WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?ASSOCIATION BOARDS AND STAFF grapple with that question frequently, typically during strategic planning Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. retreats and discussions. Yet their conversations usually focus on the near future--the next three to five years. The distant future--say, 10,15, or even 20 years down the line--remains a topic for another day. Cramming The unauthorized addition of services to your telephone bill such as an 800 number that you never ordered. The charges are usually noted on the bill, but are identified in a cryptic manner and/or are printed in a place that is easy to overlook. See slamming. one more consideration into an already busy day seems difficult, especially given the questionability of the future. Some predictions ma come to pass; some may not. Do you really need to think about the future when day-to-day operations are pressing enough? "Yes" is the resounding re·sound v. re·sound·ed, re·sound·ing, re·sounds v.intr. 1. To be filled with sound; reverberate: The schoolyard resounded with the laughter of children. 2. answer from the more than 100 association executives, suppliers, and guest experts who participated in the ASAE ASAE American Society of Association Executives ASAE American Society of Agricultural Engineers (Society for Engineering in Agricultural, Food, and Biological Systems) ASAE Alkali-Sulfite-Anthraquinone-Ethanol Foundation Virtual Community of Practice. The answers may not be forthcoming immediately, they say--but the questions still need to be asked. For 10 months last year, the conference participants discussed and debated topics ranging from "Values, Ethics, and Spirituality" to "Leaving a Legacy" to "The Future of Work." The vast majority of their conversations occurred online, which became known as the Virtual Community of Practice. Building upon the ASAE Foundation's earlier 4 work, published in book form as Facing the Future: A Report on the Major Trends and Issues Affecting Associations, the Community of Practice identified seven issues to which associations must respond and adapt in order to survive. Their work forms the core of the ASAE Foundation Futures Scan, the results of which are presented in Exploring the Future: Seven Strategic Conversations That Could Transform Your Association. (This book was just released at the ASAE Annual Meeting and Exposition in Philadelphia.) On the following pages, you'll find a summary of those seven strategic conversations as well as an explanation of the process that produced them. Both can help frame your association's approach to the future. LOOKING TO 2010 AND BEYOND ROBERT OLSON The results of the ASAE Foundation Futures Scan are in. Here's a preview of the issues your association may soon face. IMAGINE THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TOGETHER dozens of the most imaginative leaders in your association's community to identify critical emerging issues. Perhaps you also can involve a score of futurists and experts in the conversation. And suppose you can keep this conversation going for months, not just for a few hours in a face-to-face meeting. The ASAE Foundation recently conducted this experiment in an effort to identify the issues that association leaders must understand to survive and thrive in the future. The results appear in Exploring the Future: Seven Strategic Conversations That Could Transform Your Association. Exploring the Future is the ASAE Foundation's second major environmental scan. The first, titled Facing the Future: Preparing Your Association to Thrive, identified 14 trends that represent the best-understood and most-certain trends affecting the future of associations. Exploring the Future pushes beyond these near-certainties to investigate emerging issues that are less certain but potentially even more important. The ASAE Foundation worked with the Institute for Alternative Futures Institute for Alternative Futures (IAF) is a non-profit futures research and education organization. Its mission states: "IAF leads in the discovery and creation of preferred futures". , Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 128,284. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) south of downtown Washington, DC. , to look further into the future than the association community has before: to 2010 and beyond. The scan's cornerstone was a virtual community; the participants used Internet-based conferencing See teleconferencing. software to conduct an online dialogue about issues that aren't yet on many people's radar screens. This giant cyberdialogue covered dozens of topics. Significant new insights that emerged were refined during focus groups with association leaders and representatives from other parts of the association community. Seven major issues emerged from this process and were developed further through interviews and literature reviews. The challenge of change In one of the first conversations in the Futures Scan online dialogue, futurist James Dator asked participants to distribute 100 percent among three major factors that will likely shape life during the next 20 to 50 years. The factors were continuities, cycles, and novelties. On average, the association participants who filled out Dator's questionnaire believed that more than one third of the future will be driven by novelties--developments that are truly new. In contrast, the futurists who responded thought that nearly two thirds of the future will he unprecedented. Dator himself voted 80 percent for novelties. The idea that one third or more of the future could be radically different from today is novel in itself. What makes people believe that such an extraordinary rate of change is plausible? The dialogue suggested three factors. Converging con·verge v. con·verged, con·verg·ing, con·verg·es v.intr. 1. a. To tend toward or approach an intersecting point: lines that converge. b. technologies. The essence of the digital revolution is that information is being reduced to the same basic form: bits that can travel from one technology to another. Because the technologies are increasingly able to interact, progress in one area stimulates developments in the others. Information technology, for instance is fomenting technical revolutions in biotechnology, materials design, and manufacturing. The result? An unprecedented technological acceleration. A new economy. The explosion of knowledge and technological change is creating a new economy that is much bigger than dot-coms and e-commerce. The whole economy is increasingly knowledge-based, global, networked, transparent, and fast. Consumption is giving way to experiences; distance is vanishing; and time is collapsing. Static rules are being replaced by faster, more flexible modes of learning and coordinating. Value chains are becoming value webs, hierarchies are flattening
