Trend topics were solicited from local, state and national media outlets, as well as various social media channels, last year’s attendees and registrants of this year’s event. Once a comprehensive list was compiled, the program’s advisory board added in their two cents and settled on a top five:

• Hybrid/virtual meetings;
• Innovative/interactive learning formats;
• Unusual/creative meeting spaces;
• Mobile meeting apps; and
• Comprehensive marketing: using print, web and social platforms.

Industry experts were then secured to speak about each hot topic. The five-minute presentations focused on the following four key areas:

• What is the trend?
• Why is it hot?
• How do you replicate the trend efficiently, effectively and within budget?
• Resources for more information.

I had the pleasure of developing content for a trend that’s near and dear to my heart: Innovative and Interactive Learning Formats. Highlights of this presentation included advanced instructional strategies, successful transfer of learning activities, how to create an engaging onsite experience and contemporary adult learning principles.

Certainly, the presentation was informative and fun (I somehow managed to compare “learning in the round” with Michael Jackson, Billie Jean and a “dance on the floor in the round”). Nevertheless, the real fun was had in the follow-on idea swaps.

In 20 minutes intervals, participants would select and participate in one of 19 table discussions – each assigned a specific meetings-related topic, including food and beverage trends, green meetings and corporate social responsibility. Throughout the morning, attendees engaged in four different idea swaps. Each table was assigned a facilitator who would pose questions, synthesize discussions and encourage participation, but the bulk of the content was generated by the participants themselves.

Additionally, each table would identify a scribe. This person would take notes throughout the session in the expo’s very own mobile meeting app. Following, I’ve created a top five list of best comments/notes taken during my idea swap related to innovative and interactive learning formats (with a bit of editing and editorial remarks thrown in for good measure):

1. Check out this resource: How Speakers Deliver Return on Attendance. It will make you think about learning – and how you engage with professional speakers – in a new way. (Thanks Cathleen Hagan for the recommendation!)
2. Associations should have both a meeting planner and an instructional designer on staff. Learning is as big a part of the meeting and attendee experience as is the food and beverage, a/v and the venue itself. As most associations only have access to a skilled meeting planner, I would recommend enlisting the support of a professional development leader within your industry or a cost-conscious instructional designer/consultant to support your planning efforts.
3. Understand that the meeting should be more about the attendee than the speaker. In most cases, we’ve got the RFP process all wrong. We should begin by identifying the learning needs of our target audience and then select speakers who can effectively address those topics. Also, we can and must help speakers think more creatively about their delivery options and identify how flexible they are willing to be early in the selection process.
4. Think outside of the meeting room – and know that the environment plays a significant role when it comes to creating a comfortable and engaging space to learn. Whenever possible, maximize spaces (both inside and outside of your venue) to encourage learning and to promote creativity. Utilize non-traditional furniture (such as club chairs, couches and exercise balls) to get the creative juices flowing.
5. Experiment with a small event or a small portion of a larger event. Add a new instructional strategy, learning process or session format alongside the more traditional methods and allow your attendees the opportunity to test the waters (as opposed to cutting out what they’ve “always known” and replacing it with something altogether different). Over time, attendees will adjust to and embrace the changes, and will appreciate not having it forced upon them.

So, my question to you is this: If you attended either the general session or the follow-on idea swaps, what other “aha moments” occurred to you as you considered the role learning plays within your own organization’s events? For those who didn’t attend the expo, what other “lessons learned” would you share related to the implementation of innovative and interactive learning formats?

It’s a simple word that packs a remarkably powerful punch. And if you regularly use this word (or some iteration thereof) throughout the normal course of your workday, you could – potentially – be sabotaging both you and your colleagues without so much as a second thought.

It’s time to stop and take notice.

In its simplest form, the word never means: at no time, not at all, absolutely not, to no extent or degree. In other words, it’s an absolute or superlative word meaning: not ever. If that weren’t already enough, the related idiom – never mind – is equally as telling (and discouraging). It means don’t bother or don’t concern yourself.

So, what’s the point?

Day in and day out, I think many of us – myself included – stand in the way of our own success, and not just personally. I mean for our members, vendors and partners, as well. We’re literally not realizing our (and their) fullest potential because of the barriers we’re so quick to put up around us. And, worldwide, this is resulting in countless missed opportunities to both create and develop superior products and services.

