An Important Conversation

I just returned from my educational conference with ASAE and the Center (American Society of Association Executives). There were some very exciting educational programs and keynote speakers.  As always there were excellent ideas shared that can be utilized in my every day work with NALS.  It was also a great time of community and catching up with others in my profession. I got the opportunity to see Carol Jorgenson, a former NALS staff member, Sandra Yost, PLS, a NALS Past President who is now herself an association executive and Pam Hemann, CAE who has worked with NALS as a consultant many times in the past. And because the conference was in San Diego I also got the opportunity to meet up with President Dee for dinner.

One of the things discussed at the meeting included how scanning is still very important to the growth of associations today. This is certainly a best practices principle that NALS subscribes to; we will be conducting environmental scans throughout the year. Be sure that you take the time to share your thoughts with us so that we are better prepared to meet your needs in the future.  ASAE had been doing extensive scanning of volunteers and as I review their research look for me to share some of those important facts with you. One of the number one facts discussed was a more involved member has a much greater association satisfaction rate. So it is important that we all at all levels of the association take the time to get involved, to participate. Chapter and state leaders take the time to engage your members in important conversations about what they want to receive out of their involvement with the association. Listen to them, give them the opportunity to offer an old program a new way or even to offer an innovative new program. 

We also had some great generational education at this conference. For those of you looking to brush up on the generational issues check out this blog: http://thegig.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/   Learn about the boomers as helicopter parents and why the Y generation are the way they are and how we can work to bring the very best of this generation into our association.  I found Nadira Hira to be highly informative, keep and open mind as you read what she has to offer you in the way of knowledge that can help you better manage this new generation.

Renee Mauborgne offered us insight on how we could utilize her book The Blue Ocean Strategy to tap into new unchartered resources for our association.  How we need to look beyond what we consider our current market and tap into the markets beyond drawing on totally new areas.  This is something for us to think on and consider to ponder and discover. 

There were even associations in attendance that have changed their structure to offer memberships for free because their greatest sources of income came from their meetings and by offering the memberships for free they had even higher attendance at their meetings.  And while I can't see immediately see how this could work for NALS it does challenge us to look beyond how we currently structure our memberships, services and events and ask the questions, have the conversations, can we do better, can we do more, can we open ourselves to new markets.  

Regardless of the outcomes it is important to have the conversations to have an open dialog. They lead us into new possibilities, and new ventures, new ideas that without the conversation and open dialog we might miss. So let's start the conversations, share our thoughts our ideas and our potential for the future of our own professional development, for our own advancement of knowledge, and for the future of our association.

I hope to see you in Norfolk . . . 

NALS Foundation Making History

Some very exciting news to share with the NALS members and community. Last weekend (Aug 8-10), the Foundation Trustees all met for a retreat at the NALS Resource Center. One of their primary goals was to work on becoming more strategic in nature. Tammy Hailey, CAE, NALS Executive Director, was very instrumental in guiding the Trustees to reaching their goal. I was fortuntate to have been invited to participate (as Chair of the NALS Strategic Planning Committee).

I am please to announce that the Foundation is now working under their very own Strategic Plan. Oh, and not only do they have their Plan, but they also have a mission, core purpose, core values, an operational plan, and their very own "branding."

The Foundation's Mission: Dedicated to providing resources to promote and advance individuals in the legal services profession. From that mission, the Foundation has 4 goals: (1) Assist NALS Goal; (2) Be The Solution Goal; (3) Research Goal; and (4) Organizational Effectiveness Goal. And from the four goals come the strategies and actions to maintain the mission and goals.

Kudos to each Trustee who worked extremely hard. Your dedication to not only the NALS Foundation, but NALS as well, is exemplary.

Excelling in Life Without Acclamation

The world's attention is currently riveted on Beijing and the 2008 Summer Olympics. While we watch, hold our breath, cheer for the champions and weep with the also-rans, let us be mindful of those millions of people with talent and ability who never receive praise or recognition.

Free-lance writer Arlene Spencer of Indianapolis said, "A combination of good luck, opportunity, hard work and talent may lead a few to world fame and fortune. The absence of any one of these can make a difference between acclamation and anonymity." Spencer was writing about English poet Thomas Gray's poem, Elegy in a Country Churchyard wherein Gray describes "a fairly common phenomenon in our society--that of an outstanding person with talents only recognized by those people immediately surrounding him or her." Standing among the tombstones, Gray speculated that "some mute inglorious Milton here may rest."

Spencer continued, "The quest for excellence in any endeavor is worthy of our admiration and respect. We don't need to reserve those feelings for national heroes, sports figures, or stars of the entertainment world. The uncelebrated heroes in our midst are the ordinary people with noble motives who work to perfect their talents, and the teachers and volunteers who use their abilities to brighten the lives of others."

Inside NALS, it is our local members who are the uncelebrated heroes. They may not be nominated for the Award of Excellence or gain national recognition as officers or chairs, but they are the backbone of our professional association--the volunteers and supporters of current programs and mentors of future leaders. Gray would say they are gems of purest ray hidden on the ocean floor or flowers blooming in the desert unseen by anyone.

It is you, the member, who competes to the best of your ability and talent daily who has earned a Gold Medal, and with it the acclamation and respect of NALS.