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Empower Strategy by Incorporating Trends
Getting strategic planning right is challenging in the best of times. This season of disruption adds additional complexity and brings significant shifts in perspective that are important to recognize as associations prepare for the years ahead. I’ve been advising .orgSource clients to integrate strategy across organizational activities since long before the pandemic. If I ever…
Read MoreCustomer Experience Lifts Service to the Stratosphere
These comments from McDonald’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski to New York Times journalist David Gelles describing how the pandemic would change the company’s business resonated with me on a couple of levels. “We had to pivot to basically being an entirely drive-through, delivery, and curbside pickup business, and I think that’s going to still be an…
Read MoreStrategies for Innovation Stop Groundhog Day Thinking
In the movie Groundhog Day, actor Bill Murray is condemned to live the same day of his life over, and over, and over again. Groundhog Day thinking is the seductive loop that lurks in offices and conference rooms tempting us to reject fresh ideas for recycled solutions. How do you resist the pull of the…
Read MoreFrom Problem Child to Genius—Energizing Chapters
The smiles are back! Yesterday the CDC announced that anyone who is fully vaccinated need not wear a mask in most circumstances. But wait. The comments on my Facebook page tell an interesting story. Everyone isn’t jumping on Open Table or heading to the movies. Some of us are quite happy, thank you very much,…
Read MoreSend Culture to the Door When Trouble Comes to Call
I frequently write the words digital and success in the same sentence. Technology is important. A weak infrastructure at the beginning of 2020 meant it was a very hard year. As much as I value electronic connectivity, culture or the human side of business will always be the imperative. We may never experience another global…
Read MoreFinding Stability in the ContinuousNext
Remember the good old days? Once every three years, you gathered the board and staff in a conference room with baked goods, a lot of caffeine, and a facilitator. They produced what was euphemistically called a strategic plan. Often this document had more in common with a laundry list than strategy. I hope that total…
Read MoreWant To Innovate? Don’t Get Too Comfortable
A colleague recently confided in me that although her association is facing serious challenges, the board isn’t interested in learning how to govern more effectively. Her attempts to educate them are always met with resistance. You can guess where this group is headed. If they manage to survive over the next few years, it will…
Read MoreBe the Voice Your Members Want to Hear—A Content Strategy Makes It Happen
Siloed organizations used to be hard to manage; today, they are a real business liability. Success in the digital marketplace depends on a holistic approach—this is a mantra that I can’t repeat frequently enough. Systems, teams, and departments must all be directed toward common goals. If imposing this level of discipline seems daunting, a content…
Read MoreHow to Think Like an Entrepreneur and Why You Should Want to
My fascination with technology began when I realized it would help me become better at something I love—dealing with challenging problems. Originally, .orgSource was focused on software and hardware solutions. Today, although our scope has expanded to include integrating strategy, systems, and communications, problem-solving remains the core of our business. The puzzle we will never…
Read MoreDon’t Wait Until You’re Swamped in Negative Numbers to Call a Consultant
The conference ROI slowly rose like a gator lifting its head from the swamp of negative numbers. But membership dues, product sales, and web analytics are sinking deeper into quicksand. Even facing a dismal scenario like this, the decision to call for outside expertise can be difficult. I understand why leaders hesitate to hire a…
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