• “We never allow presenters to…”
• “We never have the money to…”
• “We never have the support of our board to…”
• “We never permit vendors to…”
• “We never have the time to…”

Do any of these sound familiar? If not, I’m sure you could come up with a laundry list of your own “never” statements you’ve either used or heard within the last month.

So, what’s standing in our way? Do we just not want to commit to the effort, are we afraid of rejection, are we afraid of the unknown, are we intimidated by the key players, do we not want to expose our weaknesses, or perhaps it’s just easier to do nothing at all. Whatever the reason, enough is enough.

Call it a rule, a policy, a culture or “the way we’ve always done it.” Whatever it is, it’s a limitation. It’s a limitation preventing you, your department, your organization and your industry from achieving more. And breaking through this barrier is an important part of the innovation process.

I certainly don’t mean to imply that we should all become extreme risk takers, shamelessly buck the system at every chance we get or eliminate the word “never” from our vocabulary. That would somehow imply that the other extreme – always – is the simple answer to life’s challenges. Quite the contrary. Adopting a yes-man attitude would result in a similar trap with equally unfavorable consequences.

Rather, the goal is to find a happy medium – both at work and at home – where you’re able to develop and adhere to basic guidelines that govern work flow and processes, but that also allow for and encourage both innovation and deviance from the norm. And it starts with questioning the use of any absolute or superlative word such as “always” or “never.”

What would happen if:

• You allowed presenters to…
• You either shifted resources or raised the money to…
• You gained the trust and support of the board to…
• You encouraged your vendors to…
• You found time to…

Wouldn’t the future be brighter?

So, my question to you is this: How often do you and your colleagues use the word “never” or other similar absolute/superlative words throughout the course of the workweek? How can you more intentionally draw awareness to these words and play devil’s advocate when they show up in conversation? What outcomes or successes have you, your team or your organization realized as a result of using the words “never” or “always” less frequently in your workplace?

Interestingly enough, collaboration is defined as the act or process of collaborating, as well as the product resulting from collaboration. A few years ago, the Michigan Society of Association Executives (MSAE) introduced a new award recognizing innovative collaboration. This annual recognition continues to spotlight and reward collaboration both as a process and as product.

But that’s an aside.

I was fortunate enough in 2011 to attend ASAE’s Invitational Forum on Leadership and Management. If you’ve never been, I would highly recommend looking into it. Yes, it’s a little pricey; however, it was—perhaps—the best professional development experience of my life (and as a professional development junkie, that’s saying a lot).

In addition to good, quality information that was immediately applicable to my work, I was introduced to and worked alongside dozens of well-respected and seasoned association professionals. Even more than that, I was challenged to think about collaboration in a new and somewhat innovative way.

I’m paraphrasing here, but a few key takeaways/principles that continue to guide my work with others (and which I return to from time-to-time to refocus and refine my approaches to collaboration, particularly in situations involving strongly divergent opinions):

• When a problem exists (in this case, any challenge your association could and would face during the normal course of business), my solution and your solution are fundamentally different because our views/perspectives on what should be done are based on our own unique skills, expertise, beliefs and values. And this is perfectly okay (and, in fact, to be expected).
• Simply selecting one solution over the other or creating a compromise somewhere between our two solutions would result in a fundamentally deficient decision or product. Likewise, when one person “wins” and the other “loses,” friction, hostility and demoralization could affect not only our relationship, but our future collaborative work.
• Instead, a third option should be devised that honors the best parts of my solution and the best parts of your solution, builds upon our respective strengths, and results in a third, more robust solution that elevates the skills, expertise, beliefs and values we each bring to the table.

In my experience, organizations often excel or have strong expertise in a particular functional area. Many resources are funneled into this department to ensure success and, ultimately, to create value and best serve the membership. Naturally, these projects gain the attention of top leadership, are allotted disproportionately more time on the board agenda, and appear first in both the monthly newsletter and the year-end report.

Meanwhile, the remaining departments suffer from inexperienced/undertrained staff members, as well as a lack of resources, poorly defined goals/objectives, board/leadership apathy, and an overall lack of time, attention and focus. Intentional or not, these dynamics have a tremendous impact on staff morale, motivation and productivity.

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as simple as striving for perfection (sorry Type As). If it were easy for every organization to be the best at everything they do, wouldn’t we just strive for perfection each and every day (and be increasingly more disappointed when every association began to look more and more alike or the occasional human error reared its ugly head)?

