Change your board from apathetic to dynamic

by Brian Reuwee

Recently, a fellow association professional posted an interesting question in an online discussion group for executive directors and board members:

What have you done to move your board from apathetic to dynamic?

Obviously, nobody who reads this blog (board presidents, directors, staff, etc.) is a part of an apathetic board. And if you didn't catch the sarcasm, you may want to carefully consider just how important and useful these comments could be.

Here's a summary of the suggestions for dealing with and changing apathetic boards:

Shake it Up to Avoid Silence on Conference Calls

By Alison Keller

I facilitate conference calls for two committees of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). Communicating with a large group to drive decisions via conference calls can be difficult for staff and for volunteer committee chairs or board leaders.

During the last year I experimented with several ideas to improve communication and facilitate discussion.

Participate, Learn, Engage: Letting Go of the Listserv

By Emily Gallt

Moving from a traditional listserv to a collaborative online community can often be an anxiety riddled experience, for both association staff and members. Doing anything new seems to bring even the most capable professionals to their knees – but hopefully with these tips to enjoy and get the most out of the big switch, you too can make a successful change in your life (well, so long as it relates to your online community – you’re on your own for major life changes.)

Make 2012 "The Year of Better Content"

by Becky Rasmussen

At the start of the year, Forbes magazine predicted that 2012 would be "the year of content," declaring that content and social media marketing should a part of every brand's marketing plan. Kinda makes you wonder what associations have been doing all these years, huh?

Trees for Troops' Race to the White House

Last week, the National Christmas Tree Association’s Trees for Troops program, a client of AMR Management Services, was selected as a finalist for the White House's Joining Forces Community Challenge. The challenge is designed to recognize those citizens and organizations with a demonstrated, genuine and deep desire to be of service to military families.