Fellows' advice: The 2002 ASAE Fellows share their leadership insights.

HOW DOES AN ASSOCIATION LEADER FIND TIME to tend to his or her own personal and professional development; foster a positive, inclusive environment to motivate staff; and ensure that members' needs are being met--with only 24 hours in a day? Here the newest ASAE Fellows relate their own experiences grappling with such challenges. These 14 executives, selected based on their significant contributions to the association community, join 156 other fellows who provide advice to the ASAE president and board of directors, monitor trends in the profession, and make recommendations for meeting future challenges.

Q: What is the most valuable tool that you have adopted for your own professional development? What leadership advice has influenced your career the most?

A: The most valuable tool that I have adopted for my professional development is to find a friend or colleague who has experienced the same problem, situation, or challenge that I am experiencing and has reached a successful conclusion. I then set up an appointment with that individual in an effort to learn what he or she did. This works well for me, but I tend to come away from the meeting with the solution scratched down on a legal pad rather than in those nifty handouts you get at a seminar.

[As far as leadership], without a doubt it has been the term immediacy of response. For me that means as soon as you identify a problem, a problem presents itself, you receive an urgent phone call or a letter requesting action, there is a staffing issue--whatever it is--address the problem as quickly as is possible. I am not suggesting the fire, ready, aim approach or to drop everything you're doing each time a new problem presents itself. What I would suggest is that it is better to recognize the concern quickly and get the issues on the table than to let it lie. These unresolved issues seem to keep presenting themselves until action is taken.

Don I. Tharpe

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer 

Council on Foundations 

Alexandria, Virginia 

[e-mail]

A: The greatest professional development tool has been the advice and counsel of my professional peers in ASAE. The knowledge represented by my fellow executives is an asset that does not have a price tag. There is always someone who has solved a particular challenge whom I can call on for information, knowledge, and guidance.

The leadership advice that has assisted me the most is from Colin Powell, who said, "Fit no stereotypes. Don't chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team's mission." Some situations require the leader to hover closely; others require long, loose leashes. Leaders honor their core values, but they are flexible in how they execute them. They understand that management techniques are not magic mantras but simply tools to be reached for at the right times.

Cynthia Mills, CAE 

President, National Arborist Association

Manchester, New Hampshire 

[e-mail]

A: The most valuable tool I have is own innate passion for learning. There are two pieces of advice that have shaped my thoughts on leadership. The first is from Lance Secretan, who says that we should all be working to create sanctuaries in our workplaces. He's talking about the concept, not a physical place. If we build a workplace that helps people feel whole, then leadership becomes a lot easier. The second piece of advice comes from Dee Hock, who says that leadership is about "going before, then turning a light back so that those behind can see their own way."

Mark C. Anderson, CAE

Executive Director

American Society for Surgery of the Hand 

Rosemont, Illinois 

[e-mail]

A: The internal code of my values is directional tool that I use to chart my course and keep myself on track. I value honesty, straightforwardness, respect for people's emotions, competency, intelligence, integrity, sensitivity to others, and analytical focus. With those in mind I'm able to see the whole picture. As far as leadership advice goes, there are a few recommendations that have influenced me: suspend disbelief; look for the silver lining; walk in somebody else's shoes; and keep a sense of humor.

Susan Burton, CAE

President and Chief Executive Officer

The Burton Group Ltd.

Fairfax, Virginia 

[e-mail]

Q: In what ways can a diverse membership build community within an organization?

A: What really is meant by the term diverse membership? We could be talking about ethnicity, cultures, gender, age, professional standing, occupation, and so on. For each of our organizations, diversity in some of these elements may be more difficult than in others where it is not an issue at all.

I don't think community building is something you can force. I think you must start by building an organizational culture that fosters and supports the building of communities. Ironically, I also believe that sometimes you need to start with lots of small, nondiverse groups and invite them together to respond to one issue, in order for them to see how they fit into the larger community.

Pamela Donahoo, CAE

Executive Director

American Mensa, Ltd.

Arlington, Texas 

[e-mail]

A: believe there is strength in diversity just as I believe there is strength in understanding and promoting the value of teamwork--but on a much larger scale. The concept of teamwork requires the acknowledgment that by working together in an inclusive, nurturing environment, the entire organization becomes stronger and more effective. In teamwork you don't have to personally love every team member-- but it is imperative that you recognize each person's unique contributions to the enterprise.

Alan Shark, CAE

President and Chief Executive Officer

International Wireless

Telecommunications Association

Washington, D.C.

[e-mail]

A: Building community comes when you can get something here that you cannot get elsewhere. Within an organization of diverse members, the challenge is to hone in on the element of commonality. Specifically, the key issues that can only be addressed by this organization, or by a section of the membership; what makes it unique. The more dispersed the discussion of issues, the greater chance for failure. The more targeted the discussion, the greater the chance for success. When organizations focus on only the easy issues or the broader issues, their opportunity to add value is minimal.

Mark Engle, CAE

Principal, Association Management Center

Glenview, Illinois 

[e-mail]

Q: How do you communicate your vision of the organization to your staff and how do you motivate them to carry out the mission?

A: My favorite method of sharing my vision is storytelling. With a diverse background that includes association management, sales, professional development, and business management, I've been lucky to have experienced a wide variety of business scenarios that tie to the future of our business. Storytelling by itself is a powerful tool that we, as business leaders, probably underutilize. Story not only communicates the vision in a creative fashion, it typically provides examples that serve as motivation to exceed our objectives.

