An association Board of Directors decided to produce a small meeting during a normal hiatus in the organization's schedule. Its purpose was never discussed but everybody liked the idea when it was suggested, so it passed unanimously.

The Executive Director (the only professional staff person) was on vacation, so a few volunteers decided to organize the event themselves. They didn't want to bother the ED.

Notice was sent electronically, even though that wouldn't reach every member. There was no time to create a mailed piece or include information in a newsletter.

Members were asked to register by mail or by telephone. Online signup was not available.

There were a few problems (obviously):

- No single person was in charge.
- There was no committee in charge, either.
- Volunteers did not know who else was working on the event.
- Volunteers did not always communicate with each other.
- Nobody knew how many people the meeting room could accommodate.
- Nobody knew how many people had registered.
- Registrations were not always accompanied by payment.
- Nobody was in charge of preparing meeting materials.
- Nobody was worried.

Upon returning from vacation, the Executive Director was surprised to discover the hastily launched event, and set about to properly organize it.

Board members were appreciative, but they didn't understand the ED's alarm.

Unfortunately, things like this happen in associations more often than people realize.

Seth Godin says, "no." He advises a people strategy, instead.

You've redesigned your logo and posted it on your web site. But you still have thousands of unused envelopes and other printed materials that sport the old logo. What should you do?

Dump all the old stuff (but keep a sample for your association archives). Send the printed materials to a recycling center and donate apparel and other paraphernalia to shelters, charities, and other organizations that can use it.

Don't keep the old stationary for use as scrap paper unless you are absolutely certain that it won't accidentally be used in place of the new letterhead.

When calculating the expense of a logo redesign, include the cost (if any) of discarding old materials and replacing them with new stuff. Your association's identity should be the same everywhere.

If you want to make members and customers angry and try to get them to NOT return to your web site, then post audio they cannot turn off.

As they read articles or other items on your web site, force them to listen to music or narrative that suddenly invades their space and that won't stop. The only way they can avoid that intrusion would be for them to leave your site. Is that what you want?

Lesson: As much as possible, let your members and customers control the space they are using. Don't ambush them on your web site, voicemail, or webinar by forcing them to listen to messages they didn't ask for.

If they leave, they may never come back.

Drivers really bug me when:

1. They park in handicapped spaces when they don't display handicapped placards or license plates. They are using spaces they are not entitled to use that somebody else is.

2. They park in the handicapped space loading zones (the areas with diagonal lines next to handicapped parking spaces). Those zones are for wheelchair and ramp access. If somebody parks in that space, there is no room for a driver or passenger to exit or enter a vehicle. Handicapped people should not park there, either.

(Tip for vehicles with handicapped access: Always park a little bit over the line into the handicapped space loading zone next to the handicapped parking space, so there won't be enough room for anybody to park there).

3. They just sit at a green light waiting to make a left turn. Instead, they should pull forward one-third of the way into the intersection and wait there for an opportunity to turn, so they are better positioned to turn and they've left room for other cars behind them to turn, too.

4. They stop in the middle of the intersection when the light turns red. Once they commit to making a turn, they should finish it, even if the light turns red.

5. They stop for emergency vehicles, totally blocking streets so fire trucks and ambulances cannot pass. Instead, they should GET OUT OF THE WAY by finishing their turns, slowing down, pulling over, or driving to a less congested place on the road.

6. They don't pull all the way into diagonal parking spaces and leave their cars sticking out into driving lanes. They should pull all the way into the space and not just stop when they can no longer see where it ends. Space perception is an important driving skill.

People say that all of the time. "I'll never do that." "I'll never go there." "I'll never let that happen."

Never is a pretty absolute word. And it's not a good idea to use it too often. It locks you into a decision that may make sense today, but may not make sense later on.

Someday, you may find yourself wanting to do something you once said you'd never do - and it may prevent you from taking advantage of a good opportunity.

Aaron Wolowiec explains why it's not a good idea to say never.

Listen to him.

It should be Board members, but that's not always the case.