Therefore, in my opinion, we have at least two options:

1. Strive to be more balanced. Aim for excellence in the functional areas our organizations excel at, but be more mindful of and fair to the other departments and staff, too.
2. Be more deliberate about collaboration. Be honest about the functional areas that could use a bit more attention and resources – and deploy them accordingly.

Here, resources include staff (be it full-time, part-time or the often under-utilized intern), supplies, training, recognition and support. Additionally, collaboration is key. Collaborate with a trusted partner (such as a colleague or a consultant) and you’ll undoubtedly infuse new ideas, new energy and a renewed spirit into your department and, subsequently, your organization.

In addition to keeping projects on time, on message and under budget, I think you’d also be surprised by the impact collaboration can have on strategic thinking and long-term outcomes. In terms of professional development and creating dynamic member experiences, it could be the difference between planning the same conference year after year and developing a compelling experience – delivered in a unique and interactive way – that inspires learning, engagement and community.

So, my question to you is this: Do you identify with this model of collaboration? In what ways does your organization encourage collaboration both internally and externally? What outcomes – otherwise unachievable – has your organization realized as a result of collaboration?

This past weekend, I had a bit of time on my hands. I started by catching up on past episodes of “The Voice.” For those that don’t know, “The Voice” is an American Idol-style singing competition inviting vocalists from across the country to compete in three stages of competition: the blind audition, a battle phase and the live performance shows.

Celebrity musician coaches include Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Additionally, Carson Daly—best known for his gig as a VJ on MTV’s TRL—serves as the program’s host. What I find most fascinating, however, is that Christina Milian has joined the lineup this season as the show’s social media correspondent.

What does she do, you ask?

Well, that’s simple. Milian is tasked with bridging the on-air experience with the online experience, bringing viewers closer to the competition. Fans are able to experience and engage in each step of the process through exclusive interviews, video, photos, news about the coaches and artists, and a live Twitter feed.

At the other end of the spectrum, you have a television network like QVC. You may know that QVC is one of the largest multimedia retailers in the world. It broadcasts live in the U.S. 24 hours a day, 364 days a year, and presents approximately 1,150 products on air every week. Over the years, QVC has enjoyed record-breaking sales, has received countless industry awards and has donated millions of dollars to charity.

But that’s not the end of the story.

QVC established its Facebook page in July 2008 and its Twitter page in January 2009. Attracting a large social following, QVC now integrates these platforms into its live shows, instantaneously responding to customer feedback and inquiries. In fact, the most popular weekly shows have a designated social media host that engages with the audience right alongside the traditional program host.

And it’s about more than just chatting live with viewers (or getting them to buy more products). It’s about engagement. It’s about community. It’s about culture. It’s about branding. It’s about creating a dynamic viewer experience that’s fun, informative, unique and personal. And, ultimately, it’s this direct connection to the QVC staff that keeps viewers coming back each week (and, presumably, spending more money).

And these are just two simple examples of social media hard at work in our day-to-day lives (outside of the workplace). Other competition shows like “Dancing with the Stars,” “American Idol” and “Fashion Star” have also followed suit. This makes me think seriously about the opportunities within our own associations to better leverage the social media experience.

How would a dedicated social media correspondent change the face of your next program or event? Not only could this person reach an audience of interested individuals unable to attend your conference (both members and non-members), but he or she could further engage your onsite participants, as well. Think about it: behind-the-scenes interviews; videos, photos and news about the speakers; and a live Twitter feed. Everyone’s fascinated by the story behind the story. How could you effectively leverage this content (and curiosity) during your association’s major annual meeting?

And the conversation wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) be confined to the conference itself. Social media correspondents would reach out to and actively engage with both prospective and confirmed participants long before the conference started, and conversations would continue long after the conference ended.

All too often I think we leave out our voices in the social media experience, allowing our members to take the lead in this space. And I’m not recommending that we take over or dominate this important platform; however, I think we—as association leaders—can bring additional content to this space that will further enhance the conference experience (not to mention the infinite possibilities that exist here for content curation, transfer of learning and recruitment/retention opportunities).

So, my question to you is this: How could this model impact your association’s next major annual meeting? What affect would this outreach have on the engagement of your current (or prospective) members? What resources would it take within your own organization to designate and train a qualified social media correspondent? (And, more importantly, if you’ve experimented with a similar format, please let us hear from you! We’d love to hear your experience.)

