Five years ago, I wrote an article for Association Management magazine--now Association Now--in response to the editor's question: "When will things return to normal?" My answer? "Maybe normal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Maybe we lost our way when we became so professional that we lost touch with the passion of those who founded our associations."
That rant was the cover story in December 2003, Recalibrating Normal, challenging association professionals to return to what really matters by starting with the right questions.
"What if your association could attract the next generation of volunteers with a mission that matters and activities that also deliver personal and professional growth--financial success as well as a more equitable society?"
- What if we were a movement, not an industry?
- What if values created value?
- What if members were our products, not our customers?
- What if work was a calling, not a career?
If you're an ASAE and Center for Association Leadership member, you can find the original article online here. You can also download it at amazon.com.
In this post-abundance era, maybe these questions will provoke another round of responses. Over the next few weeks, I will pick up and examine these questions again in this space.
