AI Upskilling Plan Why Some People Jump Into AI and Others Freeze

Upskilling has always mattered. But right now, with AI evolving faster than most organizations can update job descriptions, a clear AI upskilling plan has become a survival skill, not a bonus. Here’s the part leaders rarely say out loud: AI is exposing the gap between people who learn by exploring and people who learn by being told what to do. And that…

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Future Readiness Starts With Trust

Future readiness starts with trust, but that’s where most transformation efforts break down. Future-ready plans fail for one painfully simple reason. Your team doesn’t trust the change.  They have lived through “transformation” that felt like extra meetings, extra tools, and extra work, with none of the promised relief. So, when leaders announce another modernization effort, staff do not hear opportunity.  They hear…

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Use AI Without Losing the Human Connection

And that’s the trap associations are walking straight into.  Look, AI is delivering real value for preliminary research right now. Scanning trends, summarizing documents, pulling themes from member feedback, getting teams past the blank page. We’re seeing it work. But the second you mistake AI’s output for the finish line instead of the starting blocks, you’ve lost something critical. You’ve lost the human connection. And you’ve missed…

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What ChatGPT Health Means for Medical Associations For years, medical association leaders have debated: How much medical content should we share with the public? That question was just answered—loudly—by OpenAI and Anthropic. Last week, OpenAI announced ChatGPT Health, a dedicated experience for people to engage with AI around their health and wellness. The data? Astounding:…

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Culture

Why your tech investments won’t matter if your mindset is stuck in 2009  You can buy every tool on the market. You can implement the best AMS, CRM, LMS, CMS—and throw in a chatbot, too. But if your culture is still operating like it’s 2009? None of it will matter.  Let’s be honest. Digital transformation isn’t failing in associations because of bad tech. It’s failing because we’ve made culture an afterthought.  The most…

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member loyalty

Spoiler: It’s not your dues discount or annual meeting  Let’s get real about something we don’t talk about enough in the association space: Member loyalty isn’t what it used to be. And pretending it is? That’s costing you relevance—and revenue.  For decades, associations have relied on an assumption: “If we offer enough value, members will stay.” But here’s the truth: Value isn’t the issue. The real issue is that value has been redefined. …

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What’s Next

Reflections on digital transformation, leadership, and what comes next for associations  I’ve spent the last 25 years standing at the edge of what’s next. When many association executives were still wondering if the internet was a fad, I was already helping organizations rethink how digital tools could transform member relationships.   When cloud computing emerged, I was leading conversations about operational agility and…

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AI and Digital Transformation

Why association leaders can’t afford to ignore the future anymore  Let’s start with the uncomfortable truth: Many associations are still operating as if AI and digital transformation are optional. They’re not. Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t a distant disruptor lurking on the horizon. It’s already changing how your members live, learn, and work. If your organization isn’t adapting alongside them,…

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Digital Dexterity

You invested in the platform. You launched the tools. You checked the “digital transformation” box. But something’s still off. Systems don’t talk to each other. Staff rely on workarounds. Member experiences feel… clunky. Sound familiar? The problem might not be your tech stack. It might be your team’s digital dexterity.  What Is Digital Dexterity?  Digital dexterity isn’t about coding or mastering AI. It’s your organization’s ability to adapt, adopt, and apply digital tools—across…

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strategic priorities

Another board meeting. Another strategic planning session. Another list of 27 “must-win” initiatives.  Sound familiar?  You’re not alone.  In fact, one of the biggest barriers to progress in associations isn’t a lack of ideas—it’s too many priorities competing for limited attention, resources, and time.  When everything is a priority… nothing actually gets done.  Strategy Should Give You Focus—Not Fatigue  Strategic plans are…

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