The flattening, ellipticity, or oblateness of an oblate spheroid is the "squashing" of the spheroid's pole, down towards its equator. and linking outward, and relationships are becoming central to success. Societal so·ci·e·tal adj. Of or relating to the structure, organization, or functioning of society. so·ci  e·tal·ly adv.Adj. challenges. Some challenges are primarily technological. For example, improvements in energy efficiency and alternative sources of energy are needed to head off global warming global warming, the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution. and to support the world economy when global oil supplies decline. Other challenges, such as providing affordable health care to an aging population, are primarily social. Challenges this big could cause tremendous disruptions if they are not dealt with well, and dealing with them will require major changes. Associating effectively One theme that emerged in the online dialogue is that operating successfully in a world of continuous change requires the ability to associate effectively. That means bringing people into cooperative relationships and forming new groups and subgroups as needed as needed prn. See prn order. to learn, plan, and coordinate responses to emerging developments. Henry Ernstthal, CAE (1) (Computer-Aided Engineering) Software that analyzes designs which have been created in the computer or that have been created elsewhere and entered into the computer. , one of the participants in the online dialogue, put this insight bluntly. "If even a fraction of the potential changes we're discussing actually happen, many things about today's associations will become obsolete. But the process of associating will become increasingly important," noted Ernstthal, president of Ernstthal & Associates, Washington, D.C. Fortunately, association executives are well versed Versed® Midazolam Pharmacology A preoperative sedative in the skills necessary to associate effectively. Their skills give association leaders a head start in dealing with rapid change and helping their members meet the challenges ahead. Seven emerging issues Aside from technology, a number of emerging issues could dramatically improve the ability to associate. The seven issues, which are highlighted in Exploring The Future, are as follows: 1. Meaning matters. During the past decade, associations have been increasingly challenged to help their members be successful on the bottom line. In the decade ahead, aging baby boomers See generation X. will also become preoccupied pre·oc·cu·pied adj. 1. a. Absorbed in thought; engrossed. b. Excessively concerned with something; distracted. 2. Formerly or already occupied. 3. with success on the top line-the sense of meaning they derive from their association involvement. William Strauss, co-author co·au·thor or co-au·thor n. A collaborating or joint author. tr.v. co·au·thored, co·au·thor·ing, co·au·thors To be a collaborating or joint author of: "He and a colleague . . . of generational history books like Generations and Millennials Rising, argued in the Futures Scan online dialog that throughout American history the generations that were most idealistic i·de·al·is·tic adj. Of, relating to, or having the nature of an idealist or idealism. i  de·al·is in their youth have always made their greatest contributions
late in their lives through principled prin·ci·pled adj. Based on, marked by, or manifesting principle: a principled decision; a highly principled person. and inspirational in·spi·ra·tion·al adj. 1. Of or relating to inspiration. 2. Providing or intended to convey inspiration. 3. Resulting from inspiration. "elder stewardship stewardship the occupation of being a steward or custodian. Referring to animals it implies the caring sort of relationship based on an acceptance of the need to include the rights of animals in overall plans to maintain financial viability. ." If Strauss is right, during the 2000s and 2010s the boomer boom·er n. 1. Informal A nuclear submarine armed with ballistic missiles. 2. Informal A baby boomer. 3. A transient worker, especially in bridge construction. 4. generation will be increasingly concerned with guiding their organizations toward meaningful purposes, fostering meaningful relationships, and making meaningful contribnutions. (2.) Global + local = glocal. Glocalization is a term that describes how many aspects of life are becoming more global and more local at the same time. Think of how corporations that operate internationally, such as car manufacturers, often customize their products or services to meet the needs of local populations. Associations, as forums for representing members, will need to change as many national-level decisions move upward to international organizations and simultaneously devolve devolve v. when property is automatically transferred from one party to another by operation of law, without any act required of either past or present owner. The most common example is passing of title to the natural heir of a person upon his death. downward local governments. (3.) Association staff members tend to voluntarily abandon most of ences in cultural back-personal viewpoints when e office. But a rich variety of backgrouns and viewpoints improves, creativity, decision making, and g within associations. To tap these potentials, associations need to shift from assimilating as·sim·i·late v. as·sim·i·lat·ed, as·sim·i·lat·ing, as·sim·i·lates v.tr. 1. Physiology a. To consume and incorporate (nutrients) into the body after digestion. b. differences to raising awareness Raising awareness is a common phrase advocacy groups use to justify a particular event, brochure or even the entire organization. Raising awareness refers to alerting the general public that a certain issue exists and should be approached the way the group desires. of differences, valuing them more, and making use of them. 4. Generational synergy The enhanced result of two or more people, groups or organizations working together. In other words, one and one equals three! It comes from the Greek "synergia," which means joint work and cooperative action. . A good deal of attention has been given to resolving generational conflicts, especially between the generation X-ers and the boomers. Now the challenge is to go beyond conflict resolution to fostering better understanding and cooperation among generations. Each generation has contributions to make and special roles it is best equipped to play. 5. Learning culture. The ability to learn is the single most important skill that individuals and organizations need to thrive amid rapid change. Associations need to focus less on teaching and more on true learning. Active learning approaches, new ways of dealing with uncertainty and error, and new technologies will allow associations to act as central hubs within the learner-centered networks of an emerging learning culture. 