Association Annual Planning Day
Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” This “warning” also applies to associations.
`
Posts by author
Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” This “warning” also applies to associations.
WIIFM is not a radio station. It is an acronym for “what’s in it for me?”, a frequently asked question that an association executive gets from a potential member. WIIFM refers to what benefit or value an association member can reap—a simple question that many associations grapple with.
In my October 27, 2016, column, “Emulating Remarkable Associations”, I wrote about the results of a multiyear study of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) on the “7 Measures of Success: What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don’t.” This time, I wish to share an article by Virtual, a leading technology-focused association-management company based in the US. Interestingly, both these publications say that an association needs to avoid the following pitfalls to succeed:
ON March 9, 2017, I wrote about “Association Governance Models”, and the two governance models for associations: the board-governed and -managed model (“volunteer-run” type), and the board-management delineated model (“volunteer-driven, staff-run” type). Whichever model your association is adopting, there will always be volunteers. But have you heard of “micro-volunteering”?
As I was preparing for a talk on association management and governance for members of the Philippine Council of Associations and Associations Executives and was mulling over what theme to cover, an idea suddenly struck me. What if I discuss what really is the “business” of an association? Is an association in the “business of being an association” or is it in the “business of associating”? This certainly got me thinking deeper. Having been an association executive for over 25 years (and counting), I thought: “Gee, it’s going to be tough to decipher the difference between the two!”
When I came on board the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) in 1991 as its deputy secretary-general and, later in 2005, as its secretary-general, I thought this job was a “walk in the park”. I was wrong, 100 percent!
The Asia-Pacific region is ever abuzz with activities, and one of them pertains to the association community.
THE Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) invited me to its five-day “Meet Japan” event, which was comprised of two parts: a study tour program and a convention trade mart session that introduced the country’s international convention cities to 11 participating international association executives from nine countries. I was the lone Philippine participant in my capacity as secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) whose permanent secretariat is based here in Manila.
In my talk with associations, principally with members of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), the national federation of associations in the country, which I lead, I always take the opportunity to challenge the audience by posing the question: “Can you state your association’s purpose in 10 words or less?” Then I add this scary message: “If not, you are in deep trouble!”
The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) defines an association as an organization or group of individuals affiliated with one another who share a common purpose, interest, or mission and exist for the mutual enrichment and advancement of their membership. As such, membership is an association’s main element for being.
There are two governance models out there for associations: the board-governed and -managed model, or so-called volunteer-run (VR) type; and the board-/management-delineated model, or the “volunteer-driven, staff-run” (VDSR) one. In the United States the second model is predominant, while here in the Philippines, it is the first, based on a preliminary survey by the Philippine Council of Associations and Association
Executives (PCAAE).
In my talk with associations, principally with members of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), the national federation of associations in the country which I lead, I always take the opportunity to challenge the audience by posing the question: “Can you state your association’s purpose in 10 words or less?” Then I add this scary message: “If not, you are in deep trouble!”
I attended for the first time the Illinois, Chicago-based Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) annual conference, called “Convening Leaders 2017”, in Austin, Texas. One of the many educational tracks I joined in was entitled “5 Secrets to a Killer Elevator Pitch”, conducted by Josh Baer, founder and executive director of the Capital Factory, which he describes as the “center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Austin”.
THIS was the title of one of the breakout educational sessions at the 55th Congress of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) held in Sarawak, Malaysia, where I was a panelist.
I was fortunate to attend the biggest education and networking event of the Illinois, Chicago-based Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) called “Convening Leaders”. Over 5,000 delegates from associations and the meeting industry in 36 countries, mostly from the US, participated in the annual event held on January 8 to 11 in Austin, Texas.
As an association executive, I keep myself updated on association governance and management trends by subscribing to several online newsletters, which I find useful and relevant to my job. Recently, I downloaded a file on “Top Association Management Predictions in 2017,” made by 13 association experts and put together by Jen Barrell, director of Content, Branding & Buzz at Aptify, a technology-solutions company, for associations. While these predictions are US-centric, I thought I’d share some with you, which may apply in our context.
Associations all over the world organize for their members meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (collectively termed as MICE). The so-called MICE sector has given countries, as well as tourism industries, a much-needed boost economically in recent years, and the trend is going to continue according to reports.
Membership, they say, is the lifeblood of every association. Indeed, membership recruitment, retention and engagement are issues that associations face in their day-to-day operations. So it was fitting that the topic of membership was discussed at the recent fourth annual Associations Summit (AS4) organized by the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE) at the Philippine International Convention Center.
In my August 11, 2016, column, entitled “Are associations headed for extinction?”, I wrote that the current shift in demographics is one of the five key changes shaping today’s associations and other membership organizations. Many associations have an aging membership, and are now reaching out to millennials.
The 233-member Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), the “association of associations” in the country, which I co-founded in November 2013 with the support of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) and my organization, the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), held its fourth annual Association Summit (AS4) on November 23 and 24 at the PICC. Over 150 board members, executive directors and professional managers of association and other membership organization attended.
OUTSTANDING projects of associations and other membership organizations were in the spotlight at the recent gala dinner of the Fourth Associations Summit (AS4) organized by the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), the “association of associations” in the country.
I was recently in Kuching, Malaysia, as a panellist-delegate to the 55th Congress of the International Congress and Convention Association (Icca). A total of 831 delegates from 61 countries attended the event. I was one of four Filipino participants, three of whom were from the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board.
I was in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana, from November 2 to 5 for our association’s annual CEO Forum held at the spanking international convention center there. Over 350 delegates from 31 countries attended the event, which was organized under the auspices of the World Federation of Development Finance Institutions, where I am the secretary-general representing my association, ADFIAP.
An association’s reason of being is twofold: to advocate and stand for a cause, and to serve its members’ needs and aspirations.
There are three commitments and seven measures of successful associations. This is based on the bestselling classic, 7 Measures of Success: What Remarkable Associations Do that Others Don’t, published by the Washington, D.C.-based American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), to which I am a long-standing member and a content task force member of its annual Asia-Pacific Great Ideas in Association Management Conference.
While the purpose of an association is “community,” its “business” is providing service. The challenge for associations in these “nondues-revenue” times is how to generate income from sources other than membership dues.
IN “Business Associations for the 21st Century”, the Washington, D.C.-based Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) describes associations as voluntary business-, professional-and community-improvement groups that combine their synergistic power by working together to solve mutual problems. Often partnering with government, associations have developed programs and encourage public policies that help expand economic bases. “Were it not for business and professional organizations, other societal institutions would face added burdens in such areas as economic development, product performance and safety standards, continuing education, public information, professional ethics, geo-economic research, industry statistics, community service and consumer information,” the publication noted.
TRADE associations, also known as industry trade groups, business associations or sector associations, are organizations founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. Trade associations offer their members services, such as organizing conferences and networking events, as well as offering educational programs and publications. But more than services, trade associations have developmental roles to fulfill for the benefit of society.
An organization is only as good as its people. This is also true for associations that, not only employ staff, but also attract volunteers for it to promote its work and advocacies. As a chief executive of an association, I embody the aspirations of my staff and volunteers. I call it by its acronym, “IF U CARE”, and here is what
it stands for:
An organization is only as good as its people. This is also true for associations that, not only employ staff, but also attract volunteers for it to promote its work and advocacies. As a chief executive of an association, I embody the aspirations of my staff and volunteers. I call it by its acronym, “IF U CARE,” and here is what it stands for:
Input your search keywords and press Enter.