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Gail was the Association Executive when I was president of the
National Speakers Association. We planned the board meetings ahead of time at a health spa
in Palm Springs. We would exercise in the morning, plan in the afternoon. The tough job
for an Association Exec is that they have a new president every year, and it is really
their job to coach the president on how to make this a productive and fun experience for
the year. Some, of course, don't want to be coached, so you have to do
it very subtly. Because we don't want to cause competition, it is better to not say, "I worked very well last year with
such and such because. Just say, “each
person who has been president has brought something to the table." Gail's first board meeting: She was just going to stand up and
give a presentation. At three days notice Nido Qubein said, "Put your information on
a flip chart so we can see it better." In my speaking I say "People don't remember what you say,
they remember what they see." Which is why we tell stories. By using good graphics, the board gets a bigger view of what
is going on. After her first board meeting, she got a standing ovation. Understanding that
presenting to the National Speakers Association Board is tougher than most because we are
all full time speakers. Afterwards, she went to her room and cried, she was so
exhausted and it was so stressful. The point is: if Nido had not suggested that, she would
have just stood up. Presenting to a board of directors is very important. You work
hard all year, but they only see you a couple of times a year as a package of everything
you do, a picture of the association and what is really going on. It doesn't matter how
efficient you are; if you do not present your ideas well, you will be perceived as less
efficient. As Association Exec you usually get to present first. You
should bring all the things that you are concerned about, what you have been criticized
for, as an association staff and as a whole association, and handle any problems that you
think are going to erupt. The importance of making an ally of the president, if possible,
cannot be overestimated. One thing we did at the National Speakers Association in my
year has been very productive. We instituted an idea that if you had a new program idea,
it had to be presented to the staff one month before the board meeting so they could
assess the implication, the cost and staff time. It did not look like we were being
obstinate and trying not to cooperate when the board got infused with the new program. You
have to plan and anticipate. What was good about Gail and myself working together was we
knew the board from different points of view, and we could share our experiences to
consider and plan. NOTE FROM FRIPP: I encourage everybody to go to the board meeting room ahead of time. Whether you are a speaker, or in this case a board person or an association exec, go to the room and get comfortable. |