6. Transparency. Demands for greater openness and accountability are growing rapidly, driven by the spread of democracy, economic globalization globalization Process by which the experience of everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and ideas, is becoming standardized around the world. Factors that have contributed to globalization include increasingly sophisticated communications and transportation , the digital revolution, and Internet-enhanced social activism. Association leaders need to understand the organizational and social advantages of greater transparency and then balance those benefits with their members' legitimate concerns about transparency's problems and limits. (See the sidebar (1) A Windows Vista desktop panel that holds mini applications (gadgets) such as a calendar, calculator, stock ticker and Vonage phone dialer. It is the Windows counterpart to the Dashboard in the Mac. See Windows Vista and gadget. , "Greater Openness, More Accountability," for a more detailed discussion of this emerging issue.) 7. Living organizations. Instead of trying to control everything in an environment of continuous change, association leaders need to view their organizations as living systems able to adapt through self-organization. To promote self-organization, leaders need to clarify their purpose and values, scale back bureaucracy, and understand the critical importance of knowledge sharing and trust. Conversation starters Any of these issues can be ignored or viewed as a threat--or approached as an opportunity to improve your association. These seven emerging opportunities will not be all your association will face between now and 2010. However, they are profound places to begin exploring what your association is becoming. "How associations respond to the seven issues identified in Exploring the Future may well determine how successful they will be in the future," says Brent Mulgrew, executive director of the Ohio State Medical Association, Hilliard, and chair of the 2000-2001 Environmental Scan Task Force. Because these issues are just emerging, no one is certain how they will unfold unfold - inline . Cautions Mulgrew, "There is no cookbook (programming) cookbook - (From amateur electronics and radio) A book of small code segments that the reader can use to do various magic things in programs. One current example is the "PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook" by Adobe Systems, Inc (Addison-Wesley, ISBN recipe for dealing with these issues." Instead, he notes, the report aims to give association leaders a framework for starting strategic conversations. "Asking the right questions and having the right conversations are critical leadership skills in this time of continuous change," Mulgrew continues. "By initiating conversations about these issues in your own association, and sharing what you learn with other association leaders, we can learn together how to make the future work." As economist Kenneth Boulding observed, "All our experience is with the past, but all our decisions are about the future." Continuous rapid change makes our past experience less relevant, forcing everyone to engage in an ongoing process of learning and adaptation. Learning more about the seven issues set out in Exploring The Future can help you associate more effectively to adapt to change. It only takes one really important idea to launch a transformation. You have seven. Robert Olson is research director for the Institute for Alternative Futures, Alexandria, Virginia. E-mail: BOlson bol·son n. Chiefly Southwestern U.S. A flat arid valley surrounded by mountains and draining into a shallow central lake. [American Spanish bolsón, augmentative of Spanish bolsa, @altfutures.com. GREATER OPENNESS, MORE ACCOUNTABILITY You don't have to look far to see evidence of one emerging issue. Here are a few examples of how organizations, governments, and institutions are being pressured to operate in a more open and accountable manner. * Activists among mutual fund shareholders are using e-mail and the Internet to coordinate their efforts. The shareholders are urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to require mutual fund managers to disclose their proxy voting Proxy voting is the delegation to another member of a voting body of that member's power to vote in his absence. It is essentially synonymous to delegated voting. Proxy voting is commonly used in corporations for voting by members or shareholders, because it allows members guidelines guidelines, n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. and their votes on particular issues. * Global Forest Watch, a network of local forest protection groups linked by the Internet, monitors the world's oldgrowth forests. Participants record on digital maps any illegal cutting or burning and post this information on the Web. * Since Inc. magazine coined the term in 1990, open book management has spread rapidly. It's part of a movement calling for greater openness within organizations. A new kind of Internet-empowered activism is emerging as a major driving force for greater transparency. Allen Hammond, chief information officer and senior scientist at the World Resources Institute Founded in 1982, the World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank based in Washington, D.C. WRI is an independent, non-partisan and nonprofit organization with a staff of more than 100 scientists, economists, policy experts, business analysts, statistical , Washington, D.C., described this emerging force in the online discussion. "When activists can send multiple messages with the click of a mouse, when hundreds of Internet news groups can form overnight, and [when] thousands of Web sites instantly proffer To offer or tender, as, the production of a document and offer of the same in evidence. proffer v. to offer evidence in a trial. information and opinion ...then the traditional power of the media to focus public attention can be ...outstripped by an actively engaged public." Not everyone in the Futures Scan's online dialogue and focus group discussions was thrilled at the prospect of moving toward a more transparent society. But almost everyone eventually concluded that demands for greater openness and accountability will inevitably grow, driven by the spread of democracy, economic globalization, and the digital revolution. For instance, the proportion of the world's population that lives in a full or a limited form of electoral democracy grew from 12 percent to 