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Professional Development: For Associations and AMCs (part 1)

Image Credit: S. Charles
Image Credit: S. Charles

Jadine Sturgill, administrative manager

This is part one of a 2-part series on professional development based on a recent Association Chat (#assnchat).
At IMI we continue to advance our skill through professional development opportunities to be able to better serve our clients. When KiKi L’Italien hosted an Association Chat (#assnchat) on Twitter on September 23, 2014, about professional development, it was a natural progression for the IMI staff to discuss these questions together.


Q1. How important is professional development to your members and do they see it as part of your association’s role to provide it?

  • Professional development is key to our members; it is important that they stay up to date with the latest developments in their field. They do look to our associations to provide professional development more and more.
  • Review the results of any survey asking why people join associations and typically you will find “education and professional development” among one of the top four answers, so I would say it is extremely important to our members and they do expect the association to provide outlets for continuing their education. Also, a lot of our members work in a profession which requires continued testing and education to maintain their license and/or credentials. The opportunity to earn those credits and learn through a professional organization is one of the most important reasons to join an association.
  • Our members see professional development as an important part of staying relevant in our quickly changing world – and they look to the association as a great resource for that education.
  • The association is highly committed in providing programs aimed at empowering members to better serve their clients as well as teaching excellence within its industry; this is part of their mission statement.
  • The association offers many professional development opportunities to members, including individual certifications, company accreditations and monthly webinars. Many members take advantage of the offerings.

Q4. What are your own expectations on professional development? What are you looking for?

  • Professional development is key to staying current and up to speed in a world that moves so quickly. I personally like to learn about processes and programs that will assist with strategic and operations of the organization and personal leadership topics.
  • I look for professional development opportunities which have a return on investment; opportunities which help me to be competent in my profession, which help me to stay relevant and up to date and more effective. The pace of change is probably faster than it’s ever been – and if you stand still you will get left behind.
  • When I look for professional development resources, I look from a variety of angles. Can I add a new skill set? Can I go to the next level in a skill I already have? What is the information I need to make sure I am at my best for my associations?
  • My belief is that one should never stop learning. I am always on the lookout for ways to improve my own abilities and knowledge in regard to my position here at IMI, including, webinars, books, courses and articles offered by AENC or similar organizations that directly affect my job responsibilities. I also enjoy learning from my colleagues here at IMI; we enjoy sharing information.
  • I attend professional development conferences and webinars throughout the year to expand on my knowledge base. I always enjoy learning about the latest topics.

 “At IMI we provide an education budget and encourage each staff person to pursue professional development opportunities because we recognize it is good for employee retention and staff morale, it improves efficiency and productivity, re-energizes staff and overall helps us to remain relevant as an association management company. In general, we see professional development as an investment, not an expense.”                  

-Linda Owens, president of IMI

 

Want to know more about association management? Contact us info@imiae.com to find out more about what IMI Association Executives can do for your organization.

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What’s Your Word for 2015?

2015-1-6 Whats Your Word
Image Credit: Bec Brown

Allison Winter, Administrative Manager

Each year, when new calendars are being unwrapped, we all tend to take the opportunity that a fresh start provides to create new goals for ourselves. However, no matter how hard we try to cut down on our carbs, we usually end up eating a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one sitting by mid-February.

In early January, we pick a handful of resolutions that will help us to a healthier lifestyle or to progress in our careers or to become better at organizing, etc. And though we all have good intentions behind our goal setting, they never seem to stick. Isn’t it frustrating? Why is that?

According to business owner and author Lara Casey, we generally end up ditching our goals because they are only surface level goals. Why would anyone resist drinking a delicious Diet Coke instead of their “New Year’s resolution” glass of water just because they have to? I don’t know about you, but my will-power isn’t strong enough to make me do something just because I have to do it.

So, how do we make a resolution “stick”? Casey believes we all need a deeper reason for setting the goals we wish to achieve. She suggests finding a single word that defines your vision for the year. While picking just one word for 365 days’ worth of goals sounds difficult, Casey provides several questions to help us get started. By answering the questions below, we are able to see a trend in our answers and pick a word that describes the general theme.

  • What kind of life do you want to live this year?
  • Where do you want to be when you’re 80?
  • WHY do you do what you do?
  • What is your mission?
  • What is your CORE?
  • If you could envision your best year yet, what does that look like?
  • 2015 is the year I (fill in your blank): _______

Last year was the first time I had heard of this trick. While I was a little skeptical at first, I found that returning to my word of the year was incredibly helpful. I was no longer setting goals I felt like I ought to set, but I created resolutions for myself that truly meant something to me. Each time I felt like I was veering off-track, my word of the year would remind me of the bigger picture.

This method works well for finding focused goals for associations, too. Try answering these questions based on your vision for your association, or pass them out to your association board! Taking a few moments out of your busy schedule to find a vision for the upcoming year will help keep your association on track for the months to come.

If you’d like to read a little more about casting a vision for the new year, I’d suggest reading Lara Casey’s post on the topic. Also, she just started her 2015 Goal Setting series. If you’d like a little inspiration, or would like a deeper look into the goal setting process, then this series is a great place to start.

