Posts by Sherry Budziak
Digital Strategists, Innovators, and Drivers Build a Relevant Future
Remember Blockbuster? Technology eats business models for breakfast. In 2016, I wrote a post titled, “Could Membership Organizations Become a Dying Model?” This article still has a top slot in my site’s analytics. It seems the question isn’t settled. But time and technology have me looking at the issue through a different lens. Six years…
Read MoreAs Culture Gains Importance—PCI Stays Ahead of the Trend
In a business climate that feels like a hurricane looms perpetually on the horizon, I’ve noticed an optimistic trend. Culture is a rising priority among CEOs. The most enlightened see positive values and a safe, equitable environment as key components of success. It seems contradictory that with the increasing focus on technology, there is also…
Read MoreDon’t Look for a Streamlined Future—Innovation Piles on Options
If you imagine that AI, robotics, and automation are launching a future where you issue commands to mechanical workers while relaxing with a cold one, I’ve got bad news. A recent conversation with Kim Robinson, President of FrontlineCo, highlighted the idea that the business changes we’re experiencing are not streamlining work. Innovation is adding sophistication, complexity,…
Read MoreMake Change Your Most Significant Advantage
This idea from an article in the “Harvard Business Review” caught my attention. “As the shelf life of business strategies grows shorter, a corporation’s transformation capability becomes its only enduring advantage.” Authors N. Anand and Jean-Louis Barsoux go on to ask: “With serial transformations becoming the norm, a key strategic question for any corporate leader…
Read MoreDrones, Robots, and Farmers—Prepare Your Association To Meet Fast-Moving Technology Trends
To make a point about technology and its impact on the future of work, Hugh Lee, Co-Founder of Fusion Productions, told me this story: “Several years ago, we invited some young presenters who were developing cutting edge farming technology to digitalNow. They were using drones to fly over fields and analyze the irrigation and fertilizer…
Read MoreThe Right Facilitation Skills Make Meetings Meaningful
We’re all challenged for time. If you wonder why members aren’t more engaged with your association, that’s one big reason. There aren’t enough hours in the day. When you want volunteers to serve on a committee or support an initiative, it’s critical to give them a rewarding return on the investment. A skilled facilitator can…
Read MoreUnderstand the X, Y, Zs of Member Connections
If a girl scout in your house is selling cookies, who are the top prospects on her list? That’s a no-brainer. Even friends who have sworn off sugar will probably say yes to a box of Thin Mints from your fledgling entrepreneur. An emotional connection paves the way for an easy sale. That advice is…
Read MoreWithout Trust, You Don’t Have a Team
Do you ever wonder how you’re doing as a leader? What’s the best way to evaluate your skills? There are a variety of metrics that might be useful. You could distribute a survey, conduct 360-degree performance evaluations, analyze the financials, and assess your progress against goals. But there is an easier way. Ask yourself whether…
Read MoreDon’t Be Afraid to Move the Rug! Seven Steps for Organizational Excellence
Consultants see everything—from organizations that make Dunder Mifflin look like a tight ship to associations that could teach us a thing or two. We focus attention on what the most successful groups do right. At .orgCommunity’s June 9 Innovation Summit, Kevin Ordonez, .orgSource President and Managing Director of Digital Strategy, and I gave a presentation…
Read MoreTurning Ideas Into Action
The 2022 Innovation Summit When I was looking for something unique to say about innovation at .orgCommunity’s June 9, Innovation Summit, I came across these quotes. Each concept is important to developing a culture of innovation. But their common denominator is the most significant. All three authors link innovation to action. Creativity needs an outcome.…
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