Definition of Black Swan Event An event or occurrence that deviates beyond what is normally expected of a situation and that would be extremely difficult to predict.     How did the COVID-19 Crisis Hit One Association? On March 12, 2020, I and my colleague Phil Puckorius, Vice President of Association Laboratory arrived in San Diego. Our goal was to lead the International Warehouse Logistics Association through strategic planning. Here’s what we found upon arriving. California Governor Gavin Newsome had just spoken about the state’s response to the growing crisis. Quickly referred to as the Newsome 250 Policy, for all practical purposes, resulted in wide-spread cancellation of meetings with more than 250 attendees. Respecting growing concerns about the spread of the virus, the Board and staff had acted swiftly. The convention at which the strategic planning meeting was being held had just been cancelled that day. More than 423 […]

Blog take over by Nikki Haton Shanks, Strategist! I’m Nikki, a strategist at Association Laboratory, and I’m stepping in to take over Dean West’s from My Seat at the Bar blog for this month. Association Laboratory held its 2nd Annual Content Strategy Summit on Thursday, November 7 at the OLC in Rosemont, IL, in collaboration with .orgSource with nearly 30 attendees! What did we learn? Research shows the majority of associations are implementing content strategy. What prompted this Summit? Each year Association Laboratory conducts a global scan of the association business environment called Looking Forward™. In 2019, the study collected data from more than 400 association chief staff officers and senior domain executives across 20 industries. And guess what? 54% of Looking Forward respondents said they were implementing Content Strategies. This data point was the basis for a day-long program devoted to thought-provoking questions and strategies related to content. 3 […]

“In times of crisis, making great, not good decisions becomes paramount. Every mistake is magnified. Lost opportunities never return. Association Laboratory stands ready to help you take leadership during this time of crisis.” – Dean West, FASAE, President of Association Laboratory Association Laboratory is proud to offer a specific set of services designed to help association leaders take control during this time of crisis.   Contact me today at dwest@associationlaboratory.com if you think we can help. Planning Not Reacting Today’s headlines focus on the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic disruption. The social disruption. They create anxiety in our staff, volunteer leadership and members. It is critical for leaders to take the initiative during these times to demonstrate that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that the association has a plan to move forward, not simply react to circumstances. Association Laboratory has developed a unique […]

On Tuesday, March 17 Association Laboratory initiated a global study assessing the current and future impact of the coronavirus on trade and professional association finances and strategy. This study is being conducted with the cooperation of key partners active in the Association Laboratory Research Alliance. The alliance is a global group of leading state and specialty societies of association executives and other participating organizations serving the association community. The study assesses the economic impact on associations. It evaluates specific impact on key strategies. Finally, it identifies how associations are moving forward to adapt. Data collection begins March 17 and ends March 25, 2020. Association Laboratory will publish the results of the study and lead digital and other distribution as quickly as possible. Take the survey now.  Currently participating in the Association Laboratory Research Alliance American Association of Medical Society Executives Association Forum AMC Institute Council of Engineering and Scientific Society […]