Happy New Year!

 

Want to know more about association management? Contact us info@imiae.com to find out more about what IMI Association Executives can do for your organization.

 

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Productivity: Your Best Friend and Biggest Hurdle (Part 2)

Image Credit: Aleksi Tappura
Image Credit: Aleksi Tappura

By Linda Owens, President

This is the second in a 2-part series about productivity based on a recent Association Chat (#assnchat). Click here to read part 1.

Read below for more helpful thoughts about productivity from the IMI staff.

Q5: Do you keep your inbox at 0 emails, like some productivity experts suggest? If so, how? If not, why not?

  • Almost – I try to keep sent and inbox at under 20 emails each. I answer quick emails immediately and save emails to the server that have important info but require no action. I use flags as reminders.
  • I do not keep my box at 0 but I like to keep it as clean as possible. I keep items in my in-box that I need to do or follow-up on later. I also use categories and flags to make it easy to find anything in my inbox.
  • I really, really try to keep my inbox at 0. I delete what has been handled and change action items into tasks.
  • I “try” to limit my inbox only to those emails that require an answer or follow-up by me
  • I try to keep 0 emails in my inbox by moving items to the task area, the calendar, and or saving the message in a folder. If I am unable to keep my inbox clear every other Friday I go through and move items out of my inbox.
  • I like to keep my inbox clean, and only keep emails in my “inbox” that I have not completed or I still need. Once I have completed a task I file the email away. I do not delete any emails. I also move emails older than a year in the archives.
  • For the most part I have my inbox to 0 before I close for the day.
  • Sometimes it gets to 0 but my goal is to at least tackle all the new ones each day.
  • I keep my inbox at 0 unread emails. Everything is read and triaged (I color code with urgency, emails that are awaiting responses, etc.).

Q6: Where do you turn for advice about productivity? What are some of your go-to resources?

  • Some great articles pop up on my LinkedIn
  • I ask fellow co-workers to help me not reinvent the wheel on developing plans or documents that have already been used and approved to work.
  • I don’t have a go-to for productivity resources. I try to read articles and anytime I see information in online, in print, or word of mouth I determine if I can incorporate the suggestion into my system to further enhance productivity.
  • I like to learn new features of the software I use, like Outlook and Excel, for new ways to better organize and manage my day.
  • Coworkers have helped me greatly and so have webinars on Outlook productivity.
  • https://www.themuse.com

Q7: Complete this sentence. “For me, the most important thing to remember about productivity is _______________________.”

  • Because, productivity is not just about getting things done. It is about getting things done more efficiently and remembering that there will always be more things to do then there is time in the day.
  • If you are productive, it leaves more time for enjoyable things.
  • That you eat an elephant one bite at a time. This helps me not to get overwhelmed with big projects and keeps me moving forward.
  • I can only do one thing well at a time. Multi-tasking or hurrying can often lead to mistakes. I have to s.l.o.w. down and just do one thing at a time.
  • To stay focused on the current task.
  • It is not about an empty “in box.” It is about using the time you have available to accomplish the tasks which are most closely aligned with your success as you define it.
  • Focus and the ability to stay on task without distraction, especially social distractions.
  • Knowing what you need to do and when it needs to be done.
  • Quality accomplishment of tasks on or before deadlines.
  • Prioritizing projects and staying on top of deadlines.
  • Quality over quickness.
  • Being “busy” is not the same as being productive.
  • Keeping the quality along with the speed.

Q8: Do you do things for your health in order to improve your productivity? (Ex., take supplements, exercise, eat right, etc.)

  • Exercise and yoga help me let go of work. Reading, both for pleasure and for knowledge. Eating healthy. When I start to feel overwhelmed or can’t sit any longer in front of my computer screen I get up and take a quick walk to clear my mind and re-gain my focus.
  • Nothing gets the day ramped up like my 6 a.m. spin class!
  • Get 8 hours of sleep! If I find I’m losing focus while working on a project I push away and go work on something else or walk around for a few minutes.
  • I take a break sometimes just for sanity, walk around, get some sunshine.
  • Exercise, absolutely. Clears the cobwebs, stretches the limbs and makes sitting back down at your desk more comfortable both physically and mentally
  • Yes, yes, yes and yes. Get up and walk away from your desk at least every 30 minutes.
  • A daily walk of 30 minutes is key. I decided not to allow other’s personalities to affect me personally so I wouldn’t take their attitude to heart.
  • I am one to just power through until it all gets done or I have just worked until I can’t work anymore. (Not the greatest for one’s health, I know)
  • Sleeping more hours each night, eating healthier, nutritional supplements.
  • I exercise, eat right, drink water, supplements.
  • I do things for my health, not for productivity. My body serves me first.
  • Yes, I exercise, take supplements, eat right, and take breaks.

We hope you enjoyed IMI’s in-house #assnchat. If you haven’t tried #assnchat on Twitter, give it a try! You may find answers to questions you didn’t even know you had.

Want to know more about association management? Contact us info@imiae.com to find out more about what IMI Association Executives can do for your organization.

