CEO to CEO.

Q: What is your policy for dealing with employees who have substance abuse problems that affect their work habits?

Employees rarely admit to having a problem prior to symptoms of abuse appearing. Therefore, our managers must rely on indicators such as excessive absence, decreased productivity, and inappropriate workplace behavior.

If an employee displays one or more of these indicators, our supervisors are trained to provide basic verbal counseling to address recent performance issues and present a clear understanding of our expectations without reference to a suspected substance abuse issue. This gives the employee the opportunity to correct the problem without formal disciplinary action. Should this prove ineffective, a written corrective action plan outlining specific corrective action items and the consequences of failure to meet expectations may be issued.

Every effort is made to handle each case of possible substance abuse in a sensitive and confidential manner. We also offer professional mental health counseling as part of our employee benefits.

Jacquelyn L. Lendsey President and CEO. Women in Community Service, Alexandria, Virginia; [e-mail]

Our personnel policy addresses this issue in a general manner to allow the association the flexibility to meet its needs and at the same time support a staff member with an alcohol or chemical dependency. The manual employs the term "reasonable accommodation" for "employees who wish to voluntarily participate in a licensed rehabilitation program."

My responsibility as the CEO would include regular meetings with the employee to set reasonable expectations as to his or her work during a specified period of treatment. Understanding and flexibility are key for the association but must be partnered with mutually agreed upon expectations and a demonstrated commitment by the employee.

Patricia Aiken-O'Neill President and CEO, Eye Bank Association of America. Washington, D.C.; [e-mail]

My approach is to value and respect the person and focus on the behavior as the problem. Together we work on changing the behavior. In the past, this has been a successful approach. However, when a personal problem, such as drug addiction and abuse, is stronger than the person, we have to protect the team and the organization and ask the affected staff person to seek help and other employment.

Terrance Barkan CEO. European Association Services. Brussels; [e-mail]

We are a mid-size association, and our policy prohibits using, possessing, selling, transferring, purchasing, or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, or other intoxicants by employees at any time on our premises or while representing the association. While we would attempt to work with employees on a case-by-case basis for a known substance abuse problem that may be adversely affecting their work habits, we have no such formal policy. We encourage employees to seek counseling and offer a leave of absence to undertake rehabilitation treatment. Failure to cooperate with an agreed-upon treatment plan might result in discipline, up to and including termination.

William R. Tolley. CAE Executive Vice President, American Concrete Institute. Farmington Hills. Michigan; [e-mail]

When this situation presented itself at my association, we staged an intervention with the employee. We called a closed-door meeting with her, and her supervisors documented specific instances where the substance abuse caused erratic behavior and poor performance. We offered substance abuse counseling, but we also made it clear that any further evidence of abuse would result in immediate termination. If these situations aren't dealt with immediately, they create a dysfunctional work environment-forcing fellow employees into the role of enabler. Responding quickly and firmly is best for all concerned.

Susan E. Fox, CAE Executive Director, American Association of Law Libraries. Chicago; [e-mail]

Q: What are effective strategies for recruiting new members in a tight economy?

The National Restaurant Association has developed a relationship with our restaurant association partners in the 50 states and three territories. When a restaurant joins a partner association, it automatically becomes a member of the national association and vice versa. Through this membership exchange, we have increased our membership by 46 percent in the past three years.

Steven C. Anderson, CAE President and CEO, National Restaurant Association, Washington, D.C.; [e-mail]

People will pay for what is important and valuable to them even in trying economic times. We try to capture students' allegiance while they are in college, offer them discounts as they transition to full membership, and offer a professional association that causes them, in difficult times, to make sacrifices with other discretionary expenditures while holding onto their affiliation with us. So we 1) make a case early in the prospective member's professional life--no later than college; 2) constantly improve products, services, and benefits; 3) demonstrate that, even in adverse economic times, we are a member's strongest advocate; 4) provide easy transition into full membership at the time when they can least afford to pay; and 5) hope that we are successful.

John J. Mahlmann Executive Director, MENC: The National Association for Music Education, Reston, Virginia; [e-mail]

When the times are tough, the tough get focused on what value their organization brings to its members. Ask the question, "What value-added services, ideas, programs, connections do members get from belonging to this association?" The answer must be real in terms of dollars and sense.

Anne L. Bryant, CAE Executive Director, National School Boards Association, Alexandria, Virginia; [e-mail]

In this economy and into the future, value creation for the prospective member is critical. Some key items to think about:

* Identify your target members.

* Assess their needs. Why should they spend their dollars or their companies' dollars on your association?

* Know your industry and competition.

* Create and improve services to meet target member needs.

* Promote your key service offerings to prospective members.

* Start at the beginning--evolution will keep your organization viable and in existence.

William D. Pawlucy, CAE Senior Vice President, Business and Trade Associations, Association Headquarters, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey; [e-mail]