Standing for What’s Right: Why Associations Must Lead on DEIA—Now More Than Ever
In recent years, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts have faced a growing wave of opposition. Some federal and state officials have sought to curtail DEIA programs, claiming they promote division or undermine merit. As these pressures rise, associations across sectors—healthcare, education, manufacturing, and the arts—must decide whether to stay silent or speak up. […]
Why Wait for the Fire? Breaking Associations’ Habit of Crisis-Driven Change
Why do so many associations wait until a crisis hits before making the very changes they’ve known for years they needed to make? It’s a common and costly pattern I’ve seen repeated across the nonprofit sector. A challenge emerges, data accumulates, feedback mounts, and everyone knows a change is coming someday. But nothing happens until […]
From Fix to Friction – When Association Solutions Become Tomorrow’s Problems
In association leadership, every solution is a small victory—until it becomes the next challenge. Strategic leaders are wired to solve problems, adapt to change, and move forward. But the most successful among them knows that no solution exists in a vacuum. No matter how well-conceived, each decision lives within a broader system of behaviors, expectations, […]
Designing a Future-Focused Association Board Agenda
Creating an effective Board agenda is one of the most powerful ways to cultivate your association’s strategic, foresight-driven culture. Too often, Board meetings are dominated by operational updates, committee updates, and backward-looking reports. To build a thriving future, association leaders must structure their Board agendas intentionally — with oversight, strategy, and long-term thinking at the […]
From Members to Movements – Reimagining Associations in a Distracted, Disrupted World
Association leaders today are caught in a pincer movement of pressure. Internally, dysfunctional governance is slowing progress. Externally, the traditional membership modeling, the bedrock of association life for over a century—is being called into question. Together, these forces demand a reimagining of both how associations work and who they serve. The Governance Gap According to […]
From Baton to Boardroom – What Conducting Taught Me About Leading Associations
I began my professional journey with a dream: to become a symphony orchestra conductor. I studied, practiced, and trained—learning to read complex scores, cue entrances, shape sound, and build unity from diversity. I was talented. But over time, I realized that talent alone wasn’t enough. I wasn’t gifted enough to reach the top of the […]
The Association Board as an Ecosystem-Thriving Through Foresight and Adaptation
Nature offers a powerful metaphor for understanding the role of an association’s Board of Directors. Like an ecosystem, a board must balance stability and adaptability, ensuring the association thrives in a constantly changing environment. The Forest and the Board: A Natural Parallel A healthy forest consists of deep-rooted trees, diverse plant life, and interconnected systems […]
“Living Association Values in a Time of Disruption.”
How purpose-driven organizations can stay true to their mission when the world shifts beneath them. In times of disruption, whether economic, political, technological, or social, associations are often pulled in competing directions. Members demand relevance. Boards expect results. Staff seek stability. And yet, amid all the noise, your association’s values must act as both compass […]
Holding the Line: Fighting for Association Values in Times of Great Disruption
Introduction Disruptive times test the resilience of every association. Economic downturns, political shifts, social upheavals, and technological changes can create intense pressure to pivot, compromise, or even abandon long-held values. In these moments, it’s easy for organizations to focus solely on survival—sometimes at the cost of their core purpose. But history shows that associations, people, […]
Navigating the Shift in Federal Grants
What to Do as Federal Grants Dry Up Under the New US Federal Administration In recent years, federal funding has undergone significant shifts, particularly with the arrival of a new US administration. For organizations, especially nonprofits, and associations—that have long relied on federal grants to fund critical programs, the drying up of this funding can […]