Recently our CEO, Edward Barisa, was asked by the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) to share some advice for the next generation of leaders. Here is what Ed had to say about the lessons he has learned: Association management is all about people. It took me a while to learn that. I thought it … Continued
There are few complaints I hear more from volunteers than those regarding poorly run meetings. REALTORS® share their precious time when they volunteer. They want that time to be productive, so when board or committee meetings get derailed, or run over time, or fail to accomplish their objectives, it’s frustrating for everyone. Associations can dial … Continued
There are many times I have heard volunteers say after a meeting, “What a waste of time – we should have been finished an hour ago.” That should be a wake up call to all of us who organize meetings. Even comedian Milton Berle knew how painful meetings could be when he said,“A committee or … Continued
How many times have you heard an association president say to a potential volunteer, “Oh, this position won’t take much time.” I’ve been surveying experienced volunteers the last few weeks and the common theme has been that they were not told how much time their volunteer commitment would really take. In every case, it took … Continued
But what about when conflict rears its ugly head and you’re in the hot seat? That’s when leaders rely on their skills and principles to get them through. If you want to improve how you handle discord, you might want to apply the Principles for Leading through Conflict. We use these in our leadership course … Continued
We are delighted to announce that our popular online course On the Path to Leadership: Leadership 100 is now mobile compatible. If you’re on the road and find yourself with an hour or so to spare, you can learn about how associations work and what role you can play. If you are a real estate association volunteer or are considering volunteering, grab … Continued
Understanding good governance and being able to achieve it are sometimes two different things. I’ve seen boards work effectively for a number of years and then face a change in leadership that impacts their effectiveness. Good practices go by the wayside and the board becomes dysfunctional. It can be difficult to sustain good board practices … Continued
If you are a director on an association board of directors, one of your key roles is to ensure that the finances are sufficient to run the association, sustain it during financial downfalls and provide value to members. Here’s a great tool from the OREA Centre for Leadership Development Leadership Library that might help you … Continued
If you’ve just volunteered to sit on an association committee or task force, congratulations! It’s likely you’re excited for this new opportunity to give back. You might also be a bit nervous about being a part of a committee for the first time. We have a fabulous way for you to kick start your learning and quickly become … Continued
Lyn McDonell has worked in the not-for-profit sector for many years, as a volunteer and as a consultant. One topic that she finds many people need to understand better is governance. If you are one of those people and want to better understand what governance is, here is an article by Lyn on What is What … Continued