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May/June 2007 Issue of "The Crucible"
"Your Company's Future With or Without You"
NFFScope
In this month’s editorial, let’s continue looking at
some of the characteristics that
distinguish a remarkable association from one that’s merely
“good.” So far, we’ve analyzed four of the
seven Measures of Success identified in the study by the
American Society of Association Executives. Thus far, we’ve
looked at:
A Customer Service Culture – A “we’re here to
serve you” approach to members built
into the organization’s structure and processes;
Products and Services Aligned with the Mission –
Having a wide range of offerings
consistent with the organization’s mission, which itself never
changes;
Organizational Adaptability – Knowing how and
when to change – and what not to; and
Alliance Building – Being
secure enough to partner with other group to achieve its
mission and purpose.
I wanted to save these next two for the end, not
because they don’t apply as well or aren’t
as important as the others, but rather because they look more at the
“internal” functions of remarkable
associations – those things that members may not see as often
or frankly even care about as much but that are every bit as
critical to the association’s success.
They are:
Dialogue and Engagement – An internal
conversation continually occurs among staff
and volunteers about the organization’s direction and
priorities.
Twenty years ago, NFFS put a system in place to
review and expand its strategic priorities
on a regular basis. Through the years, the Boards and committees
have constantly, continually asked
themselves “How is NFFS doing, what more could we
do, and what should we be doing differently?” The result of
those discussions, many of which take
place over several months and are based on direct input gathered
from the membership as a whole, have
directly built the Society into the kind of organization
it is today. And member foundries have directly seen the
results.
The overriding priority of every new program and
service that the Society has undertaken is
not what it will do for the association but rather what benefits it
will provide to the members. If, at the
same time, the Society benefits as well, that’s a bonus. But
NFFS has never, and will never, but a new program in place
simply because the Society has something
to gain for itself.
A CEO Who Acts as a Broker for New Ideas –The
CEO is a visionary, more importantly
facilitates visionary thinking throughout the organization.
Associations
today face complex challenges. In a remarkable association, the CEO
fosters a culture that creates engaged teams of volunteers
and staff. He works to clarify the roles,
responsibilities and expectations of all parties (staff, board and
chief executive) and take steps to
encourage real dialogue and visionary thinking rather
than dictating a course of action.
It takes a special sort of person to
building a true working team. NFFS has been truly
fortunate to have been led by a series of such individuals,
each of whom brought his own unique
strengths and abilities to the job while building on the groundwork
- and success - of those who’ve preceded
him in the job. And that progression shows no
risk of coming to an end any time soon.
Your Company's Future With or Without You
By John Martinka,
“Partner” on Call Network
If only it was so easy. You grow your
business, provide good jobs and
value to customers plus earn a great
income; and then you sell it for a lot of
money and watch your company preserve your
legacy as it continues to grow
and thrive. Or perhaps you keep it,
hire the right management people and it
keeps growing. No worries, no stress
and everybody is happy (including
the company).
In the real world it isn’t
always this way. There are bad deals,
under capitalized
buyers, changes in the marketplace,
changes in strategy and a myriad of other
variables that affect your company’s
future.
2007 NFFS Annual Meeting Program
Finishing
Room:
The Future of Wellness
For a while now, employers
have recognized the value of supporting
workers to stay healthy. In the United
States, we call them “wellness programs”. Not only do
these valuable programs reduce absenteeism, but they
also increase productivity and reduce employee
turnover—-both directly and indirectly.
The financial impact of healthcare spending is
indisputable. Starbucks
spends more money in one year on
health insurance for its employees than it spends on
coffee for its customers. The US automakers will
spend more money this year on health insurance than
they will on the steel that goes into their automobiles.
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