60 percent during the last century. Democratic societies develop attitudes about transparency in the public sector that then shape expectations about behavior in the private and nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. sectors. As a truly global economy emerges, investors want better information about the national economies and the companies in which they are investing. As trade, capital, pollution, crime, drugs, people, and ideas increasingly move on a global scale, those who are affected want better information about what is happening. Thanks to the digital revolution, gaining information about corporations, governments, and other organizations is easier. People can share that information widely and coordinate social activism globally. As pressures for greater transparency grow, members will look to their associations for guidance. Governments and activist groups will press associations to provide the forum for negotiating agreements on the "new bottom lines" of environmental and social performance. And association members will want greater process transparency so that they can see how decisions get made and how they can participate. To develop a coherent transparency strategy, association leaders need to consider the organizational and social advantages of greater transparency, then weigh concerns about transparency's problems and limits. On the positive side, greater transparency in an organization creates a reputation for honesty and integrity and increases trust among all the parties who deal with it. Operating in a transparent environment tends to foster accountability and better performance. It avoids spending a lot of energy covering up mistakes and focuses instead on solving problems. Transparency draws in people who want to be a part of an open and honest organization and is especially appealing to younger people. It changes an organization's internal culture in positive ways by encouraging more knowledge sharing. Despite these benefits, there are potential risks involved in moving toward greater transparency. Organizations must be able to protect information critical to maintaining their competitive advantage. Greater transparency can make an association or member a bigger target for unreasonable critics determined to distort information. And taking transparency too far could violate due process and infringe in·fringe v. in·fringed, in·fring·ing, in·fring·es v.tr. 1. To transgress or exceed the limits of; violate: infringe a contract; infringe a patent. 2. on reasonable protections of personal privacy. Although carrying any principle to the extreme can cause problems, we are nowhere near the limits of useful openness in most areas of economic, environmental, social, and political concern. Future generations may look back at our era as the "dark ages" of unaccountable institutions and see the growth of transparency as a historic force for progress. Many Community of Practice participants came to agree with Mark Anderson Mark Anderson
Geography Rosemont is located at (41.990730, -87.873816)GR1. . "For me," Anderson said in the online dialogue, "transparency feels positive. While it might make my job more difficult, I think in the long run it will benefit my association and most organizations. Eventually, the truth will set us free," CREATING A COMMUNITY MICHELLE MICHELLE Mid-Infrared Echelle Spectrograph MASON A key component of the ASAE Foundation Futures Scan was the Virtual Community of Practice. Thanks to today's technology, this community enabled more than 100 association executives, authors, experts, and business partners to engage in meaningful dialogue on their own timetables, wherever they happened to be located. Establishing a virtual community of practice is just one means of scanning the environment to remain abreast of developing trends. If you wish to initiate a similar scanning process in your association, here are some recommendations: DEDICATE ded·i·cate tr.v. ded·i·cat·ed, ded·i·cat·ing, ded·i·cates 1. To set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate. 2. A FULL-TIME PERSON TO THE PROJECT. The ASAE Foundation selected the Institute for Alternative Futures, Alexandria, Virginia, to monitor, participate in, and facilitate the online futures dialogue. Designating someone to keep the conversation going--and keep it on track--frees your members to participate fully. They don't have to spend their time structuring a rambling rambling Neurology Fragmented non-goal directed speech most often caused by acute organic brain disease. See Organic brain disease, Word salad. conversation or jump-starting one that lags. ENCOURAGE A DIVERSITY OF PARTICIPANTS. Geography doesn't matter in an online community, where people can participate 24 hours a day, at their convenience. A virtual community of practice offers an excellent opportunity to engage members in many states and countries, as well as your association's business partners, in a focused conversation about the future. DEVELOP A LIST OF TOPICS TO ADDRESS. Rather than front-loading the discussion, which can quickly burn out the participants, pace the introduction of new material and topics. This keeps the conversation manageable and can help revitalize re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. the dialogue as old topics become exhausted. For instance, the ASAE Foundation planned its online conference to revolve around Verb 1. revolve around - center upon; "Her entire attention centered on her children"; "Our day revolved around our work" center, center on, concentrate on, focus on, revolve about five themes: converging technologies, new economies; demographic destinies, human choices; global societies, local communities; learning organizations, visionary leaders; and noble aspirations aspirations npl → aspiraciones fpl (= ambition); ambición f aspirations npl (= hopes, ambition) → aspirations fpl , lasting legacies. A new theme was introduced every two to three months. Within the five themes, a specific topic might be discussed for a week or two. That was long enough to lure lurkers out of the shadows to participate, but not so long that some participants might lose interest in the discussion. INVITE GUESTS TO PARTICIPATE. Guest experts can field questions and lead the discussion for a week. You may be surprised at how willing many authors, speakers, and consultants are to share their time and insights with your members. The combination of a limited time commitment and the ability to respond at their leisure makes participation easy. In turn, knowing an expert will be online for a limited time prompts participants to pay closer attention to the discussion and submit questions for consideration. PROMOTE THE DISCUSSION THROUGH E-MAIL UPDATES. Some participants inevitably