(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I again got this book from Garr Reynolds's suggested readings. He does have a lot of great titles there, and they're all fairly new, which is good for me since I spend a lot of time reading oldies. Anyhow, I think if you read a book like this you're going to judge your performance and continually ask yourself if you're an idiot. The three authors go pretty rough on people, calling them "business idiots" all through the book. And, chances anyone who does a lot of communicating in a professional environment will be partially idiotic, so be forewarned.

But that's okay because one of the authors admits to being a former idiot, infatuated with business jargon and using such terms as "thought leadership," "value-added," and "monetize." So I did do a little bit of a self-inventory and found that I have let some jargon creep into my speech and writing. I have to admit, it is a combination of factors: a) I have two degrees in French literature, the goal of which was to go on at length about fairly simple topics; and b) I read a lot of academic business writing. But no excuses here, I shall endeavor to communicate with greater clarity of thought in the future.

However, the other theme of the book is authenticity, which I think I do pretty good at. They observe that it's basically easy to "score points," if you are authentic because so few people do it. I have observed this same phenomenon and it's really quite fascinating. It does tend to scare people off a little bit, so you have to be very self-confident. That's what they wrote and I have independently verified it.

Seriously, though I thought the book was a great read and is quite entertaining if you're willing to go along for a little introspection.

There was a great approach to convincing people of things that I think I'll try to put into practice. More to come...

By Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway and Jon Warshawsky
ISBN# 0743269098

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I need to come up with an article outline for a piece I suggested for Associations Now magazine. I did a little research, and found these tips from RC Cyber Flyer.

Have a clear central theme or message
Have a narrow, focused topic
Provide details the readers has an interest in
Use experience and knowledge to the readers’ advantage
Provide insights

Key Question: Does it have those “you had to be there” details that force the readers to continue?

Organization
Have an inviting introduction
Use logical, effective sequencing
Use good pacing — slows down here, speeds up there
Strong transitions link ideas
Have conclusions that leave the reader thinking

Key Question: Do the beginning and ending work in harmony—like bookends?

Word Choice
Use words that create vivid images
Choose words that are not just correct, but precise
Be natural – don’t have a Thesaurus “overload”
Use lively verbs
Moments you notice and like
Have sparing, careful use of slang, jargon, clichés

Key Question: How many words or phrases linger in your mind?

Voice
You connect with this writer
There’s a person “at home here”
It speaks to you – makes you want to read more
The writer is writing TO someone
Narrative that is honest and from the heart
Writing that is expository: lively, engaging, and full of conviction

Key Question: Would you read it to someone?

Sentence Fluency
Text that moves with an easy rhythm and flow
Sentences that vary in length and structure
Sentences that begin in purposeful ways
Writer shows “sentence sense”
Fragments, if used, add style and flair

Key Question: Does this piece invite expressive oral reading?

Conventions
Look beyond spelling
Generally correct – touchups may be needed
Easy to read – appears proofread, edited

Key Question: How much editing does it need to get this ready to publish?

However, it's not exactly what I was looking for, which was more of a model. I'll keep looking...

UPDATE: This is more like it, from the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (scary!! I'm hosting their document as a PDF, since it was an RTF document to begin with). Keeps it tidy in my mind.

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I got published in WaPo! Does this mean I get to find out who deep throat is??? Oh, wait...

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

Did I spell that right? Kevin Holland has a discussion of that topic over at his blog today. Very interesting. My quick reaction is to say that a lot of associations probably *are* in danger of being overthrown. More market forces are in competition with them than ever and people have high standards. The younger folks like me make quick connections on the internet, and have access to more information than ever. The gap between the information-rich and information-poor just grows and grows, yet so many (you know who they are) says things like, "I don't do the computer." I'm like, okay, it used to be that if people were illiterate they at least weren't proud of it. I hope that's not too harsh, but I am seriously scared for people (many of whom are charged with making important organizational decisions) who have that attitude.

