Association Management
Here’s what we hear from association staff again and again: “Our board is brilliant. They’re thoughtful people who really care about the mission. But at the end of the day, we spend a lot of time in meetings talking about strategy, and then… nothing changes.” This isn’t a board problem. It’s a governance problem. Many…
You don’t have to bet everything on a single strategy. In fact, you shouldn’t. One of the most valuable lessons from corporate strategy and investment management is viewing your organization not as a single plan, but as a portfolio of strategic investments. Now, not all corporate methodology translates directly to the association space—associations have different stakeholders, different…
Helping members grow professionally is at the core of many associations’ missions and value propositions. Beyond networking and industry connections, we work to create opportunities for association members to build skills, expand their influence, and prepare for leadership roles. One of the greatest ways an association can demonstrate value is by investing in intentional leadership…
What if your strategy isn’t to hit certain future targets no matter the circumstances, but to change and evolve along with the environment you’re in? Welcome to the concept of adaptive strategy! If you’ve spent years developing a traditional five-year plan, this might sound unsettling. But here’s the truth: when the world changes (and it will), a…
Wait, so how do we look at and think about strategic planning differently in a world that is in constant motion? The VUCA framework is a great place to start! VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) is a structure meant to capture an environment where nothing is predictable and things can change from day to day – sound familiar? While each of the VUCA letters represents part of this complex environment, there’s…