get distracted by other concerns and don't keep abreast Verb 1. keep abreast - keep informed; "He kept up on his country's foreign policies" keep up, follow trace, follow - follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something; "We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba" ; "trace the of the online discussion. Periodic e-mails to all participants can reignite Verb 1. reignite - ignite anew, as of something burning; "The strong winds reignited the cooling embers" ignite, light - cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat; "Great heat can ignite almost any dry matter"; "Light a cigarette" their interest and encourage them to rejoin re·join 1 v. re·joined, re·join·ing, re·joins v.tr. To say in reply, especially in sharp response to a reply. v.intr. To reply. the conversation. You might, for example, send an e-mail introducing a new guest expert, offering provocative quotes from participants, or announcing new conversation topics. PERIODICALLY SUMMARIZE sum·ma·rize intr. & tr.v. sum·ma·rized, sum·ma·riz·ing, sum·ma·riz·es To make a summary or make a summary of. sum THE DISCUSSION. The ASAE Foundation concluded each theme with an online posting of the major topics that had been discussed in the preceding weeks. Participants could then identify the ones they believed most relevant and important to the association community. In addition, encourage your conference facilitator to post ongoing summaries to ensure that everyone stays on track. The spontaneous qualities of online discussions can cause conversations to evolve in unexpected directions. While valuable, this increases the difficulty of tracking conversations as they move off the topic. FIELD TEST THE IDEAS THAT EMERGE. To further refine the issues identified in the online conference, the ASAE Foundation conducted 10 focus groups with association executives, consultants, and suppliers to the field. The focus groups helped to reframe Re`frame´ v. t. 1. To frame again or anew. the topics, making them more relevant to the association community at large. STRUCTURE A BEGINNING AND END TO THE ONLINE CONFERENCE. Plan a formal launch and a graceful exit The ability to get out of a problem situation in a program without having to turn the computer off. . Ideally, have several face-to-face meetings along the way. Such meetings give participants a chance to put faces to the names they see on the screen and can deepen deep·en tr. & intr.v. deep·ened, deep·en·ing, deep·ens To make or become deep or deeper. deepen Verb to make or become deeper or more intense Verb 1. their enthusiasm. The ASAE Foundation Virtual Community of Practice began in March 2000 after an in-person meeting of many of the participants, held at ASAE. Two weeks after the virtual launch, participants wanted to have a physical meeting to put faces with names. Six months later, at the ASAE Annual Convention, the group met again to meet newcomers and explore themes that had arisen online. Participants found that these real world meetings coupled with their virtual discussions were a key element in bringing them closer together. Six to 10 months is an ideal time frame. If you continue past that point, give conference participants a break of several weeks. That enables them to return to the conversation refreshed re·fresh v. re·freshed, re·fresh·ing, re·fresh·es v.tr. 1. To revive with or as if with rest, food, or drink; give new vigor or spirit to. 2. . AM Michelle Mason is vice president, research programs, fore fore front, e.g. forelimb. fore cannon the third metacarpal bone of the horse. the ASAE Foundation. E-mail: mmason @asaenet. org. SPEAKING IN SPACE JANICE ROSSI One participant in the ASAE Foundation Virtual Community of Practice offers her perspective on the online experience. I'M PARTICIPATING IN A DYNAMIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM Generation--people born after 1981--with peers from across the nation. As we talk about this generation's characteristics, values, and motivations, I develop a better understanding of how my organization, as well as the association world in general, will be affected in the not-so-distant future. The discussion moves to other topics, from defining globalization to creating community in a cyberworld. Needing a short break, I stop by the water cooler to engage in light banter. Where is this stimulating dialogue occurring: A major ASAE conference? An educational seminar? In fact, I'm at home, sitting in my jeans and sweatshirt. It's 11 o'clock at night, and I'm participating in the Virtual Community of Practice, a Web-based virtual conference sponsored by the ASAE Foundation. Its participants, scattered Scattered Used for listed equity securities. Unconcentrated buy or sell interest. across the country, come together at their own convenience to discuss how emerging trends will change the world as we know it. Between March and December 2000, nearly 100 association executives engaged in this virtual conference, which functioned much like an online bulletin board. Topics were posted for discussion and usually moderated by a guest expert, all with the goal of generating thought-provoking questions, observations, and responses. No one had to be online at the same time to participate. In fact, many lurked in the shadows, reading the discussions without ever posting a response. Instant access Our high-tech world challenges us to remain connected in spite of the isolation caused by our mobility and accessibility. Just think about how often you are alone in a room yet communicating--via phone, fax, pager, or email. The ability to access anyone, anywhere, from anyplace an·y·place adv. To, in, or at any place; anywhere. See Usage Note at everyplace. Adv. 1. anyplace - at or in or to any place; "you can find this food anywhere"; (`anyplace' is used informally for `anywhere') anywhere , has lessened less·en v. less·ened, less·en·ing, less·ens v.tr. 1. To make less; reduce. 