From the minds of fellows.

The 1999 ASAE Fellows offer their take on managing staff, serving members, and volunteering.

Three issues with which association executives grapple continually are managing staff, serving members, and volunteering. Recognizing this, ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT asked the 1999 ASAE Fellows and Associate Member Fellows to give their colleagues some fresh ideas on these topics. Selected for their outstanding leadership in advancing the association management profession, these nine executives join more than 100 others who earned in earlier years ASAE's prestigious Fellow designation.

Read on to learn how the newest ASAE Fellows, who are association executives, and Associate Member Fellows, who are ASAE supplier-member executives, manage a multigenerational staff, better serve members, and balance volunteer and work commitment.

- LaRonda R. C. Famodu, assistant editor of ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT, compiled this article. E-mail: [e-mail].

Q: How do you bridge the gap among multigenerational staff members? What issues have come up, and how have you resolved them?

With 43 staff ranging in age from early 20s to 60-something, we are always cognizant of the need to bridge the generation gap. Our goal is to foster an environment where each individual feels appreciated, accepted, and acknowledged for what he or she brings to the table.

The best way we've found to break down barriers is to create forums for the various generations to work together on association programs and office projects. We approach all new programs with teams that include representatives from the different generations. Although usually led by a senior member on staff, generation X participants (born 1965-1976) are quite vocal. When using this approach, meetings might take longer, but reaching consensus saves countless hours in dealing with unhappy employees and produces better results.

Office celebrations and events provide another opportunity to bridge the generation gap. Special teams are generally chaired and filled with the baby boom echo (born 1977-1994) and generation X office population. By using some of the younger staff to plan our outings and special events, we not only get these staff more involved in the office but also benefit from their fresh and creative ideas. The more senior staff have had their opportunities in these positions and readily turn over the planning to younger staff members.

We'll use a planned move to new offices as another opportunity to encourage interaction and enhance respect among generations. By creating open office suites with multiple meeting areas, the mixing of skills, styles, and attitudes should routinely take place. I hope that the best of all generations will be used in this learning environment.

Barbara S. Borschow, CAE Executive Director, American School Food Service Association, Alexandria, Virginia

Q: How do you ensure that your association's policies reflect the needs of all members, not simply those who are most prominent in the organization and most vocal about their needs?

A properly developed strategic plan will go a long way to ensure that association decisions are member driven rather than whim driven. Such a plan offers the proper context for addressing ideas. When a vocal member says, "I think we should hold a conference on XYZ topic," the organization can ask critical questions such as: What evidence do we have of a member need for this meeting? How does a meeting on this topic fit in with the association's mission, goals, and objectives?

In the absence of a strategic plan, one idea is no worse or better than another, and the ideas that survive are those that have the strongest advocates.

Michael E. Gallery, CAE Deputy Executive Director, American College of Emergency Physicians, Dallas

Ensuring that association policies meet the needs of more than the most prominent or vocal members requires a thorough, multiyear planning process, consistency of implementation, effective volunteer leadership development, and accurate decision-making data.

We use a three-year operations and financial planning process that drives resource allocation and policy development. This process creates a constancy of purpose, based on outcomes to be achieved, which extends beyond the current year. It also creates an awareness of organizational resource strengths and weaknesses. The process and the management plans it produces are used as training tools when our volunteer leadership turns over. By institutionalizing a process of decision making and policy development, we can better withstand vocal special interests or political power shifts.

John E. Vowell, CAE Deputy Executive Director, APICS - The Educational Society for Resource Management, Alexandria, Virginia

As an active volunteer leader, I am a firm believer that many people make an organization. When we act as part of committees and councils, or when we participate in educational events, we need to treat all association members or potential members the same. While the member who is vocal or prominent within the association knows the "who, what, or where" of the organization, I make it a point to take the quiet members aside and introduce them to other members who might have common interests or needs. I see myself as an ambassador and always remember to treat people as I would like to be treated, with openness, warmth, and interest in potential contributions.

Dorothy L. Fortwengler President, Creative Sales and Marketing, Alexandria, Virginia

Q: How do you balance your "real-world" work with your responsibilities as a volunteer leader? How do you make time for volunteer activities?

In trying to balance volunteer commitments with work, I make sure that each volunteer activity is focused, has a defined scope, and relates to my specific skill sets or interests. If the activity will require a learning curve, the task must relate in some way to knowledge or skills I already possess, so that the curve is reduced. This criterion lessens frustration on my part and allows me to make a contribution - rather than spend precious time trying to learn something new so that I can possibly make a contribution. Most of my volunteer activities give me an opportunity to learn and grow in some way, however, since they are adjuncts to a base of knowledge I need to expand.

Another way I keep my balance is by seldom accepting responsibility for more than two volunteer leadership roles within a given time frame. Whenever I exceed this limit, I am disappointed with the quality of leadership I provide and the results. I find it far more satisfying to be committed to one thing and do it well.

Dianne Hughes, CAE Executive Vice President, Texas Mortgage Bankers Association, Austin

My volunteer activities help make me a better association executive, so it is important to me to find time, for volunteering. However, balancing between my job and my volunteer activities is only part of the equation. My friends and family, recreation and exercise, intellectual and spiritual growth, and house and yard maintenance all require time as well. I have found that trying to do everything all the time is a trap. I now do what I can, as best as I can, as often as I can. That means some things do not always get done, but the most important things are done well.

Curtis C. Deane, CAE President, American Society of Civil Engineers Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Balancing real-world work and volunteer commitments becomes easier when you look for projects that not only accomplish something meaningful for the community but also have the potential to enhance you professionally. For example, developing and putting on a pro bono session for a symposium accomplishes many things for me. It sharpens my focus on an issue, stretches my presentation skills, and lets me share expertise with and learn from program participants - all while enhancing my company's reach and meeting new contacts.

Another example would be a more conventional community-service project such as painting the Jane Addams Hull House after ASAE Chicago 1997. While refining my painting skills was not a priority, the project gave me the opportunity to work side by side with other members of the association community in a relaxed, team-spirited environment - a rare but beneficial experience. The key to balance is identifying activities that both provide tangible community benefits and support career goals.

Jodie Hirsch Slaughter President, McKinley Marketing, Chevy Chase, Maryland

I have to answer this question with two words: passion and prioritization. When it comes to volunteering, I only do so in areas in which I am deeply interested. Having passion for a project makes it easy to prioritize and dedicate time. For me, an example of this is therapeutic riding - teaching mentally and physically disabled children to ride horses. I love children and horses, so I became a therapeutic-riding volunteer.

Logistically, I balance my real-world work with my volunteer activities by staying relatively organized, putting in a little extra time, and keeping a good sense of humor when things get too crazy.

Michele Singer Ross Senior Vice President, First Union National Bank, McLean, Virginia

In today's frantic business environment, not only do you have to perform at peak levels, you also must reserve time for professional affiliations.

To make time, I schedule my volunteer commitments as I would allocate time for my company's corporate retreat. I view my volunteer role as an active participant eager to learn from the interchange of information that occurs during my various committee meetings. This experience helps in my day-to-day analysis of business opportunities that are presented to my company. For instance, when volunteering you have to understand other people's needs and figure out the goals of the volunteer project. The skills used for these tasks are similar to those used for business analysis.

Kent Wasmuth Vice President of Sales, Opryland Hotel Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee