Corralling Correspondence.
My best tip for time management to continually look for ways to work smarter. During my more than 15 years in association management, we've described this quest as everything from "killing two birds with one stone" to today's nomenclature of "multitasking." No matter what we call it, here are a few ways I've applied the concept to streamlining our association correspondence.* Digest the association's news. Two times each month, I send out a one-page, two-sided briefing to all members of the governing board, committee chairs, and committee members. In this brief publication, I not only update the leadership on important business and issues, but reinforce deadlines for committee reports, conduct brief surveys, publish upcoming special events and meetings, and so forth. Everyone on the routing list knows that the "Noone News" is coming and faithfully reads the short document.
* Consolidate correspondence. The staff mails to the leadership each Friday afternoon all correspondence accumulated throughout the week. Unless the individual pieces are urgent, they go in the single mailing. This serves not only as a cost saver to the office, but provides the association leadership with just one package each week. When they receive it, they know that all their association business is included in one packet. This practice benefits both elected leadership and staff.
Stephen J. Noone, CAE, executive director, American Academy of Osteopathy, Indianapolis (staff size. 6; annual operating budget: approximately $1 million).
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| Author: | Noone, Stephen J. |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Association Management |
| Article Type: | Brief Article |
| Geographic Code: | 1USA |
| Date: | May 1, 2000 |
| Words: | 234 |
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