Idea Center - September 2009 Archives
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Risk Management & Today's Newer/Quicker World
I asked Leslie White, Croydon Consulting, to share her thoughts on an issue that continues to provide an undercurrent: risk.
Since attending ASAE’s Annual Meeting in Toronto I have been pondering the question of how risk management fits into the newer, quicker world of today. Too often the practice of risk management is viewed as an obstacle to innovation. A risk manager (you know the person who raises the “risk” question) is viewed as the “No” person. “We’ll get sued” is the most common refrain. I am trying to figure out how to change that paradigm so risk management becomes an important change agent.
It seems as though the paradigm is beginning to shift based on the messages I took away from the Annual Meeting. According to Charlene Li, co-author of Groundswell and founder of Altimeter Group:
- Fail fast, fail often
- Try many things
- Start small
And a recurring theme: be innovative, try counter-intuitive ideas and most of all don’t be afraid to fail.
So many of us fear failure … the loss of our jobs, promotions and reputations if we are perceived as failing. No one likes to fail but it is a great teacher and often you can make lemonade (think Post-It Notes) from a mistake. So how do we get over our fear of failure?
My “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” paperweight reminds me to try new things (I need all the help I can get – I don’t like change!). It might take more than a paperweight. Perhaps we can de-sensitize ourselves from the fear of failure. We are de-sensitizing our dog to thunderstorms (after she ran away for 36 hours) by providing a calming fragrance (D.A.P.® Dog Appeasing Pheromone) and not feeding into her anxiety. It seems to be working so eventually she will view a thunderstorm as no big deal.
We can provide a calming atmosphere for humans? Not make a big deal out of someone’s mistake or failure? Let’s change the organizational culture so failure is an option and a natural part of both corporate and personal life. Appreciating and celebrating failure is counter-intuitive (see you are already making progress) but if people feel safe they may be willing to try new things – whether successful or not.
So what does this have to do with risk management? People’s perception of risk – read “failure” – affects decisions they make. Risk is inherent in all decision making since we have uncertain outcomes: the result can be good, bad, or no change. Since we’re not good information processors, humans make decisions that produce unexpected results. Aversion to failure is just one issue as Michael Leitch points out in Making Sense of Risk Appetite,Tolerance and Acceptance (Revised).
People often base decisions upon their personal interests instead of what’s best for the organization. But Michael notes many of the reasons are tied to inability to understand risk and risk management. People too frequently:
- Over or underestimate the rewards;
- Have poor ideas on how to control the risks; and
- Make faulty comparisons.
So how can we help people make better decisions for their organizations to maximize success and minimize the effects of failure – while turning every failure into a learning moment? The quick answer is to assess the risks in the decision making process. But what is risk assessment?
- Identifying and analyzing the risks of each option.
- Considering if the risk can be mitigated in a cost-effective manner.
- Examining what risk control measures would make the option acceptable and perhaps the preferred solution.
- Challenging your assumptions to avoid over or underestimating the risks and rewards.
Many good ideas may be rejected out of hand as too risky when they are actually the best option which you don’t know until you do the risk assessment.
These are just my first thoughts on how to include risk management strategies in your decision-making process. Let me know what you think and what role risk perceptions or assessments play in your decision making.
Editor's Note: Leslie White, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, is president of Croydon Consulting, LLC, a risk management consulting firm specializing in associations and nonprofits. Leslie can be reached at LWhite at croydonconsult dot com or via Twitter @ltwhite.
Where's the time gone?
I said yes. Again. Yes, I would accept the volunteer position and teach the 7th grade religious class for the next 32 Mondays. I said yes, I would write the article and submit by Monday. I said yes, I would write the blog post (well actually I promised a series). I said sure, I'll handle the promo for the event coming in November. Then, my client needed a few additional items done that weren't in my contract. But they needed help and the volunteer couldn't, so I subbed. Then, the gym set a goal to raise $350 for St Jude Children's Research Hospital and needed a spin teacher to cover a class to which I said - yes. The mother's group at Mt. St. Joe stopped me on Back to School Night - join and get involved they said. I said no. The same video played at Meade Middle where I said, take my money but no I'm not available.
So why did I say no to the school and way too many yeses before that?
The other curious thing is why I said yes to so many opportunities.
Well according to ASAE & The Center's Decision To Volunteer, at least I'm not too odd on the number of yesses. Association volunteers are more likely to volunteer for 2 or 3 organizations (50% of us) vs 1 organization for community volunteers. Plus, we give more hours.
So, I am proof that the DTV findings are real.
But still why did I, a mom, said no to the school but yes to the gym and to the dance group? The bottom line is that I am volunteering where I have control, where I know I will be with people most like me, where I know that I will not be "swimming upstream" as much, and where I know I can have impact. A Mother's Group that raises funds, a PTA that has endless, pointless meetings, are not interesting to me.
Plus I noticed that I'm more of "go to" person. When there's no one to do a specific job, you can twist my arm. When I have a specific skill that you need, you can ask me.
So where has the time gone? To volunteering. Again. And you know, it's okay.