Still, my thought is that associations in general have lots to offer people: a sense of belonging, a community, advocacy and having a voice in policy and the media (a big one, I think), so it's a matter of marketing and creating a need. If people are not able to do that, the organizations will fail I think. One of Kevin's things is the need for lean, mean organizations:

Starting out small and flexible means very short governing documents that leave a lot of room for play, picking one or two services that they can implement immediately with a maximum impact, and then hitting the ground running.

I agree wholeheartedly with this assessment. I really think this is the point when an organization needs to say, "let's do x," or "let's do y" and then makes it happen. So often you see the energy just sapped by loads and loads of wannabe bureaucracy. Which is perhaps code for "I don't feel like doing anything." Or is it just a lack of realism?

I think I see what is happening as a realignment of the association's modality, and a new definition evolving of what it means to associate. Not so long ago associations jumped for joy with all the savings that happened as a result of technological advances. However, they may need to realize that these same advances are really moving their cheese big-time and that the future will involve more than just delivering memos via email instead of in the mail. In the meantime, we'll have the slow "graying" of the traditional model and it will atrophy.

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I was seriously sick last night and I was doing the insomniac-in-front-of-the-monitor thing when I read this article in the Washington Post. Dr. Helen (the InstaWife of great renown) has a write-up of the article on her blog. This is a point she brings up fairly regularly, including this horrifying policy she brought up. So, does this have an application in the association world? Now, I'm no wannabe victim, but I sometimes think that I'm very much in a female-dominated profession; and I have had some negative experiences that had me scratching my head figuring out whether the issue was really about gender. Of course, I only experience what I experience, but would be open to convo about it.

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

Roberta's Rules of Order is a book by Alice Collier Cochran, and it presents a fairly comprehensive set of rules for holding meetings. Her deal is not these rules should replace Robert's during large, formal meetings, but rather they are a good solution for smaller, informal groups that meet fairly frequently. She starts from the place that Robert's purpose was to make meetings accessible and to protect people's rights. So she says that you can use those principles to guide your meetings, while adapting certain alterations to the time-honored volume of rules.

One thing that makes this otherwise quite useful book annoying is that it uses this sailing metaphor throughout. It's a very grating metaphor (milked for all it's worth) that could lessen the book's cachet if you had to do any selling at all to get a board to try something new. Fair warning!

But if you've been to quite a few board meetings you will probably recognize many of the techniques that she lays out in the book.

Chapter 3 talks about developing proposals before launching motions. A good idea. One organization I had talked about "board-ready materials," which essentially accomplished this goal. The point is that people have a chance to consider the pros, the cons, etc., before making a motion to do x or y, because "hasty motions can create long-term problems." Hear, hear! However, this is in opposition to the way things are done with Robert's because therein, an issue can't be discussed until a motion is made. "Motions thus put the solution before the problem." So having a proposal first and discussing it ensures that people have a chance to see if they agree on the nature of the problem before the "take up polarized positions."

Groups need to consider the problem before the solution. What goes on in the problem space is an effort to define, evaluate and organize information that will determine the causes of the problem. Defining the problem and understanding its causes provides the best information to help find alternatives.

So, the mechanism for doing all of this is the proposal, which can be either simple or structured. A simple one is just verbal. A structured one is "prepared ahead of time by several individuals or a group."

Here is a good checklist to presenting a simple proposal (directly quoted)

1. State the suggestion verbally to the group, and explain the need.
2. Clarify by answering questions for understanding.
3. Check for disagreement (objections); if none, then check for agreement. (Stop at this point if everyone agrees to the proposal.)
4. If there are objections, clarify issues as necessary and ask for statements of both pros and cons.
5. Ask for modifications or another proposal.
6. Check for disagreement; if none, then check for substantial agreement. If necessary, vote [ed. not having to resort to voting is kind of her thing: she treats it as a last option]

Here is when you should do a structured, written proposal, according to the system.

1. Do it for any issue that is complex, controversial, or confusing.
2. Include information about the current situation (the problem or opportunity) and the proposed future situation (the recommended solutions).
3. Write and circulate the proposal in advance if possible.
4. Have more than one person present the proposal--the more the better.
5. Give everyone a chance to ask questions for clarification, speak for or against it (within a specified time limit), and suggest modifications.
6. Use the group's predetermined decision-making method to approve or not approve the proposed solution.

