The 2026 Wisconsin Society of Association Executives (WSAE)’s Annual Summit is next week! As members of the WSAE community, the Impact team is excited for another chance to connect with fellow association leaders and walk away with fantastic educational takeaways.
In preparation for the 2026 Annual Summit, Jodi Fisher, Chief Operating Officer at Impact AMC, shares her favorite takeaways from last year’s event after attending a powerful presentation focused on strategies to become a better leader and ground yourself through change.
Transformational Leadership Lessons from the 2025 WSAE Annual Summit
By, Jodi Fisher, CEO & Founder, Impact AMC
I had the opportunity to attend a standout session titled “Adapting Leadership in a Changing World: Using Your AI to Lead with Alignment and Influence,” presented by transformational strategist Amber Swenor. In a world where change is accelerating faster than ever and where many of the skills we learn today may be outdated in a few years, Amber’s message about grounding our leadership in authenticity and inner alignment couldn’t have been more timely.
Amber reminded us that while the pace of change can overwhelm the human brain and trigger stress responses that cloud judgment, we each hold the power to lead with clarity, confidence, and influence when we operate from our own internal strengths and values. Leadership isn’t about doing more, it’s about showing up intentionally.
Here are the insights that resonated most with me:
1. Focus on Your “Big 3” Each Day
Amber encouraged us to identify the three most important things we want to accomplish each day and to tackle them in order of priority. The rule is simple: don’t move to #2 until #1 is complete. It’s not about getting all three done every day; it’s about prioritization, momentum, and avoiding burnout by not overloading our “must do” lists.
2. Write Your 5- and 10-Year Vision in Present Tense
One of the most powerful exercises was the reminder to articulate a clear personal vision for the future written as if it’s already happening. Then, identify one small action you can take each day to move closer to that reality. Removing obstacles, even incrementally, creates a pathway toward meaningful, long-term change.
3. Know Your Superpower
We all have something unique – a natural ability that brings us joy and comes effortlessly. Amber challenged us to name our superpower and consider how we can use it more intentionally at work and in life. When we lead from our strengths, we build trust, momentum, and deeper impact.
Attending this session was a refreshing reminder that leadership evolution doesn’t start with external strategies, it begins with internal intentionality. By aligning with our values, focusing on what matters most, and showing up authentically, we can lead ourselves, our teams, and our organizations with greater influence and clarity, no matter what changes come our way.
Start the conversation.
At Impact AMC, leading through change is one of our strong suits. It’s one of the benefits of partnering with an Association Management Company (AMC). An AMC helps maintain stability during periods of change by providing established workflows, long-term organizational knowledge, and ongoing operational support.
Reach out to our team to learn how partnering with an AMC can help you sustain momentum, preserve institutional knowledge, and support long-term growth objectives, even during times of change and transition.