I am a member of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE). One benefit I really appreciate, along with the excellent library, is the webinar series. When I am thinking about a topic, I often find myself on the CSAE website to see what resources exist on that topic. I recently had a discussion with […]

People like to name things. And then try to figure out what the name means. This really applies to our generations – from the “Baby Boomers” (that’s where I fit in) to “Generation X,” then “Generation Y” (albeit changed by someone to the “Millennials”), to the newest generation, “Generation Z,” or “Founders”, neither of which seem that descriptive.

I propose we name generations based on how libraries are organized.

The Canadian Society of Association Executives offers a designation called Certified Association Executive (CAE). It’s a course I’ve been taking and it’s helping me learn some valuable lessons about continuous improvement.

When associations excel in meeting the needs of their members, you can be sure that it doesn’t happen by accident. Hard work, dedication and persistence are part of it for sure. But without a decent strategic management model, those things won’t get you very far.

Managing a not-for profit association sure isn’t easy. As we’ve seen, a good board helps. You’ll need an effective Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a committed group of professional staff too. But even with those things in place, there are plenty of things that can go wrong that will prevent an organization from maximizing its potential.