12 January 2000
It sometimes seems like only a small percentage of the members of an association are active and involved. There is a tendency to assume the rest of the membership isn't interested, doesn't have time, or chooses not to be active for their own reasons.
How do you know this? Have you considered that there may be things the association leadership is or isn't doing that influences this lack of involvement? These people made an effort to join your association so it can be expected that they have some commitment or belief in the mission. What has the association leadership done to augment and enhance this commitment?
A simple but extremely effective solution is to listen. Listening can be as structured as a structured survey of to the membership, or as simple as listening to members talking amongst themselves at an association meeting. Listen to the questions they ask at association meetings. Listen to the suggestions they offer. Listen to their "off the wall" ideas. Take the time to talk to members and find out what concerns them, what interests them, what the association offers them.
Investment in listening to your members can increase member participation and sense of belonging. It can provide the association with new ideas. It can open up new possibilities for committee or project volunteers.
What can you do? As an association leader, take the time to talk with members at association gatherings. Consider inviting a few members to an informal lunch. Personal phone calls go a long way towards creating a cooperative atmosphere. Asking members for their ideas and input and listening to their responses builds stronger ties for the association.
"Contradiction should awaken Attention, not Passion" (Thomas Fuller, 1608 - 1661)
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>> Nevada Inventor of the Year 2000 Nominations Sought
Do you know of a Nevada inventor who has built a business on his or her invention? Then put together a nomination for the year 2000 Nevada Inventor of the Year!
>> Life Sciences Best Practices Symposium, Cincinnati, Ohio, March 1, 2000 http://www.nasvf.org/web/memevent.nsf/
>> American Meteorological Society on 18 January 2000 will present special guests Dr. Marty Ralph, research scientist at NOAA's Environmental Research Laboratory; Dr. David Schultz, research meteorologist at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory; and Daniel McCarthy, warning coordination meteorologist at NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.
>> Astonomical Society of Nevada Star parties scheduled for January 13 and February 19
>> The Nevada EPSCoR Office is in the process of moving. Please note the new address and phone number: Nevada EPSCoR, University and Community College System of Nevada, 755 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119-7363. Phone (702) 895-0590, On January 10 our new fax number will be: fax (702) 895-0594. E-mail and web sites will remain the same.
>> iGo Receives Award from Sierra Angels The Sierra Angels Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 1999 was presented to iGo CEO ("Chief Energizing Officer") Ken Hawk at their annual Holiday Gala in December. The Angels' blessing was on top of an INC Magazine placement of iGo on the INC 500 list of the nations fastest growing businesses. IGo was ranked #119 and in the top 25% joining a prestigious list of household brands such as Microsoft and e-Trade.
>> More on PC maintenance: Step By Step 3 - How to destroy your computer!
http://www.dansdata.com/sbs3.htm
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