PRSA Maryland Chapter Blog Experiment
PRSA Maryland launched their blog More Than PR Basics! It isn't their first foray into social media; they have a LinkedIn Group, Facebook Page and Twitter handle. It is however a big step for a small chapter. And it is an experiment.
They are following the strategy that KiKi L'Italien and I outlined in our session on Adding Power to Member Communities at ASAE's August meeting. Specifically, they determined a measurable, critical focused goal for a social media effort: drive attendance to and interest in their annual conference (step 1).
The decision to launch the blog was driven in part by the need to have an exciting web presence for the conference. The theme of the conference is Back to PR Basics with a Twist: Evolving Your Relationships for the Future. The idea is so help PR professionals (that's step 2 - identifying the audience) understand the new media and show how to add the new media tools -- along with the traditional tools -- into their PR strategy. If you're going to talk about social media, then you really ought to be using it. Hence, the blog which is the conference's home site.
To get started, they tallied their resources (step 3). They started with a board member Laura LaChappelle who is a blogger and their administrator (me!) for could honcho the development of the blog platform. Then they reached out to speakers for help in creating content and in spreading the word. They hosted a social media brainstorming call with speakers, then followed up with an email request for content, Twitter follows and help in promoting the blog.
Another resource was outside their chapter. They borrowed a page from Buzz2009's playbook (thanks to Maddie Grant and Lindy Dreyer of SocialFish), and created a blog focused on the conference that includes pages on sessions, speakers etal.
The experiment is set to conclude following the conference October 6. I'll report back - but the meanwhile, this is a great example of how a chapter can test the waters. How are your chapters testing the waters?
Social Media & Chapters - more than Facebook
This past week’s #assnchat focused on social media and chapters. Well actually much of the conversation was social media in the general sense. But two posts stood out for me:
- deirdrereid: @bethbrodovsky And socmed shouldn't be explored for its own sake but rather for what it can do to bring assn closer to goals. #assnchat
- spkrinteractive: @deirdrereid Create SM champions at the chapter level. Best not to overload your staff with everything. #assnchat
The first captures a key point on the topic – it’s not social media for social media’s sake, but social media as a means to an end. When we’re talking about chapters, that means to an end is as much about helping them navigate managing the chapter as it is about using social media to build community. In a volunteer-led organization one of the biggest challenges is creating a shared vision and shared plan within the leadership. Tied to this is a central repository that it accessible to all. Social media platforms certainly can meet this need. Some in use in our chapters are:
These tools allow leaders to share documents, calendars, checklists and yes scorecards. Plus they can collaborate on projects.
Too often we focus on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Too often we focus the conversation on such deep discussions as Facebook group vs fan page. But the conversation should start with “what are we trying to accomplish … what’s our biggest angst … what’s keeping us from meeting our goals?” And then look at the tools available.
The second point hones in on a critical strategy – find and cultivate champions. At ISES DC, we found a member who a blogging enthusiast. For PRSA Maryland, we found a couple of members who were interested in diving in. The cultivating comes in by talking with them, encouraging them, supporting their efforts, and publicly applauding them. From a national perspective, it can mean offering training or tools. It can mean creating a safe place for them to experiment. It can mean a series of webinars on the basics. It can mean simply sharing stories and resources among chapters.
As I noted in my earlier post: there’s a big reward for national associations … helping components find the right social media strategy provides an incredible opportunity to build a partnership with the component. With this comes the ability to open doors for other partnerships and for data sharing, co-learning and more.
Truths about volunteering #11
Volunteers don't work 9 to 5.
For associations this means we need to honor a 24/7 work habit with good technology, access to resources, appreciation and allowances for staff for go the extra hours to meet volunteers.
Philosophy 101
I'm in that "back-to-school" transition where we're still trying to figure out schedules and supplies and just how early to wake the kids to be on time for the school bus and carpool. Amid all this flurry (and yes frustration at times) I endeavor to celebrate the start of a new learning journey. To that end, I generally try to put myself back in school in some way. That's why I just fell in love with Real Simple's article Philosophy 101.
In this article, Mark Adams creates a crib sheet focusing on six Western philosophers. The one I intend to read more on is GWF Hegel who said "Nothing great has been and nothing great can be accomplished without passion." Don't look a term paper from me - my back-to-school journey's are for self-satisfaction only.
If you head over Real Simple's site, you'll be able to read the full piece plus take a look at their reading list of introductory philosophy books. My first purchase may well be Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes, by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein (Penguin, $12, amazon.com).
A or not, this is one class I think I'll enjoy!
Join the 9/11 Day of Service & Remembrance
This September 11th is a bit different for yet another reason: it is the inaugural National Day of Service and Remembrance. The connection to the world of association volunteerism may be overshadowed by the thundering call for community service. It's natural that the focus is on community service but it does keep association volunteering in a "best-kept secret" category.
We take and should take 9/11 as an opportunity to let association volunteerism shine - and encourage more of it. Think about it: we not only spearhead wonderful community service projects (American Speech Language Hearing Association's Listen To Your Buds awareness program) but draw thousands of people into service through our associations. Our volunteers are involved in critical standard setting, in promoting ethical practices, in developing new processes, technologies, and solutions, in educating the public, and leading.
