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Theresa Parsons, CAE, CMP 2018-2019 TSAE Board Chair Executive Director Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE) I was on a plane heading to Washington, D.C., to join a handful of board members on a lobbying trip. After working for another organization for a year, my association lured me back, and this particular morning was just my second since ...

The association executive said, “Please share the gospel of good governance with my board.” He was requesting the annual orientation of his board of directors. I had to think about the context. The definition of “gospel” is something regarded as true and implicitly believed or a doctrine regarded as of prime importance. I summarized the doctrine for good governance in ...

Once upon a time, public relations was a relatively straightforward part of your organization. Your association released news relevant to your members and industries or you responded to incoming inquiries around a trending story or moment of crisis. The number of media contacts seemed more finite – and the number of contacts at your association was likely one. Then about ...

Every business project needs an owner. Someone who will work with colleagues and stakeholders to develop goals and a strategy, then implement that strategy. Often these owners aren’t just single people. They’re entire teams or departments. That’s the way it is with online communities. One person may take the lead, but it’s teamwork that makes a community successful. Which brings ...

When it comes to attending any conference, whether it’s ASAE’s Annual Meeting in August or TSAE’s New Ideas Conference in September, it’s best to be prepared. Conferences and other educational events offer tremendous learning and networking opportunities. You will be inspired by the keynote speakers, excited about the connections you make, and motivated by what you learn. As someone who ...

Go ahead. Google the words “association advocacy” and see what pops up. I recently did the same which resulted in over 87 million hits. American Association for Justice, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National CASA Association … thousands of associations that prominently include the word “advocacy” on their websites. But what does advocacy mean? Is it something handled by your governmental relations ...

The word “phishing” makes me uneasy for a few reasons. First off, the spelling is just … creepy. Second, it refers to one of the most popular and most damaging cybercrimes today. Third, it reminds me of the prog-rock band named Phish – and I’m not a fan. Phishing has been a problem for businesses and individuals for a long ...

Does your association’s publication have members saying, “Wow!”?  It should. After all, your publication is one of the most effective and important communications pieces that your association uses to reach members. According to the 2017 Naylor Communications Benchmarking Report, print magazines continue to be among the most highly rated member communications channels – 68 percent of all association executives surveyed consider ...

If you question whether to send a cover letter with a resume, you are not alone. Many people believe that recruiters don’t read cover letters, so they don’t provide one when applying for a job. But, are you missing out on the opportunity to sell your communication skills? Yes! Think about it: Nearly every job posting states that the organization ...

QUESTION: Why do rates (and for that matter, pricing in general) vary so widely hotel to hotel? ANSWER: Rates completely depend on supply and demand. The room inventory that is remaining in the hotel dictates the guest room rate. Hotel A may have a group already contracted and that makes rates higher than Hotel B over the same dates. Hotels ...