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Productivity: Your Best Friend and Biggest Hurdle (Part 1)

Image Credit: Aleksi Tappura
Image Credit: Aleksi Tappura

By Linda Owens, President

This is part one of a 2-part series on productivity based on a recent Association Chat (#assnchat).

Have you tried the Association Chat recently? Every Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET follow #assnchat on Twitter for a moderated series of questions designed for association professionals to interact and share their experiences. The chat is hosted by KiKi L’Italien (@kikilitalien) and anyone following the hashtag can respond with their answers and participate.

We decided to hold our own in-house #assnchat on productivity, based on the October 7, 2014, #assnchat questions. Read below for productivity troubles and tips from the IMI staff.

Q1: What are some of your productivity killers? What gets in the way of your productivity?

IMI team members shared that their top productivity killer is interruptions. Emails, phone calls, and office visitors were named as the most common interruptions.

Other productivity killers:

  • When others don’t plan their schedules accordingly and it causes an emergency through poor planning.
  • Waiting on others to answer questions or provide information to complete the job from my standpoint.
  • Too many tasks to accomplish in a short amount of time.

Q2: What is the best productivity tool you use regularly?

Across the board, team members cited lists, lists, and more lists as productivity aids!

  • I categorize and assign tasks, due dates and deadlines to items that come in through email. I also use the Franklin Covey system of prioritizing items.
  • It’s a tie between Basecamp and Outlook (color coding emails).
  • I delegate, break big projects into little tasks that I try to work on a little each day, and work at home one day a week, which has fewer interruptions. I also unsubscribe from irrelevant emails and set goals for myself (e.g. I will complete this project in 1 hour).
  • I establish a timeframe during which I will focus on one task that needs attention. No Email interruptions and all phone calls go to voicemail.
  • Not waiting until the last minute to complete the task or responsibility.
  • Outlook! I set reminders/due dates on emails and setup tasks on my calendar.
  • I use a spreadsheet with reminders and deadlines. I also use the Outlook Tasks feature. I just have to remember to stay on top of it!
  • Reducing distractions! I turn off email notifications, set my phone to do not disturb, etc., for a brief time while I focus on critical tasks.
  • I will switch to non-computer tasks for short occasional breaks to rest my eyes and mind from the computer.

Q3: Do you have rules for the way you prioritize tasks each day? What are they? (Such as: List your top 3 priorities but no more, etc.)

  • The week prior, I map out overall items that need to be accomplished during the upcoming week. I then break these down into specific items for specific days of the week. Each day I look through the list for the next day and assign priority to items. A1, A2, A3 are most important and need to get done. B1, B2, B3 are second level of importance, C1, C2, C3 are items that I will do if I have time, but can be pushed to the next day if needed. During the day if an item comes up that needs to trump one of my planned priorities I assign U1, U2, U3 (U = urgent) and determine which item will be bumped to the next day.
  • I get the urgent items done, but each week I also make sure to save some time to work on tasks that have been on the back burner.
  • Each day I prioritize my top nine tasks into three categories: A-one big thing, B-three medium things, and C-five small things.
  • I prioritize tasks by categories: Today, This Week, This Month, This Year.
  • Review deadlines for the week and prioritize tasks based on those deadlines.
  • Prioritize tasks to match or exceed the time available.
  • I usually prioritize by first come first served, starting with tasks that are older than a day that haven’t been completed. Then, I prioritize by request type. For example, requests that take longer to complete I will carve out a time slot in the day, like the whole afternoon or first thing in the morning, and work on other smaller tasks around it. I make sure to complete everything I promised before leaving at the end of the day. If I cannot complete something in a reasonable amount of time or if it has been sitting for a while I will send updates letting the appropriate people know when I will complete the task.
  • Review daily tasks each day and prioritize.
  • I respond to the most important emails first and then go back to the others as time allows. I block time periods to not handle email when working on project.
  • I list my tasks by priority and work on them based on deadline.
  • I first list the tasks that MUST be finished and label them in order that they should be completed. I make a second list below it of tasks I will conquer next if I have time after the critical tasks are complete.
  • I prioritize based on: 1. What needs to be done today? 2. How long has it been waiting? 3. Does it affect our members?

Q4: Do you use an organization or scheduling system, like GTD or the Pomodoro Technique?

Overall, Outlook features, such as tasks and reminders, were the most popular scheduling system.

Other helpful systems:

  • I use Franklin Covey’s system and I do recommend it for people that like to make lists. The system is a great way to bring your love of list making to the next level.
  • Basecamp.
  • Evernote – It’s easy to make lists and check off tasks.
  • I’m a list-keeper, using highlighters to prioritize tasks.
  • I use an Excel spreadsheet with my tasks and their expiration dates.

We hope you enjoyed IMI’s in-house #assnchat. If you haven’t tried #assnchat on Twitter, give it a try! You may find answers to questions you didn’t even know you had.

Check back next week for part 2 of this discussion on productivity.

Want to know more about association management? Contact us info@imiae.com to find out more about what IMI Association Executives can do for your organization.