At least in my mind, there are two different types of professional development staff (and neither is better than the other, they are just different). The first is characterized as highly innovative, collaborative and experimental, and could easily be classified as an early adopter. The second is much more traditional in his/her approach to the development and delivery of content.

To be sure, those who are especially avant garde are immersed in a variety of professional development listservs and discussion forums; are knowledgeable about adult learning principles; and have a propensity for developing interesting new content delivery methods. Coupled with cutting-edge educational opportunities, case studies and white papers, these individuals are thought leaders in their field and light years ahead of their time.

Based upon the goals and objectives of each specific program, these individuals bring to their organizations a wealth of knowledge and experience which they draw upon when building an effective strategy for educating members. These individuals rarely rely on member feedback and industry research, spending much more time focusing on instructional design and curriculum development.

Ultimately, these programs are memorable, refreshing and very successful. Although they require significantly more planning, organization, lead time and logistics management, these experiences are not only well received but contribute valuable engagement opportunities that support the organization’s recruitment and retention efforts (not to mention the bottom line).

Conversely, those individuals and organizations with a much more traditional approach to education (think: keynote speaker and a series of lecture-style breakout sessions that follow a similar schedule from year to year), are struggling to compete/demonstrate value in a market that is literally saturated with learning opportunities.

To these organizations, the challenge is to transform industry-specific knowledge and information into viable training; to align education with member needs through regular industry research, analysis and trending; to connect the dots between theory and practice; and to explore opportunities for virtual or blended learning formats.

When organizations want to reimagine a signature program or an entire annual meetings calendar (and don’t have the knowledge, skills and expertise of a professional development pioneer), I very often recommend the following five-step research process:

1. Develop and conduct a member survey. Based upon the goals of the survey (e.g., to identify topics or speakers for future education programs), the survey can be as little as one question (e.g., “What is the one work-related issue/challenge that’s kept you up at night within the last year?”).
2. Facilitate an education focus group. Convene a group of key constituents (e.g., education committee members, board members, industry speakers, subject matter experts, target audience members and staff) to interpret the results of the member survey.
3. Identify actionable next steps. Based upon the input of the constituent group, develop a reasonable list of action items that will breathe new life into your education efforts (e.g., rework the annual meeting schedule, explore different learning formats for an upcoming program or add a blended learning series to the annual meetings calendar).
4. Implement actionable recommendations. The assistance of volunteer leaders, subject matter experts and industry speakers should be enlisted to support the implementation of the group’s recommendations. Consultants may also be secured to support the process, as needed.
5. Evaluate the process and the outcomes. Once each recommendation has been implemented, a careful evaluation should be conducted to determine both effectiveness and member satisfaction. Additionally, the five-step research process should be evaluated, tweaked and implemented annually in some form to keep the organization’s education strategy fresh, competitive and valuable.

So, my question to you is this: Do education research and strategic conversations about learning inform your annual meetings calendar? Is your organization’s approach to member education cutting-edge or much more traditional? How would implementing this five-step research process impact the effectiveness (and reputation) of your meetings department?

For more information about my professional development consulting firm Event Garde, download our promotional brochure, visit the website or like us on Facebook. A personal, fun and completely free conversation will also enable us to discuss how I can best contribute (via research or other strategy) to the success of your organization’s professional development efforts. Together, we can achieve more.

Andragogy as a study of adult learning originated in Europe in the 1950s and was then pioneered as a theory and model of adult learning from the 1970s by Malcolm Knowles (an American practitioner and theorist of adult education who defined andragogy as “the art and science of helping adults learn”). Today, just about every professional development guru serving the association community has shared their spin on adult learning principles.

From a staff perspective, these principles become important when identifying qualified professional speakers or when coaching home-grown subject matter experts to deliver content in a meaningful and engaging way. For those who don’t make their career on the speaker circuit (but sometimes find themselves in front of an adult audience delivering content), knowing these basic principles provides direction when organizing, building and delivering a dynamic learning session.

Following are the six principles of adult learning as identified by Knowles (and then grounded within the context of association learning by yours truly):

1. Adults are internally motivated and self-directed. Adult learners resist learning when they feel others are imposing information, ideas or actions (or when content leaders appear unprepared, inexperienced or inauthentic). To encourage more self-directed and intentional learning, as well as to foster the learner’s internal motivation to learn, content leaders should:

• Develop interactive learning exercises that are challenging, but not overwhelming;
• Show genuine interest in the thoughts, opinions and questions of their audience;
• Provide feedback to learners, as appropriate, that is both constructive and specific; and
• Support the disparity in learning styles by employing a variety of learning methods.

