Just Common Sense: A Fundamental Commentary on Assocation Management

© 2016 Mark Frels. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/28/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-1349-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-1347-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016909450

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Contents

About the Book

Chapter 1: Communications

Chapter 2: Going the Extra Mile

Chapter 3: Are You a Supervisor?

Chapter 4: What Does the Boss Really Want?

Chapter 5: Performance Reviews

Chapter 6: How Do I Get Promoted?

Chapter 7: The Supervisor and the Resolution of Challenges

Chapter 8: Avoid Being Stupid: Some Thoughts

Chapter 9: Strategic Planning

Chapter 10: Fundamental Thoughts: Finances and Budgeting

Chapter 11: The Always Interesting Topic of Work–Life Balance

Chapter 12: The Top Fifteen List

About the Author

About the Book

This book deals with the author’s opinions and experiences regarding fundamental association management techniques for staff. These management techniques are both different from and similar to traditional corporate management techniques. Some of the differences focus on the dynamics of working with both staff and volunteer leaders and understanding the important differences in effectively working with those two groups.

This book includes commentary pertaining to the motivation, supervision, and training of staff, as well as the training and encouragement of leaders. It includes a very fundamental look at work habits necessary for the professional association management staff member to be successful. It features very fundamental common sense association management comments and accounts. This information will have been successfully received by the reader if it serves even as an important reminder for daily staff efforts.

The reader will note that communications, in one form or another, is emphasized repeatedly. This is considered of paramount importance to the author which will become increasingly evident as the reader proceeds.

The reader should further note that while the author embraces technology, he warns that it alone is not the avenue to successful management techniques. The use of various technologies as management tools are, without a doubt, extremely important and offer great opportunity and efficiency. However, other fundamental management tools and practices must be employed along with technology for the association management professional to be successful.

If those comments in this book stir controversy, cause discussion and debate, or simply remind us as association management staff what is truly important as we strive to excel as association management professionals, then the book has achieved its objectives.

To my family and the leaders and staff of the Association management world

Chapter 1

Communications

You have probably heard it stated that communication is an art form. While there is, of course, considerable truth to that statement, it seems to me that communication is also a tremendous practical management tool requiring dedication, skill, and a great deal of work. Most people don’t focus on the various aspects of communication and the simple fundamental nature of the complete process, which is so important to successful day-to-day tasks. I have been quoted on many occasions saying communications is the foundation of all successful endeavors. My staff at the association where I worked probably got tired of hearing this, but it is so true and so important. The statement was applicable to any effort.

As I proceed to relay my comments regarding communication, let me start by making an important statement, which is also noted in the About the Book section. I am all for technology, and I am a significant

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user of it. E-mail, which is now considered an antiquated communication tool, was a huge part of my daily efforts in association management, both as a supervisor and working with volunteer leaders, including committee persons and board members at a high level. Social media in its many forms is also important, when used properly. It is a tremendous communications tool. You will also find as you proceed that I make a genuine effort to be very up front and honest, and in that regard, there were always those who considered my use of e-mail, or communications, to be an overuse. While I expect that is a valid observation, given the opinions of most people, I have also found that one can never communicate too much or double-check communications too much.

When I state that communications is the foundation of all successful endeavors, there is a need to analyze those words further. Possibly the most important part of that statement is the word foundation. In other words, at the base, or the foundation, of every successful effort is the need to communicate the purpose of any activity or instruction, as well as the objectives, expected tasks, and expected outcome, and to do it clearly so everyone understands his/her role and assignment.

The burden for that clear communication rests squarely on the shoulders of the individual originating the communication. It is important to recognize that it takes extra work to not only communicate the details for a program (e.g., objectives and assignments), but it also requires extra effort to follow up on the initial communications, which is an important part of the process. It is one thing to communicate all that needs to occur to create a successful effort. The second part of that communication is to follow up with everyone involved, regarding assignments and tasks, and to do so in a manner that not only reminds the individual of the assignment or task but also motivates them and expresses appreciation for the work they are doing. This contributes to an overall successful effort. Communicating in regard to any program or activity is not a one-time effort. It is important to communicate to staff and leaders in an initial fashion with great clarity, but then you must follow up with each individual or group involved with a communication that is customized and specific to that individual or group. Also, your communication should motivate and include appreciation for the efforts being put toward the overall objective.