Many, many organizational leaders don't know how to read financial statements. And a lot of them would rather not learn how.

Their eyes may turn glassy and their brains freeze when confronted with financial information. They often leave printed financials on conference tables when they leave Board meetings.

But they have to read this stuff. So, here are a few ways you can help them fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities as Board members:

1. Ask Board members what they want to know about the association's finances. Even those with little financial knowledge or interest are likely to have something to say.

2. Craft a financial statement that is easy for them to read and to understand.

3. Highlight the most important information on the statement - literally. Use a highlighter, print different color fonts, use bold lettering, underline, circle, draw arrows, or do whatever is necessary to make it easier for people with little financial education to focus on important data.

4. Patiently explain why accrual accounting is better than cash accounting; how the balance sheet, not the income and expense statement, displays the true financial picture of the organization; and why program expenses are more important than functional expenses. Use everyday language, not accounting lingo.

5. Define terms - at every meeting, if necessary - including deferred revenue, net equity, and amortization. Tell them why membership dues are not considered income in the month they are received but have to be spread equally over all the months for which they apply.

6. Gather together the Board members who understand financial information (if there are any on your Board) and enlist them to help educate their peers. They may be more trusted and respected than staff. Hopefully, the Treasurer will possess a reasonably high level of financial literacy and can lead that effort.

Be aware that associations that file IRS Form 990 are required to share copies of the group's tax return with all Board members. That requirement does not exist for organizations that file form 990-EZ.

Brainstorming sessions often begin with the statement, "There are no bad ideas."

Well, that's not true. There are lots of bad ideas, and they often surface during brainstorming sessions.

But that may be OK. The purpose of brainstorming is to elicit a lot of ideas, even those that haven't been clearly thought through. Some will be good ideas, some will be bad ideas. Some bad ideas, after group discussion, may evolve into good ideas (but not always).

Many groups, though, seem more concerned with making participants feel good than with identifying good ideas. They don't want anybody to be afraid to make suggestions. They don't want to hurt anybody's feelings.

So they act like all ideas are good ideas.

But if the purpose of the session is to gather a lot of ideas then determine which are the best for the organization, many (or most) of the suggested ideas will be discarded. Many are bad ideas. Others may be good but don't fit the group's current needs.

The collection of ideas will be culled, either within the brainstorming meeting or at a subsequent gathering of other professionals. And only a small number - hopefully, the good ones - will be enacted.

The group should understand that critique and criticism are necessary to sort, rate, or evaluate suggestions and to identify priority ideas.

A more honest opening statement would be, "All ideas are welcome."

I couldn't understand why it always took the staff so long to add and update information in our database. I didn't complain or berate them, but I did share my thoughts with them. They felt there was no problem.

So I decided to share the task one day (I was the CEO) and see if there was something about it that I hadn't considered.

I entered 100 new files in the first 60 minutes but only 60 in the second 60 minutes. I was very surprised. I was sure I had been typing as fast in the second hour as in the first.

But, as happens with many types of repetitive tasks, my rate of speed diminished as time passed. I just couldn't maintain the same pace for more than a short period of time.

That made me realize why databasing always took so long - especially when large numbers of files needed to be added or updated immediately.

And I didn't comment about it again.

We all have attitudes about what should be done in associations, how those things should be done, and when they should be done.

But our ability to act tends to be influenced by these factors:

1. Personality
2. Situation
3. Resources
4. Tenure

An assertive person is likely to seize and receive more opportunities to make and implement decisions than will a hesitant, deferential person.

A Board that understands the value of professional association management will leave more decision-making opportunities to its staff than will a Board that wants to be involved in operations and logistics.

An organization with greater financial resources is likely to be in a better position to launch, maintain, and grow programs than will a cash-strapped association.

A longer-tenured professional is more likely to be trusted and followed than is a newer employee, who may still be watched closely by Boards or staff supervisors.

In most associations, staff leaders need to reconcile the gap between how they think things should be done and how they actually are done. Ideally, that gap will not be too big to close (diplomatically, of course).