2. Archaic To make little of; belittle. v.intr. To become less; decrease. our need to be in someone's physical presence. With a community of practice model, you can learn from some of the best minds in your field-without setting foot on an airplane airplane, aeroplane, or aircraft, heavier-than-air vehicle, mechanically driven and fitted with fixed wings that support it in flight through the dynamic action of the air. , checking into a hotel, or ordering room service. For instance, as I sat in my office, in a hotel room, or even on my couch at home, I carried on as many as 17 different conversations simultaneously, all thanks to a computer and specialized software. The beauty of a community of practice is that the technology facilitates participation whenever you have the time. Every time I accessed the home page of the ASAE Foundation Virtual Community of Practice, with my own password and user ID, I could see a list of the conversations or threads and the moderator's name. The screen told me how many new entries had been added to each thread since my last visit. If I had just 15 minutes available, I might choose to visit one with only three new entries. If stuck in a hotel all night, I might dig into Verb 1. dig into - examine physically with or as if with a probe; "probe an anthill" poke into, probe penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" one with 30 new entries, scrolling (chat, games) scrolling - To flood a chat room or Internet game with text or macros in an attempt to annoy the occupants. This can often cause the chat room to be "uninhabitable" due to the "noise" created by the scroller. Compare spam. back to the beginning to see how the conversation developed. Of course, there was also the ever-popular "water cooler" for chatting about something unrelated to the topic at hand. In addition to being customized to meet my individual needs and time availability, this virtual conference gave me the opportunity to engage in dialogue with well-known authors and experts, called our Chautauqua Chau`tau´qua 1. a meeting, usually held in the summer outdoors or under a temporary tent, providing public lectures combined with entertainment such as concerts and plays. It originated in the village of Chautauqua, N. Y. guests. Imagine being in a room with the author of a best-selling best·sell·er also best seller n. A product, such as a book, that is among those sold in the largest numbers. best or groundbreaking book and being able to engage in the give-and-take of a true conversation. How many times have you sat in a lecture with a well-known author and wanted to ask a question but weren't one of the few chosen during the question-and-answer time? Yet during a virtual conference, you feel as if there are a handful of folks sitting around a table in a CAFE having an informal conversation. Commmunity life Did a true community form around the ASAE Foundation's virtual conference? Without a doubt. In the Internet article titled "What is Community? "(www.workfrontiers.com/w hat_is_community.htm), Arian Ward defines community as "a group of people related by some degree of each of the following common elements:" Common purpose. All of us expressed interest in participating in the virtual conference to ferret out Verb 1. ferret out - search and discover through persistent investigation; "She ferreted out the truth" ferret discover, find - make a discovery; "She found that he had lied to her"; "The story is false, so far as I can discover" what the future may hold for associations. We had the desire to lead our associations into the unknown with perhaps a little less uncertainty. Each participant had a personal drive to learn more and was willing to risk taking a position on questions that might arise. Common cultural context. Our group strongly paralleled the profile of ASAE in general, so we shared the perspective of being primarily association executives. The group, however, also highlighted a weakness of our field--the lack of diversity. Ordinarily or·di·nar·i·ly adv. 1. As a general rule; usually: ordinarily home by six. 2. In the commonplace or usual manner: ordinarily dressed pedestrians on the street. we might have known that only through the posting of in-depth profiles on the conference Web site. However, many of us were fortunate to gather face-to-face before the virtual conference began and quickly realized we were not a very diverse group. As our online discussions emphasized, inviting other cultures to participate in associations may be a challenge--but it's also a necessity. Co-location. Community participants can be either in physical proximity or interact virtually through the Internet. Ward notes that participants in virtual communities usually are more willing to take risks because of the higher degree of anonymity In anonymity networks (e.g. Tor, Crowds, Tarzan, etc.) it is important to be able to measure quantitatively the guarantee that is given to the system. The degree of anonymity  overbooked overbookedSee oversubscribed. with and tasks, I found it refreshing to choose when to join the futures group. I could access the conversation late at night when the world was slumbering, early in the morning before the phone rang, or even during my lunch break. A virtual community is always there, no matter when you choose to drop in. ASAF ASAF Assistant Secretary of the Air Force ASAF All Sales Are Final ASAF Allied Sportsmen's Associations of Florida, Inc. ASAF Amador Schools Arts Foundation (Amador County, CA) VIRTUAL SEMINAR "Forward Thinking: Seven Strategic Converstaions About Your Association's Future" September 12, 2001, 2:00p.m.-3:30 p.m. Join Michelle Mason, vice president for research, ASAE Foundation, and Chip Levy, principal, Rochelle Organization, for an engaging discussion on seven critical issues that will shape the future of associations. Visit www.krm.com/asae for more information. Food for thought Allen Hammond, one of the Chautauqua guests, addressed the implications of such activities for associations. In his opinion, virtual communities offer "... the ability to form partnerships with like-minded organizations around the world and to interact more intensively with those partners at an affordable cost. And perhaps also to form partnerships with unusual kinds of allies. I am seeing more and more partnerships among NGOs (non-governmental organizations “NGO” redirects here. For other uses, see NGO (disambiguation). A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization created by private persons or organizations with no participation or representation of any government. ), businesses, governments or international agencies, and associations of all types--all allied via cyberspace Coined by William Gibson in his 1984 novel "Neuromancer," it is a futuristic computer network that people use by plugging their minds into it! The term now refers to the Internet or to the online or digital world in general. See Internet and virtual reality. Contrast with meatspace. to accomplish a common task or linked by a common agenda, even if it is a fleeting one. "Think of the alliance of more than 700 different groups to ban land mines and push through a global treaty in 18 months (for which they got the Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish and Norwegian: Nobels fredspris) is the name of one of five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. ). Associations can actively participate in these kinds of partnerships, bringing with them their knowledge and membership-based credibility." Where once differences and distances kept