Far too many people feel that once they have communicated something, they are done. How many times have you heard a supervisor ask a staff member whether he/she communicated information to a leader or another staff member, and the first staff member replied, Yes, I did? Far too often that staff member is answering that question because he/she sent an e-mail or other communication to an individual just as the supervisor requested. However, did the staff member get a response acknowledging the communication? Does he/she know the message was received?

The art and process of communication is not only sending a clear and correct communication but also knowing it has been received and following up with reminders to make sure people understand the task and the role that they play. There are several phases to communication. There is the initial communication, which must be clear. Then there is the follow-up within a reasonable amount of time to each individual, with assignments to not only express appreciation for the efforts they are putting forward but to also provide motivation and a reminder about the various tasks and efforts to be accomplished. The third part of the communication process is the follow-up after the event or function, to express appreciation to staff and leaders for having successfully completed their assignments and for doing good work.

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Those reading this book may especially enjoy this next comment. I have throughout my career often been—shall we say?—kindly given a hard time about my amount of communication and the detail of my communication. Yet I have never experienced one occasion where the detail, encouragement, and appreciation were not well received and did not make a difference in the attitude of the employee and the program’s success. This multiphase approach to communication will eliminate problems, remind staff of tasks they were assigned to do (which they may have previously forgotten), and provide increased self-esteem and confidence to an employee or a leader for personal and professional development.

One of the great challenges facing us today with the use of technology, and all of the advantages it brings forward, is the brevity of communication, which is seen by so many as a huge plus. Yet if we are not careful, that brevity can lack emotion, spirit, and the opportunity to explain detail, which is so important to any successful program or effort in association management or in any corporate setting. It also can possibly lack the opportunity for the communication follow-up that is necessary to express appreciation or to recognize staff or leaders with the right words of appreciation following an event, program, or activity assignment.

After I asked a staff member if he communicated a meeting reminder or program information to another staff member or leader, and he enthusiastically indicated to me he did, it sounded good. Not only did he do this, but he did it immediately following my request. Later I discovered the staff member had sent an e-mail, and thereby he considered the assignment completed. However, this communication assignment was not completed. You have to know for a fact that the communication has been received. Many times I asked a staff member if the communication I asked them to send had been received, and their answer was I don’t know, but I sent it to them, so they must have it. Who knows if the message was actually received? Who knows if the individual for whom the message was intended read the message? Oh, but you say, That is the responsibility of the individual receiving the message. Surely as the originator of the communication, and as a supervisor, I cannot hold myself or any staff member responsible for whether or not an individual reads his/her e-mail. My answer to that is, I sure can.

Unless you know a message has been received, whether it is a detailed communication about an agenda for a program or simply a thank-you note that the president of the organization wanted sent to an individual, the communication task is not complete. This is not, as I noted in the About the Book section, rocket science, but it takes extra effort and work. Ask for a message-received response on your e-mail or other electronic communication. If this doesn’t work, and you still don’t know if the individual or group has received the message, pick up the telephone and call. On occasion when I asked staff to call someone because we were not sure the message was received, much to my surprise, I saw real concern in their eyes. Why should there be concern in somebody’s eyes about picking up the telephone and calling someone? Are we so lazy that we don’t want to play phone tag or we don’t want to converse with someone anymore? The exaggerated point here is that the communication is not complete until it is received and you know with 100 percent certainty that it has been received—and not only received, but understood as well. This process may be easier done with a phone conversation than with an e-mail.

I have learned with complete certainty that no one wants to read a two-page e-mail—point taken. Still, if that amount of detail and information needs to be communicated, then pick up the telephone and call the individual. Let him/her hear the tone of your voice; let him/her ask additional questions. I have seen e-mail messages (as have all of you reading this book) go back and forth all day, when one twenty-minute phone conversation would have accomplished the