Look! A university that runs an association!

Association U

Last month I started working for a center within a university that has its own membership.  I am essentially serving as the executive director of an association within a university.  To me, it's the last frontier  structure-wise to experience before I feel I can say with confidence that I've tried them all: 

• Standalone international professional association with niche components
• Standalone national trade association that houses international professional associations 
• Standalone startup for professionals
• Standalone affiliate trade organization
• Professional association chapter within an Association Management Company
• National trade association within a university
• Solo Consulting
• Cohort Consulting & Teaching

Being here is taking some getting used to (thought it would "feel" like the ABA, which is how the AHA felt.  It does not).  The last few times I worked for a university, I had been a student first, so I knew the campus and the people. Today, I don't have that or a roadmap for the structure. Also, the logistics are challenging (we aren't "student facing" yet I've been told we should be on campus 3x or more/week and even though it is less than 20 miles away, it has taken up to 1.75 hours one way thanks to traffic). 

So I'm still acclimating.  I am excited that it may open a door to go back to formal education (just one set of letters left for me to put behind my name!) and may also help me enter Act III: Scene I (The Kids' College Years) with some plan for them.

What's crazy is that I'm again coming full circle on things I did early in my career that matter:

I looked at the list of members and I noticed one is 100+ year old organization that creates matting for pictures.  One of my jobs in high school and college was temping, so I got to spend a few of my breaks with that company personally as an interim receptionist. I did that role for other companies as well.  It is a great way to learn about working in an office setting and appreciate what's similar (and not!) so you can more quickly contribute on future assignments and have something to compare to.

I'm also finding the synergies in my network.  Today I realize that one of our sponsors will connect a lawyer who used to volunteer with me to our members.  How wonderful to have that person contributing to a group I run.

As we gear up for 2023, I hope there are many more cool "circle backs" that come to life.  A group I helped for most of the year offered many in 2022. I really enjoyed engaging with that group and wished they'd be open to more (challenging national "value add", shifting to quarterly board meetings while encouraging more regular committee meetings, creating trackers that are on point, etc.). 

Finally, to toast to the synergies in my network and background in multiple areas, I choose "interdisciplinary" as the key word of the year.  Having an appreciation of why we need multiple perspectives and how to orchestrate them allows us to not only see issues from different vantage points but also create new levels of ideas.  Can't wait to engage with other professionals to elevate this group!  

Happy Holidays.

LOOKING BACK ON YEAR ONE: Collab with longstanding industry teacher

I am thankful to a longstanding industry teacher who was open to collaborating with me last year.  We haven't made it real yet (honestly, it's a matter of funding), but we created the ELEVATE concept. 

Originally, he asked for help creating a female-only cohort that would take his pre-existing course in VOLT (the national NECA education system).   Because the program already existed and two of the three segments already had access, it felt like a simple job for a salesperson.

So I thought... how can this become a true collaboration?  I feel the MEP industry (mechanical, anyway) was missing an owner-to-owner support network for the women contractors and that is who I wanted to support. I helped the national MCAA create Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) and it is a popular initiative but is needed to make all women of industry, not just the ones who own the companies, feel a sense of belonging.  My fascination with peer groups (I tried Vistage and C12) showed me that owners liked commiserating and found courage at times from others' stories.  I wanted to pepper in experiential concepts (Richard's curriculum, for example, included a visit to a small town to hear from a mayor on how he helped his town recover from a natural disaster. I love the concept and would shift to a high-ranking woman at Amtrack who manages crisis and can meet us at Union Station in Chicago).  

First, I suggested adding regular peer lunches that include pop-up experts to help participants with their issues (the format women who run associations uses) or facilitate discussion on hot topics/innovations.  I also wanted to see a capstone project: brainstorm industry issues, determine potential ways to improve the landscape, coach for the pitch, and connect each woman with the right audience to make the presentation (knowing who it was for is half the battle!).  Perhaps we can reach out to the woman who organizes TedX Wrigleyville to help...  

Next, I started local with my quest to build up a list of women who run MEPs.  While doing it, I found one-off sponsors so I could gather the contacts for a nice lunch, get new contacts, and hear about their current issues.  Last year, a supporter connected a philanthropist to these efforts so we do them every 2-4 months. Now, I have a list that's long enough to create 1-2 cohorts locally (depends on whether we go with a traditional peer group size (12) or the size of a VOLT cohort (24)). 

Anyway, we tried early on to gain funding from the national MEP associations: MCAA/NECA/SMACNA... but it didn't track.  

Today, I see that the gatherings are building momentum for the concept of helping the women gain more connections, spark meaningful industry conversations, and hopefully one day provide the funding to go beyond lunch.  

Thanks for any ideas you have!

To write or not to write... that is the question

I was raised a writer, but now I hesitate.  I worry about what others will think? Am I making someone feel bad? Will someone figure out what organization I'm talking about? What if they figure out what person in that organization?

So I haven't been writing as much as I could, or should to help my association community.

And I need to find ways to get over it.

Do I just draft something and not share it until it's combed over by me, reviewed by someone from the organization or ??

I remember a long time ago putting my heart and soul into an article that was really good but also a little dangerous to share... and having my key source tell me he didn't feel comfortable being named... and as I was submitting that he wanted his comments pulled entirely.

Ugh!