people and populations apart, those same characteristics become invisible when a dialogue takes place electronically. Imagine a few years in the future when language translation takes place automatically online, where skin color cannot be seen, and where accents are not heard. The true exchange of ideas becomes a reality as new alliances form around common causes, interests, and missions. Associations are positioned to lead in building those alliances. Unfortunately, the ease of linking people also has a dark side. In recently published research by Rand Rand See Witwatersrand. rand 1 n. See Table at currency. [Afrikaans, after(Witwaters)rand. , titled The Zapatista "Social Netwar" in Mexico, the authors note, "The information revolution is leading to the rise of network forms of organization, whereby small, previously isolated groups can communicate, link up, and conduct coordinated joint actions as never before. "This, in turn, is leading to a new mode of conflict--'netwar'--in which the protagonists depend on using network forms of organization, doctrine, strategy, and technology. Many actors across the spectrum of conflict--from terrorists, guerrillas List of famous guerrillas, ordered by region: Afghanistan
Certainly, the responsibilities of associations will grow as we struggle with both the opportunities and threats afforded us by technology. Perhaps more important, what are our responsibilities as association executives? An enriching experience An assessment of the environment identifies the ongoing need for relevance; meanwhile, change has become the status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. . The traditional methods of data collection to assess member needs are too cumbersome and time-intensive to maintain relevancy. Virtual conferences enable you to engage members in focused dialogue, tackling complex as well as simple issues. Simultaneous with the ability to gather data, you gain a growing sense of community at a time when people are feeling more isolated from their associations. Those two reasons alone warrant at least exploring virtual conferences for your association. As Gary Hamel Gary Hamel, a graduate of Andrews University and the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is the CEO of Strategos, an international management consulting firm based in Chicago, and a visiting Professor of Strategic Management at London Business School. writes in Leading the Revolution (2000, Harvard Business School Harvard Business School, officially named the Harvard Business School: George F. Baker Foundation, and also known as HBS, is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University. Press), "The goal is not to speculate on what might happen, but to imagine what you can actually make happen." My participation in the ASAE Foundation Virtual Community of Practice enriched my life as an association executive. By providing a rich resource for answers, it empowered me to start asking challenging questions. My vision of the future for associations, as well as my own association in particular, has expanded. Janice Rossi is executive director of the North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. Association of Rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. Facilities, Inc., Raleigh. E-mail: jrossi@ncarfcom. A GENERATIONAL CONVERSATION To illustrate the give-and-take of the ASAE Foundation Virtual Community of Practice, here's an excerpt ex·cerpt n. A passage or segment taken from a longer work, such as a literary or musical composition, a document, or a film. tr.v. ex·cerpt·ed, ex·cerpt·ing, ex·cerpts 1. of the two-week dialogue that revolved re·volve v. re·volved, re·volv·ing, re·volves v.intr. 1. To orbit a central point. 2. To turn on an axis; rotate. See Synonyms at turn. 3. around the topic of "Millennials Rising." The guest expert, William Strauss, is co-author with Neil Howe, of four books Four Books Chinese Sishu Ancient Confucian texts used as the basis of study for civil service examinations (see Chinese examination system) in China (1313–1905). on generational history including Generations. JUNE 21, 2000; 5:55 A.M. "Consider how the media, politics, families, and the marketplace treated the millennials differently from those who came before. In the early to mid-1980s, babies were a huge national preoccupation pre·oc·cu·pa·tion n. 1. The state of being preoccupied; absorption of the attention or intellect. 2. Something that preoccupies or engrosses the mind: Money was their chief preoccupation. . Around 1990: little kids. Now: teenagers. You can see this most clearly in movies, but it's all around us, from the safety products we can buy to the way politicians behave to the standards we set for schools. "Millennials are more team-(and association-) minded than boomers and generation X-ers. They also will be more inclined to develop lifelong loyalties. This means that big brands could be back, in time, and also that association activities could have a new heyday--not yet, but down the road. Associations would be smart to develop youth programs--community service programs, internships, and the like."--William Strauss, guest expert JUNE 2, 2000; 11:48 A.M. "Millennialists are more team-oriented, but that doesn't always seem to translate into joining groups. [When] we did strategic planning for Key Club International (Kiwanis high school youth service branch), they often were more interested in creating new avenues to channel their passions than putting them into an established organization."--Jeffrey Cufaude, Consultant, Indianapoils JUNE 21, 2000; 12:02 P.M. "Millennials may be seeking ways to connect, to come together, to network, but I'm betting that the traditional association format is not at all what they are looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. . So, how do we change associations to tap into the millennials' need for community that seems to be distinct from a need to join?"--Barbara J. Sido, CAE, Managing Director, Professional Practice, American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Organized in 1857, the Institute conducts various activities and programs to support the profession and enhance its public image, including periodically awarding the AIA , Washington, D.C. JUNE 21, 2000; 12:50 P.M. "The tendency of millennials to associate does not at all mean that existing associations have an easy path ahead. Many of the new millennial association genres involve new technologies, new interests, new causes, new corners of the culture. "The smart association will be the one that finds a way to tap into the distinctly modern, 21st-century aspect of this new generational mind-set. You may need to step aside a little and let them organize a few things their own way."