Picture the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle on a table. If you attempt to push the puzzle, the pieces move aside, and it’s impossible to make any progress. Conversely, if the puzzle is assembled, each piece in its place, the puzzle will easily slide across the table (unless you spilled your Manhattan on it earlier). On February 3, Association Laboratory brought nearly 2 dozen healthcare association CEOs into the room and had them discuss the invalid assumptions facing associations and the revised assumptions necessary for success. We had them experiment with modernizing their associations. The common theme was fragmentation – unconnected pieces of the puzzle. Hoist a drink and consider how this was discussed. Where does fragmentation hit? Communities – several participants noted that individual communities (chapters, SIGs, etc.) each served their own constituencies with their own leadership and products, virtually independent of one another. This reduced their impact

No, a deer camp isn’t a place where deer set up tents, roast hot dogs, and chill. Deer camp is where people gather to live, socialize, and then plan and participate in a hunt for deer – maybe the most delicious animal in the Midwest. In Wisconsin, where I hunt, more than 182,000 people had a gun deer license. This doesn’t include youth hunts, archery hunts, etc. I’ve written about what deer hunting taught me about strategy, but this year, my big insight was how much it taught me about community. Deer camp isn’t a vacation in the traditional sense. It’s not about rest or relaxation. In fact, it’s often the opposite. Deer hunting is usually (always?) uncomfortable, hard work with no guarantee of success. Yet every year, I seek it. It’s one of my favorite times of year and one of my favorite things to do. At its

So last Thursday, northern Indiana, like many places in the Midwest, was struck by severe weather. By Friday, thousands were without power, and deaths were being counted across multiple states. Me?  I was slowly walking back home through Indiana Dunes National Park with my backpack after spending the night camping in this storm (like a dumbass). Just 10 hours earlier, I’d been face down on my sleeping pad, holding down the edges of my tarp while the rain poured down and the wind pressed me into the sand. Around me, I could hear the branches snapping, and I kept my eyes closed to guard against the sand blowing into my face. Finally, at one point, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Guess I picked the wrong day to go camping.” Since I had nothing to do but suffer, I set my mind to the critical task of justifying my idiocy.

The other day, my lovely and accomplished wife suggested I help her with a routine household task. Unfortunately for her, I was busy being mindful, intentionally focused on internal issues, and attempting to harness both non-linear creative processes and logical, linear processes simultaneously. A near-perfect collaboration of this intent had been achieved. In other words, I was taking a nap. Upon Martha’s additional leadership, I ended my productive session to help her. This was when I realized I was married to Santa Claus. Whether or not she is in the same room, Martha always knows when I’m naughty or nice. Later, I had the opportunity to consider how her innate skill translated into our association strategy environment. Because, of course, I did. Consider some of the following questions – and their relevance to strategy if you are Santa. Do you know who you are delivering gifts to? Do you

After over 20 years as an association executive, moving into the role of an association strategist felt like pulling up a stool at a bar on the other side. The view is a bit different over here. You still get to offer opinions, but now you have a drink in hand (figuratively speaking). This year has been eye-opening, not just because I have more time to observe things without constantly putting out fires. Let me tell you what I’ve learned while sitting on the other side of the bar, watching the action unfold—and occasionally throwing in a “well, actually.”  From Executive to Strategist: Aerial View, Less Sweat As an association executive, I spent most of my time deep in the weeds. Now, I’m seeing things from 30,000 feet—like switching from being the frantic barista to the person calmly sipping a cappuccino, planning a better flow for the café. My

As I began writing this blog, I was about one hour into my 30-hour journey to speak at the Indian Association Congress in Mumbai, India. I already hated everyone around me, and that was not a good sign. As I finish this blog, 25 hours into the return trip to Chicago (and 5 to go), let’s see if airline booze, time zone shifts, and spicy curry in numerous forms have helped generate any insights. pauses to order another glass of Gin 27, a fine Swiss gin from a flight attendant – Recently, I’ve been traveling to client conventions, working on meeting value proposition work, and to industry conventions, chatting with friends and colleagues at places like ASAE in Cleveland. A big topic was membership. How do we provide better products or services for members? How do we configure meetings to be more successful? What kind of “stuff” do younger

During a recent conversation with a client, she noted, in a more than exasperated tone, “We need to stop designing our benefits for retired people.” Their leadership is, shall we say, “senior,” and their decisions are often informed by their historical perspective. They enjoyed the association of their youth and hope to duplicate the experience for their younger colleagues. Positive motivations?  Check. Waste of time and money? Also, check. The result? Benefits designed by and for retired people. Too many associations and their leaders are following this path. Consider the following. You are designing your association for the future, not today. You don’t plan on whether to take an umbrella by looking at yesterday’s weather forecast. Yet, too often, associations look at their current programs, services, and initiatives as the only solution to members’ problems. Back to the Future is a movie, not a strategy. In addition, volunteer leaders