Setting Professional Development Requirements

Here at Impact Services, we believe it is important to continue learning and growing. Because learning and development are so important to Impact’s mission, it is required that each member participate in 6 professional developments a year. These development opportunities can include skills a team member would like to work on developing, networking events, or a chance to develop a goal or project a client needs or wants.  

This has lead to our team experiencing forums, webinars, and more that have developed them into the hard-working professionals they are. After participating, team members must share with the team what was learned, what challenges or skills they still need to learn more about, and ideas or lessons learned that they feel other staff members could benefit from. 

Setting these requirements sets a culture of continuous education. It reminds everyone on the team that there is always more to be informed about and more room for improvement. The requirements ensure that our team is always increasing their value to our clients. It also provides an opportunity for Impact to take on new responsibilities within our company, because although we may not have experience in a subject, it does not mean we are not willing to learn and conquer it. 

Setting standards for professional development could be a great way to improve your company or association. It will provide new perspectives and open the mind of your team. Seeing things in a new light or learning more about something can only grow your organizations.

Client Spotlight: The Association for Collaborative Leadership

We are having so much fun sharing our clients with the world! This week we are directing our focus to The Association for Collaborative Leadership (ACL). This organization got its start in 1965 and has been going strong ever since. The foundation of the organization was to establish an organization for consortia to share ideas, resources, services, projects, and more. ACL’s vision is to, “Serve as the recognized authority on consortial leadership and collaboration in higher education, providing its members with access to specialized expertise, knowledge, and training so they can successfully develop, lead, and manage consortia or other higher education partnerships.” Over the years, ACL has worked to strengthen the networking opportunities and create more benefits for their members. 

Members are given many opportunities and advantages. ACL’s membership benefits include annual conferences, professional development. E-mail discussion lists, a guide for consortia, research bibliography, salary survey, and networking.  

Impact has been supporting ACL since 2017. Our team members, Jill and Heather, work hard to provide ACL with the best possible service. These two provide email management, financial support, run social media, and maintain membership communication. ACL also has an annual conference that Impact’s CEO/Event Specialist, Jodi Fisher, manages. This organization is a pleasure to work with and has grown into a strong partnership.

Impact’s Executive Administrators and Event Specialist for ACL.

Learn more about ACL

Fueling Member Involvement

It is easy for members of an association to feel as though they are just another face in the crowd. Connecting with members and involving them in decisions is the best way to provide most members with what they want out of the association. The following steps will provide you with a few quick ways to further engage members.

Start a discussion. Involve your members by asking questions whether it is about industry related subjects or what the members want to see with upcoming events, resources, etc. This is a great way to kick off conversation among members and open a line of communication between the board and members. This could be done through social media at an event or wherever it seems fit.

Keep members in the know. A newsletter might not be read by all, but it is the best way to keep members up to date and informed about the association. Once a month is ideal for a newsletter and be sure to include upcoming events and resources the members can utilize. This is what they will be looking for in the letter. A newsletter can also be a good way to show members what their dues and donations are going towards. Whether it is providing a scholarship for a student or providing research for a disease, members want to see the impact their money is making.

Emphasis Exclusivity. Show your members what they are getting out of their membership. This could be done by inviting members to an event or reiterating membership benefits. This will keep them involved and content as well as prevent them from discontinuing their membership. Providing things that they enjoy and do not want to miss out on, will keep them coming back for more.

Keeping these ideas in mind, can make a significant impact on membership involvement.

Client Spotlight: American Society of Civil Engineers- Wisconsin Section

The new year is here and we are spending some time reflecting on the clients who make up Impact. Today’s client spotlight focuses on the Wisconsin Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE-WI). ASCE is one of the largest professional civil engineering networks in the world. The organization provides members with networking opportunities, learning resources, and communication. ASCE welcomes licensed engineers, students, affiliates, and associates. Everyone that is connected to the world of Civil Engineering has something to gain from this association. The organization keeps members up to date on trends and technology in the industry, provides membership discounts, and career development.

ASCE-Wisconsin Section is also heavily involved in the community. Membership dues go towards advocating for improved infrastructure, improving STEM opportunities for students, and providing resources to improve public health, safety, and welfare.

Impact’s Executive Administrator, Heather, provides support for ASCE-WI. Heather aides in managing the organization’s email, providing board support, social media management, conference planning, and more. The collaboration that goes on between Impact and ASCE is something our team appreciates. The open lines of communication allow everything to run as smoothly as possible and keep the partnership growing in the right direction.

To learn more about this organization, visit: http://sections.asce.org/wisconsin-section/home

Balancing Life as a Board Member

Associations and nonprofits are typically run by volunteers. This means that those volunteers have full lives outside of their duties within the association including their own career. Juggling both a full-time career and a position on an association’s board can be challenging. Here are a few things to remember when navigating this tricky balance. 

Membership is not all on you. The push for new members and member recruitment is a constant goal of associations. Taking on the task of recruiting new members and pushing for current members to stay is a part of being on the board. This job, however, does not fall solely on one person. It is each person’s responsibility as a part of the association to recruit and retain. Doing this, keeps the organization running and allows the organization to fulfill its mission. It is important, however, to be mindful of your interactions with current and potential members. Each interaction could be the deciding factor on whether that member joins or stays in the association. Maintaining a positive attitude and friendly demeanor could be your organization’s selling point.  

Build Relationships. Understanding your members, potential members, and community will set the groundwork for your association’s success. Building these relationships will ensure a sense of trust and will provide you with a set of resources. Connect with people on social media, reach out personally if you have built a strong enough relationship, and maintain the relationship even if it seems like it is no longer beneficial to you. 

Keep learning. As a board member, it is essential to keep learning everything you can about the industry as well as the role you are in. Learning more about the association is only going to make you more knowledgeable and successful. This allows you to run the association efficiently and the ability to teach others more about the industry as well. Keeping up on industry news or advice on how to better your association will better you as a leader.