2. Adults bring life experiences and knowledge to learning experiences. Adults like to be given the opportunity to use their existing foundation of knowledge and apply their various life experiences to their own professional development. Therefore, content leaders should:

• Welcome opportunities for learners to share their interests and experiences;
• Draw correlations between past experiences and current problem-solving challenges;
• Facilitate opportunities for reflective learning; and
• Examine existing biases or habits that may influence future learning or skill development.

3. Adults are goal oriented. Adult learners become ready to learn when they experience a need to learn in order to cope more satisfyingly with real-life tasks or problems. To facilitate a learner’s readiness for problem-based learning and increase his or her awareness of the need for the knowledge or skill presented, content leaders should:

• Provide meaningful learning experiences that are clearly linked to personal/professional goals;
• Share real-life case studies that connect the dots between theory and practice; and
• Ask questions that motivate reflection, inquiry and further research.

4. Adults are relevancy oriented. Adult learners want to know the relevance of what they are learning to what they want to achieve. To support learners in their quest for seeking and identifying relevancy, content leaders should:

• Ask learners at the beginning of the learning experience what they expect to learn;
• Check for meaning, understanding and relevance (to the context of work) throughout the learning experience;
• Identify what skills, knowledge or expertise learners gained as a result of participating in the learning experience; and
• Determine how learners might apply what they learned in the future (and in the context of their everyday lives).

5. Adults are practical. Through hands-on exercises and collaborative brainstorming, learners move from classroom and textbook mode to hands-on problem solving where they can recognize first-hand how what they are learning applies to life and the context of work. To support this transformation, content leaders should:

• Clearly explain their rationale when presenting new ideas or innovative solutions;
• Be explicit about how the content is useful and applicable to the learners’ work;
• Promote active participation by allowing learners to try new things, offer suggestions or share healthy skepticism rather than simply observe; and
• Provide ample opportunities for repetition to promote skill development, confidence and competence.

6. Adult learners like to be respected. Content leaders can demonstrate respect by:

• Taking an active interest in the development of all learners;
• Acknowledging the wealth of experiences that the learners bring to their work;
• Regarding learners as colleagues with unique perspectives and valuable life experience; and
• Encouraging the expression of new ideas, reasoning and feedback at every opportunity.

So, my question to you is this: How could you leverage these adult learning principles when vetting professional speakers? What opportunities exist within your organization to better coach subject matter experts in the principles of adult learning? The next time you are called upon to serve as a content leader, how will you approach the development and delivery of your session differently?

Power yoga isn’t about bending you into a pretzel or forcing you to chant. It’s about challenging you to reach your fullest potential. But that’s not all. The studio is hot. Like 95 degrees hot. Like Norwegian sauna hot. Essentially, the space is regulated to maintain July temperatures all year long. The rationale is simple: Heat purifies, improves flexibility, protects from injury and torches calories.

Now, by no means am I the most athletic, the most physically fit or the most flexible person to practice yoga. I never even considered yoga until passing the studio several consecutive days last summer. Each day (weather permitting), a chalkboard easel was placed just outside the studio’s front entrance donning a short, witty phrase (today, for example, the message board read: “spring into yoga”).

After about a week, I noted the studio’s website and decided to check it out. What I found was a very welcoming community. To this day, the landing page reads: “We love beginners. You take the first step. We’ll help you take the rest.” And so I did. I’ve been practicing now—on and off—for about nine months. In that time, a number of important themes have surfaced from my practice:

1. Acceptance. From the very first time I stepped foot into the studio, I have not only been welcomed (feeling genuinely at home and among friends), I have experienced acceptance for who I am, what I bring to my mat, what I have the ability to do (or not do) and what I have to share with my fellow yogis (a label I quietly resist given my current experience level).
2. Growth. Each class provides a new opportunity to grow—both physically and emotionally. When I consider my progress from moment to moment, the growth is small (sometimes too small to notice). However, when I pull back and examine my growth from week to week or even from month to month, the changes in my body, my abilities and my mind are staggering.
3. Clarity. Both on and off the mat, I find improved clarity in my thoughts. And not through chanting or meditation. The determination and discipline required each day to tune out the world for a solid 75 minutes while I focus on me, my breathing and my practice results in clearer thoughts outside of the studio relative to my life, my relationships and my work.
4. Refinement. Type A. Enough said, right? I’m a perfectionist and I like to do things “right.” The same is true on my mat, as well. Unfortunately, forcing your body into a pose is a sure-fire way to prevent its fullest possible expression (and can even result in injury). In fact, it’s only when you settle into a pose, embrace the discomfort and focus on tiny micro movements can you recognize and deliver true refinement.
5. Destiny. Not to sound melodramatic, but you only get out of yoga what you put into it. Sure, we have instructors and assistants to support our practice and to co-create our poses; however, a majority of the practice is left up to us—to challenge ourselves to our edge (and, sometimes, beyond); to take care of ourselves; and to apply these lessons to life outside the studio, as well.

The same is true for our members. And, no, I’m not advocating you offer early morning yoga sessions at your next conference (though I think the option is always welcome for those of us who practice or for those who are interested in taking the first step). Rather, the key takeaway here is that each and every time we develop a new program or event we create new opportunities to foster community, inspire learning, instill clarity, encourage refinement and point to what’s possible.

So, my question to you is this: How seriously do you take this responsibility? Is your organization delivering dynamic, meaningful and compelling education and networking experiences that inspire learning, engagement and community (or is it more about the bottom line)? If the latter, what small changes could you implement throughout the planning process to ensure a better and more deliberate outcome for your members?

There I break down the impact technology is having on the sheer volume of continuing education programs being offered today, the importance of education research in the development of quality learning and networking events, and the expertise required to pull off truly dynamic member experiences that draw upon innovative programming models and contemporary adult learning principles.

As part of a new, ongoing series I’m calling “Achieve More,” I will profile each month a unique strategy guaranteed to breathe new life into some aspect of your organization’s professional development efforts.

To kick-off this series, I’d like to address the benefits of a professional development consultation. Each and every day, someone, somewhere is planning an educational program or special networking event for association members. The very first step in the planning process generally includes a look back at the previous year’s records, including timeline, financials, communications and the like (assuming this is a repeat event).

Depending on the amount of available planning time and resources; the foresight to identify member needs through industry research, analysis and trending; the interest of volunteer leaders to take an active role in the establishment of program goals and objectives; and, finally, the organization’s own staffing, infrastructure and expertise, stage two varies considerably.

And, without a doubt, it’s this next step that determines the fate of an entire event.

Consider, for a moment, the old adage: “You only get out of something what you put into it.” Or, more succinct (and a bit crasser): “Garbage in, garbage out.” Primarily used to call attention to the fact that computers will unquestioningly process the most nonsensical of input data (“garbage in”) and produce nonsensical output (“garbage out”), this phrase is equally applicable to programs and events.

Churn and burn the same processes, meet with the same cohort of volunteer leaders, book the same venues, call upon the same speakers, partner with the same vendors (the violations are endless). Know what you’ll get on the other side? The same exact member experiences you’ve been turning out for the last several years (and, in some cases, even longer than that).

Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with building upon a successful learning format or booking a multi-year contract with a great hotel to save a bit of money for both you and your members, but the line must be drawn somewhere. Just because your members come back year after year doesn’t mean:

1. Your educational program inspires learning, engagement and community (the ultimate goal);
2. Your members will continue to come given the introduction of a next best alternative; and
3. Your organization is meeting its fullest potential (for both attendance and revenue).

Now, I’m not jaded enough to think that meeting professionals and professional development staff around the world are intentionally taking the easy way out. Quite the contrary. I’m intimately aware of the limited resources with which many education departments are faced. However, this isn’t a valid excuse.

Enter professional development consultants.

“Quick-fix” consultations (limited in scope and, believe it or not, overall investment) can have a sizable impact on jump-starting your planning efforts and providing new, innovative perspectives on what is possible. Consultations with a knowledgeable professional development expert can range from half-day to full-day sessions (or longer, depending on your organization’s needs) and may focus on:

1. Framing an upcoming program or event to make it unique and memorable (think innovative programming models here); or
2. Coaching staff to host a meaningful volunteer leader committee meeting intended to capture new ideas or identify member needs; or
3. Developing strategies to better support your speakers, transforming your organization’s subject matter experts into effective instructional designers.

