Banff experience inspires values project.

A breakthrough moment. That is how Roger A. Wentz views his experience as the 2002 recipient of the Banff Centre-ASAE Award for Excellence in Association Leadership. Executive director of the American Traffic Safety Services Association, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Wentz enjoyed the combination of classroom teaching, peer interaction, one-on-one networking, and outside-the-box exercises undergone at the one-week "Leading Strategically" program. His experience has inspired an ambitious, multiyear quest to pinpoint what members value about ATSSA so that the organization can ensure that it is developing events, products, and services to deliver that value.

ATSSA's values project evolved from Wentz's work on a competency map-the key tool of the program. This map helps executives determine on which of 19 core competencies to focus. Core competencies encompass four major categories:

1. strategic thinking and value creation;

2. leading organizational culture;

3. understanding and connecting organizational processes; and

4. communicating.

Wentz, seeing the value of his competency map, had six members of his management team and the elected board president complete the exercise. Based on the results, ATSSA has decided to focus on core competency number one: "Fashion clear vision and passion for quality, innovation, and business strategy across the organization."

Now under way is a series of one-on-one, open-ended, taped interviews with members across the country, following which Wentz will meet with a mix of members (e.g., new, veteran, inactive) from some of ATSSA's 19 chapters to "get a much better sense" of what they value. "We'll look at six different value propositions that will enable us to develop two-way value for members, customers, and staff," he explains. "Right now, we're seeking answers to the first question: What value does ATSSA bring to members?" The other value questions Wentz and his management team will explore:

* What value do members bring to ATSSA?

* What value does ATSSA bring to the association's customers?

* What value do customers bring to ATSSA (i.e., who is a valuable customer)?

* What value do staff bring to ATSSA?

* What value does ATSSA bring to staff?

According to Wentz, major shifts in the industry ATSSA represents have likely affected what members want and expect from the association. During this project, ATSSA will try to determine what value members receive from networking at its trade show, for example. "One question before ATSSA is, should we move to the European model, where it is common to have a private booth in which to conduct business? That would be the case," Wentz points out, "if we determine that the value members are seeking is the ability to make business contacts. If the value is more social in nature, perhaps we should design the trade show to afford more opportunities for impromptu social gathering,"

Describing the values project as "a work in progress," Wentz says: "[We've] been scratching around the edges of this for awhile. It's like a lightbulb clicked on as a result of the Banff experience."

Chosen annually, Banff Centre-ASAE Award recipients receive full tuition to one of three 10-day professional development programs at the Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada. Transportation, accommodations, and meals are also provided. For more information, visit www.asaenet .org/awards/banff.