--William Strauss JUNE 22, 2000; 1:20 AM. "Associations may need major cultural changes, more than just creating subgroups that allow the millennials to join together with their peers under the umbrella of the existing organization. It seems that the current culture of many associations is to value years of service in volunteer positions through committee work before admitting people into leadership ranks. "Are associations being challenged to allow younger, less experienced volunteer leaders to set the direction and culture of a [new] organization, with the idea that the original organization will fade away Verb 1. fade away - become weaker; "The sound faded out" dissolve, fade out change state, turn - undergo a transformation or a change of position or action; "We turned from Socialism to Capitalism"; "The people turned against the President when he stole the ? Is there a way to bring the various generations into the original organization? Are we brave enough to give away our positions of leadership?"--Susan M. Darrow, Consulting Partner, In formation Systems Consulting Group, Inc., La Grange, Illinois La Grange is a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 15,608 at the 2000 census. The area around La Grange was first settled in the 1830s. History The name La Grange is French for "The Barn. JUNE 23, 2000; 1:55 A.M. "At some point, every association started with some vision or purpose that caused others to get excited. Like many organizations over time, many associations have lost that energy. So some associations dropping off the charts may not be bad. If there truly is a need for its work, people will re-form [the association] and give birth to a new vehicle with new energy, new commitment, and new vision."--Jeffrey Cufaude JUNE 23, 2000; 8:28 AM. "On the whole, millennials will be responsive to adult leadership--more so than boomers or generation X-ers were at a like age. They will look to older exemplars to fix the goals and principles for which younger people can then work. They aren't looking for older people to be 'hip' but to create an environment in which they, as new workers (or association members), can be effective."--William Strauss JUNE 28, 2000; 5:02 A.M. "The evolutionary advantage to cooperation will continue to drive people to come together and organize for what they perceive to be their common purpose. The form in which they do so might be similar or dissimilar to current associations, but some will undoubtedly become large enough to require professional management. For the talented and flexible among us, careers will be there for the taking."--Henry L. Ernstthal, CAE, President, Ernstthal & Associates, Washington, D.C. JULY 3, 2000; 9:53 AM. "I have seen that women and men are volunteering in different patterns and that the traditional volunteering does not allow for the short term, episodic episodic sporadic; occurring in episodes. e. falling a paroxymal disorder described in Cavalier King Charles spaniels in which affected dogs, starting at an early age, experience episodes of extensor rigidity, possibly brought on by stress. e. , or shared leadership that is so prevalent now. It will be wonderful to have a leadership generation like the millennials. For associations, the mentoring of this generation to leadership will be most important in the next 10 years."--Joan Carolyn Kuyper, CAE, Deputy Director, Society of Women Engineers, New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. JULY 3, 2000; 11:48 A.M. "I agree, Joan. The challenge to associations of mentoring the next great leadership generation is something that hasn't even been on the radar screens of associations up to now. If our community of practice can help spread awareness of this challenge, that will be an important service."--Robert Olson, Research Director, Institute for Alternative Futures, Alexandria, Virginia JULY 7, 2000; 3:20 A.M. "One of the keys to successfully involving the millennials in associations is to ensure that we are meeting their identified needs, not asking them to fit into our definition of what their needs should be. As we have said elsewhere, positive change that keeps associations relevant to current society will ensure their growth in the future."--Janice C. Rossi, Executive Director, North Carolina Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc., Raleigh THINK TANK THOUGHTS ABOUT COMMUNITY Community--whether of the virtual or the physical variety--is much-discussed in association circles these days. And for good reason. Every association is a community, right? Perhaps. Or is it that people sharing similar interests or concerns form many smaller communities within an association, and the association can play a role in facilitating community? Perhaps more importantly, what makes community work, or stick, if you will? The ASAE Foundation worked with the Center for Applied Research, in Philadelphia, to explore ways in which associations can help sustain networks that link their members to one another and the broader world. Its abstract, Creating the "Stickiness" of Community--Ten Fundamentals, outlines 10 fundamentals association executives might consider as they work to strengthen community within their associations. Following on the heels of the research was the ASAE Foundation Think Tank. Held in February at the Wyndham Miami Beach Miami Beach, city (1990 pop. 92,639), Dade co., SE Fla., on an island between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean; inc. 1915. It is connected to Miami by four causeways. in Florida, the think tank was, in essence, a community exploring community. Working in small groups and as part of a broader whole during the course of a day and a half, participants literally picked apart the concept of community. What elements have to be in place in order to have community? How can associations nurture NURTURE. The act of taking care of children and educating them: the right to the nurture of children generally belongs to the father till the child shall arrive at the age of fourteen years, and not longer. Till then, he is guardian by nurture. Co. Litt. 38 b. community? How strategically important is community to associations? Their observations aren't conclusive Determinative; beyond dispute or question. That which is conclusive is manifest, clear, or obvious. It is a legal inference made so peremptorily that it cannot be overthrown or contradicted. , but the dialogue yielded some interesting perspectives, many of which are captured in a report that you can access via the ASAE Web site. To read the final report, go to www.asaenet.org/foundation or click from the ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT area of the site to the think tank report. |
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