrust – comment after comment expressed that transparency should mean everyone should know everything.

Inherently, when leaders raise transparency as a place of organizational priority it is because they are trying to make a commitment to culture as much as process. Just as there are other key terms that should guide how an organization operates that leadership needs to define what they mean – diversity, inclusivity, engagement, etc. – if transparency is going to be a beacon of light for an organization, rather than a problem indicator, then defining it seems like a good place to start.

While each organization should engage their own leaders and community in crafting a unique definition together, here are a few elements of what that definition could include:

1.      There will always be areas of discussion and decision that have to happen in executive session in organizational governance – where the ultimate outcomes are expressed but how they were reached remains behind closed doors. This is both to mitigate legal/fiscal risk as well as to preserve a governance environment where leaders can discuss the most difficult matters in an open and blunt format without concern that the progression of that discussion comes out as a he-said, she-said rather than a singular voice of conclusion, not traced back to individual opinions.  Transparency is the ability of leadership to recognize when these closed door moments are needed and to strive to have them only happen when needed.

2.      Transparency also requires trust from the membership that the leaders are doing the above well – and, from my perspective, is one the reasons that elections exist. If there is concern that the above is not happening to the appropriate measure, it is not surprising to see a subsequent change in leadership.

3.      Transparency can mean that in the selection and election of those leaders, that the process identifying those who will lead, who will represent the whole, is an objective one. Ultimately, is leadership selection guided by how the skills, perspectives, connections, and experience needed at that moment align with the right candidate, or is it simply a process of who you know and leaders selecting next from their inner circle?

4.      With all that said – I think transparency in leadership is something more – it is leaders actively seeking key perspectives from those they serve to then bring back and incorporate into their strategic discussions and decisions. It is the desire to lead with the membership instead of for it.

 If your organization has other aspects that they embody in an effort for ongoing transparency, please share so we can all learn from your example.

Transparency can be a strong foundation for any association – if there is clarity in what it means and if the organization executes on that definition.