There is also much to be said for the old method of "management by walking around." Knowing what motivates the individual and managing to the individual's strengths and idiosyncrasies allows me the opportunity to pop in and visit managers on a regular basis to see where I can assist with projects. The most important word there is assist. People need the room to grow, which often comes from trial and error. As a leader, whenever I can point someone in the right direction and help that person succeed (probably more so on critical projects) I will do that. But there is nothing wrong with an occasional failure, providing that as leaders we take immediate action to debrief the issue, address the mistake, consider alternatives, and help the employee grow.

Lawrence Lynch, CAE

Director, Business Development

Disney Institute 

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 

[e-mail]

A: Tie the vision to a real-world story that people can connect with--better yet, bring the members inside the organization to tell the story in their own words. In addition, carefully craft a key message set that captures the vision. Use it consistently in every public forum, both internal and external.

I believe that you can create an environment that motivates people by tying their roles and responsibilities directly to the vision, by regularly making time to discuss the question, "Do you know how your work relates to our vision?" and by measuring their performance against the question.

Nancy Green, CAE

Executive Director, The Fund to Promote

Awareness of Occupational Therapy

Bethesda, Maryland 

[e-mail]

A: Each year our organization undergoes a comprehensive exercise called the Strategic Management Planning Process. Components include short- and long-term planning horizons, mega issues, and strategic planning for a one-to-three-year time span. This planning process streamlines the board's decision making, optimizes the role of chief executive, fosters participation at all levels, and empowers staff. It can sustain focus when we are looking out to the 5-to-b-year planning horizon, but it also shifts focus for an immediate need. A well-designed and well-executed planning process is a tremendous competitive advantage, especially when the board, chief executive, and staff work harmoniously on a solid board governance foundation. It is the surest and fastest way to advance associations.

Dennis Longworth

President and Chief Executive Officer

International Facility Management Association

Houston

[e-mail]

A: Making the organization's vision known to staff is accomplished through a host of supporting events and communication, starting with interviews of prospective employees. We specifically ask people to tell us about the kind of organization they want to work for, and then we tell our candidates about what we want to make of the organization. Understanding the vision is further reinforced during new staff orientation, which culminates with small group sessions when I discuss our values, vision, mission, and future. Then I look to every subsequent communication to help explain how we are carrying out the vision through our actions. The organization's vision is also communicated annually in the introduction of our business plan.

The vision is further supported by our measurement system and the goals we set for ourselves. It is communicated in what I choose to recognize and reward. The long-term cumulative impact of thousands of actions or inactions communicates our vision. Action gives the vision life, and it's the worthiness of the vision that taps the heart and soul of staff to have them join us in making the vision reality.

Paul Borawski, CAE

Executive Director

American Society for Quality 

Milwaukee

[e-mail]

Q: What engages you as a leader? Has there been a particularly difficult or challenging experience in your career from which you took a lasting leadership lesson?

A: What engages me as a leader is being authentic with the people with whom I am privileged to work. In one organization in which I worked, the staff leadership was composed of three white men, while the remaining staff members were largely women and people of color. One day in a staff meeting, I acknowledged that fact and made the point that white men in our culture have special privilege that results in an inordinate number of white male organizational leaders. The result of identifying the "dead moose" under the table was that issues of diversity were discussed openly. More importantly for me, my relationship with others in our organization changed, and people came to discuss issues with me more freely and straightforwardly. The lesson from that was that I was never a more powerful leader than when I made myself vulnerable.

Robert Van Hook, CAE

Executive Vice President, Transition

Management Consulting, Inc.

Upper Marlboro, Maryland 

[e-mail]

A: Associations are fundamental to democracy. What drew me into the nonprofit sector and especially into association management was the deep satisfaction of bringing people together to work toward a greater good. By improving our profession or industry we strengthen the fabric that holds us together as a society.

From managing a start-up operation early in my career I learned the value of remaining unalterably focused on a goal no matter how tough the terrain. With a start-up organization you must gather, test, and deploy resources almost simultaneously. Also, some of those resources are in short supply, making other operations difficult. Creating an organization from scratch takes an act of will, but it does happen. Keeping faith, keeping optimistic, and keeping focused are lessons almost always learned the hard way, but those are the ones that stick with you for a lifetime.

Susan E. Fox, CAE

Executive Director, Society of American

Archivists, Chicago

[e-mail]

A: I get my kicks from watching people exceed their expectations of themselves, whether as individuals or as a group. Stewardship of a mission is what we espouse, but success of this magnitude cannot happen without people who are willing to grow, change, and risk. When that actually happens, there is magic to behold. Being part of creating an environment and helping people to conquer their fears in order to experience the magic is what engages me most.

Early in my career, I was offered the opportunity to move from the number two position to CEO by a board that did not want me to leave for advancement. In order for this to happen, the current CEO would have been fired for no reason. I knew that I did not want to get any job this way. I knew it was not good for the association, the members, the staff, the board, or me for something to happen this way. I walked away from an organization that I loved. What I took from this was the lesson that doing things right matters. Having integrity matters. I needed to remember to carry the courage that I had that day with me whenever I was faced with an ethical dilemma in the future, including the ability to walk away. I also learned that sometimes a leader s most powerful teaching moments can come at those times.

Leslie Murphy, CAE

President, Executive Director, AMOA 

National Dart Association, Indianapolis

[e-mail]

Compiled by Jane Eisinger, associate editor, and Jamal Samuel, editorial assistant, of ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT. E-mails: [e-mail] and [e-mail].