Breaking Away.

Dinned to the bulletin board in the office of ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT Art Director Beth Lower is a small, black and white still from the film Breaking Away. The four young men in the photograph wear the euphoria of victory and the warm bond of friends who would push themselves to the limit to help one another. In fact, they have just pulled together to win what is essentially a bicycle relay race, Indiana University's Little 500, around which the climactic scene of the movie is built.

Years ago, when I saw Breaking Away for the first time, the movie appealed to me (and still does) for several reasons, not the least of which was its vivid illustration of what is possible when a team gives its all to the achievement of a goal. It's not too much of a stretch to say that--as do the four Bloomington men in the film--when the members of good staffs bring to bear their unique talents, when they challenge and support one another, and when they pull together to push toward a common goal, the results are frequently astonishingly good.

I'm reminded of this when I glance at Beth's photograph and today as I reflect on the achievement of the magazine now before you and the incredible combination of talents and drive (staff's and others') that got us to the goal. Not bad things for a new editor to think about.

Recognizing all the talent in our associations and finding ways to keep top performers engaged in their work and wanting to stay are challenges to which we can all relate--especially in this employment market. I'm particularly excited about this month's cover story. Senior Editor and Features Manager Gerry Romano's masterful "Pop the Question" scans the environment in which associations are challenged to keep top staff and offers a window into retention practices that are getting results. Sometimes the advice sounds simple: You have to ask employees what will keep them on board and happy. That question makes way for the often more complex task of satisfying those desires in the context of organizational needs and priorities. The strategies of association executives and others Gerry interviewed for the article vary widely. I'll whet your appetite here with just one insight from her piece: Consultant John Izzo offers that the promise and delivery of exciting work is one of the best staff-retainers there is. Ke ep staff "informed of what opportunities lie ahead," he advises. "Let them know about juicy projects on the horizon."

Career enhancement from another perspective is the thread that runs through the pair of articles that follow "Pop the Question." "Positioning Yourself for the Top Job" and "Pump Up Your Employment Potential" offer tips for preparing yourself for the CEO slot and proving you're the right candidate. One message is that the mix of forces shaping the business of running associations--mergers and acquisitions and competition, to name a few--are also shaping recruiting efforts and the attention paid to particular talents. To be a successful top-job-seeker, you have to not only understand the evolving association world but also understand the changing recruiting scene. There's lots more in the issue--from a piece about tapping the value in an aging workforce, to a package of articles about preparing for an emergency transition, to an insightful interview with ASAE Key Award winner Ken Reid, CAE (he's a change agent and a dedicated volunteer, and he brings his dog to work), to a pair of articles that explore e-busin ess models and the threats and opportunities that abound amidst the competition.

The content of the issue reflects the kind of rapid change we're all experiencing every day. Change is something ASAE has seen a lot of in its 80 years of serving the association management profession. I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment here to recognize the association's anniversary, which we celebrate this month. There's one other bit of recognition I'd like to add. Last month in this column, the longtime top editor of ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT, Ann Mahoney, CAE, bid the magazine adieu as she moved into her new position as ASAE's vice president of strategic development in the new Electronic Communication and Technology Division. Ann also spoke kindly of me in her final column. Now it's my turn. As Ann breaks away to give her all to the pursuit of the goals of her new role, it's only fitting to thank her for the many years of leadership, innovation, and dedication that she brought to ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT. The pages of this magazine shone under her editorship, setting a lofty standard for mine.