The opportunities are endless. But in every instance, actionable recommendations should be provided by the consultant via a written report or executive summary to focus and refine your planning efforts long after the consultation has ended.

So, my question to you is this: What elements of your next signature program (or new 2012 event) could be reimagined? What effect would some coaching and advance preparation have on the effectiveness of your organization’s next education committee meeting? How would some targeted speaker preparation (e.g., dissemination of venue or session logistics, training or tips for better presentations) impact the experience of both your subject matter experts and program participants?

For more information about my professional development consulting firm Event Garde, download our promotional brochure, visit the website or like us on Facebook. A personal, fun and completely free conversation will also enable us to discuss how I can best contribute (via consultation or other strategy) to the success of your organization’s professional development efforts. Together, we can achieve more.

The book was intended to reach a broad audience, including high school guidance counselors, college/university academic advisors, young/emerging association professionals and those industry veterans interested in learning more about the next generation of employees and volunteer leaders destined to shake up the association community as we know it.

After a fairly significant period of brainstorming relevant topics, organizing them into meaningful chapters and, subsequently, sections, a comprehensive book proposal was drafted. This proposal was then discussed with and pitched to ASAE staff on a variety of occasions. Ultimately, the book was not picked up, but in its place a four-part monograph series was commissioned.

Monograph one, written by four graduates of the inaugural class of ASAE’s Leadership Academy, is titled Through the maze: Careers in association management. Together, Benjamin Butz, Beau Ballinger, Jennifer Connelly and Emily Crespo – with the support and mentoring of Elizabeth Engel – provide a comprehensive introduction to the field of association management, an understanding of why millennials are needed in the association world, the different roles in association management and profiles of association management professionals.

With regard to this document, I have three simple recommendations:

1. Read it. Commit this week to reading this document. I think you’ll find the format to be approachable, the content to be straightforward and the insights to be thoughtful. Not to mention, I think it’s fun (and fresh!) to see your profession through a different set of eyes (in this case, four authors, one mentor and eight profiles makes thirteen sets of eyes).
2. Share it. Forward this document to your friends, colleagues, staff, members, board members and other volunteer leaders. Post it to your website, share it via your social media channels and include it in an upcoming e-newsletter. Even these small steps will help spread the word about the remarkable profession we call association management.
3. Modify it. Create a similar document highlighting your own profession/organization. Consider commissioning volunteer leaders, subject matter experts and even your own staff and board of directors to generate a monograph orienting young/emerging leaders to your field and it’s various career opportunities.

As previously mentioned, this document is only the beginning of a four-part series. Monograph two will dispel a variety of myths, addressing topics related to “what I wish I would have known given the chance to do it over again.” Monograph three will tackle “navigating the work place,” including advice related to climbing the career ladder. And monograph four will approach what it means to “move beyond the workplace,” considering next steps for developing your professional network and refining your personal brand.

So, my question to you is this: How does your organization promote industry-related career opportunities to high school/college students, as well as young/emerging professionals? What other creative, unique and innovative ways can you use this monograph within your own organization?

For more information about young/emerging professional issues and interests, “like” ASAE Young Professionals on Facebook.

Simply scan the environment and it’s clear our culture is mobile-obsessed. We’ve become more technologically advanced and move at a faster pace. Combine this competition for time and resources with the endless access to information and content available online—not to mention the countless organizations now offering education opportunities at competitive rates (even free!)—and you have a long list of continuing education providers competing for market share.

And as associations play a more significant role in training today’s workforce, they must help learners take responsibility for their own learning, as well as teach them how to learn and how to leverage that learning within their organizations. To remain relevant, associations must also:

• Transform industry-specific knowledge and information into viable training;
• Align education with member needs through regular industry research, analysis and trending;
• Connect the dots between theory and practice; and
• Explore opportunities for virtual and/or blended learning formats.

Finally, recall a past conference experience with a one-dimensional keynote speaker and an afternoon of lecture-style breakout sessions. (Rather not, right?) Members today demand compelling experiences—delivered in a unique and interactive way—that inspire learning, engagement and community. These transformations require buy-in from key leaders and stakeholders, deliberate training and coaching of program facilitators and content leaders, and significantly more planning, organization, lead time and logistics management than ever before.

So, my question to you is this: How is your organization adapting to this shift in the professional development landscape? What are you doing differently to make your education offerings more innovative and engaging (dynamic, even)? How will you stand out from the crowd this year?