So, more to come on this book--it's a multi-entry one, and it covers an area I need to work on which is the actual tactics of board management. In one way, I feel kind of odd reading this before I feel I know Robert's all that well, however, I think that working through this will actually help me when I go back to Robert's. Also, I want to join the parliamentarians at some point and do their trainings, which look like lots of fun.

By Alice Collier Cochran
ISBN# 0787964239

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

Given the entrepreneurial streak that comes with working for a small nonprofit, I found this post (first in a series to come) to have great advice, and to just be an all around good summary of what it takes to start your own shop. Looking forward to future postings over at Signal vs. Noise.

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I would like to welcome my friend Craig who has agreed to be a contributor to NBB. I have known Craig for a long time, and he is quite possibly the brightest light on the porch. He works for an association doing systems and stuff, and I will let him elaborate on his work as he will. Thanks Craig!

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I just found this site by accident. Although it's intended for Graphic Designers, I think it would help anyone who a) has to deal with graphic design issues and b) has to estimate the monetary value of their work. NB: doesn't work in Firefox.

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I come across all kinds of associations I wouldn't mind joining. I guess I'm a joiner, and since I am a professional Association-type, I find them interesting on a couple of levels. But here are the ones whose content seems appealing to me at this point in time. Now, if I could only afford all those dues...

The Society for Marketing Professional Services

Association for Volunteer Administration

American Society for Public Administration

The National Gardening Association (hey they're free!)

Professional Association of Inkeepers, International

American Hiking Society (only $30, not too bad)

National Association of Parliamentarians

Usability Professionals Association

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

Speaking of member experiences, check this out. Found thru B. Mann. Check out the world map done with Google's API.

(originally published on Nick's Book Blog)

I have been thinking a lot recently about what it takes to have a good community, and posts by Kevin Holland and others where my take-away was that most of what makes it good is the feeling of community (I don't have a ready source, so take that meditation with a salt pill).

However, after hearing my spousal unit rave about the DC Web Women listserv, I went and signed up so see what's going on over there. (I know, I'm not a woman and it was especially disconcerting to see the "you've been signed up to the DC Web Women" email next to the one from Men's Health hawking their "Action Hero Workout. Tired of being a mere mortal?" it says. "So what, I hang out with chicks, you gotta problem with that? Sucka."

Anyway, a glance at their website will let you know exactly what they are. I have to think that this kind of clarity is key to the founding of a great community. There's no question about what it is or how to proceed. Their operations seem to be fairly transparent and inviting. I keep thinking about the interplay between design, organization, and communities, but that's about a book unto itself. In the meantime, kudos to the group for putting this community together.

One of the things they're discussing today is Bulletin Boards v. Listservs for connecting people. A list put together by a contributor named Siobhan named some pros and cons of Bulletin Boards.

Pros

• encourages lurking
• easier to archive/follow specific threads
• harder to forward posts off group
• easier to moderate/control content
• easier to track individual users contributions (our old list had a requirement that all users remain active and post at least once per quarter - easeier to track with a bulletin board)
• people love being able to add signatures, photos, links, etc

Cons

• seems less friendly/less intimate
• easier for members to ignore threads that don't interest them (so subject lines/switching threads that go off topic is important)
• much harder for those on dialup to manage
• users spend more time on the bulletin board than on the list - so
• harder to jump in and out or hit a quick reply to a specific topic

Then, a conclusion by a contributor named Susan says

I think the real question is how best to facilitate good discussion and interaction within virtual groups - understanding that some people will like the listserv approach better, while others will prefer an online discussion forum.

The best way to approach this is to provide a solution that offers the following options:

• A web discussion forum, where users can view threaded discussions and search them if they like.
• The option to receive an email version of each post, a daily digest, or none at all (if they prefer to go to the site).

This way, it acts like a listserv or a discussion forum, or both depending on how the user wants it.

Good thoughts. Thanks DCWW!

UPDATE: So, I found out from the spousal unit that I'm not allowed to be on the listserv at all, so I'm getting you all clandestine information. Hope you enjoy it. (Do you hear me whispering? I am.)