So how can we get heard and draw in more volunteers?
- First, read up on the Serve America Act, passed earlier this year, is intended to give additional focus, some resources, and support for volunteerism in America.
- Second, choose a way to mark 9/11 then share your association's plan and commitment on the 911DayofService website.
- Share that with members and encourage them to do their own pledge and post on the website.
- Consider having your own pledge page to gather your members comments and commitments.
- Register or update your organization on VolunteerMatch and on Service.gov. Read more on VolunteerMatch Nonprofit blog.
- Visit The Power of A for a look at what associations are doing, to add your story and to gather tools.
Let's stand up and be counted - and celebrate our spirit of volunteerism!
Social Media Makeover for SMACNA Sacramento Chapter
SMACNA Sacramento Valley Chapter won the Social Media Make-Over at the ASAE Annual Meeting as part of the Adding Power to Member Communities with Social Media session led by master CRP* KiKi L’Italien (Optical Society of America) and me.
We know that every nonprofit is looking to create a presence on the web that boosts visibility, creates a strong fan base, builds community and translates to more members, more dollars and ultimately moving the mission forward. Frankly for chapters though it’s a little challenging. For one thing, they have fewer resources at hand.
Social media though does offer a big opportunity for components – and their national organizations (check out my earlier post). The make-over offers a look at how a component can create a social media presence and work with national in doing so.
We had the pleasure of working with Kathleen Mitchell, Executive Vice President, SMACNA - Sacramento Valley Chapter and Bridgette Bienacker, Director, Business Management and Membership, SMACNA.
Starting from a clean slate
Sacramento SMACNA is one of 100 chapters of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association, an trade association of union contractors with 1,944 members in the US, Canada, Australia and Brazil. The Chapter’s mission mirrors the Association’s: to provide products, services, and representation to enhance members' businesses, markets and profitability.
SVC has 23 member companies, an operating budget around $400k and one staff member, Executive Vice President Kathleen Mitchell.
And they have a clean slate to work with – no current LinkedIn, Facebook, or other existing sites. Plus, they are launching a brand new website and they are eager to build a social media presence.
Here’s their current site I saw a sneak peak at the new site, and they are definitely on the right track!
Like the chapter, National hasn’t established a formal social media presence (although we did find a rogue LinkedIn group by searching “sheet metal contractors”!) but they just launched a social networking site Sheet Metal Network which is already gaining some attention by members. They do have a two specialty listserves where members share ideas, post questions and connect.
Member Profile
Membership is by company; they are a diverse group whose common thread is using sheet metal and sheet metal products. The majority are small, family-owned businesses with the owner as the main contact. Think boomer generation … very busy owners.
We followed the 5-steps outlined in the session to create the make-over.
It’s important to note that Bridgette and Kathleen walked through these steps together – each bringing to the table valuable insight.
Step 1: Determine a Goal to Reach For … start small, think bigger. Sacramento SMACNA has three key goals:
- Build member engagement! They need to get deeper into their member companies to engage the next generation.
- Make it easier for member-to-member connection. Members rely on each other for advice and ideas. Right now that connection tends to be handled through a narrow pipeline.
- Power up their local advertising campaign. They currently spend around $40k on a campaign to create awareness of value of union shops and to encourage hiring union. Great ads, good placement but the reach is still small.
Our Diagnosis: They need to start with one, so we recommend focusing on the member-to-member connection goal because members are already clamoring for it, are used to the listservs and it has a definite here and now “what’s in for me”.
Their Homework: set some measurable goals like number of members signed up, number of discussions, number of comments.
2 – Understand Your Main Audience … is they already there? What grabs their interest (it’s still about content!)?
Members are using listservs but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of play in the social media arena otherwise. Blackberry and similar devices are general practice so they are connecting to the web. A quick search on LinkedIn companies shows a smattering of related companies suggesting they are navigating to that platform.
Our Diagnosis: Some members already trust and use a SMANCA listserv so the new community should be a good place to build participation. Direct most of the effort to building the community here. Add to that a LinkedIn group as an outpost since members are drawn to this as a professional networking platform.
Their Homework: Start with getting your listening tools in place. Set up searches using search.twitter.com (here’s an example), Google Alerts (best how-to description is from Wild Apricot) and SocialOomph.com (formerly known as "TweetLater"). You might also try BoardTracker.com (here’s a search for sheet metal). For more on listening tools (and other social media tools), check out KiKi’s session recap Engaging Your Members With Social Media Resources.
Then work with national to identify hot topics from the listserv and use these topics to set up subgroups in the new community and start conversations on LinkedIn.
3 – Tally Your Resources ... You need enthusiastic members, a good coach (that’s where the national org can come in!)
Although the new Sheet Metal Network community just launched, two chapter members have already logged on and there are at least two of the chapter members active on LinkedIn based on people search. Plus national is clearly interested in seeing the member community successful.
A big plus for the chapter is the impending launch of their new website which has a sharper look, cool members section and some other bells and whistles.
Our Diagnosis: First, tap your early adopters and those who are active on the listserv to champion the new community and LinkedIn outpost. Approach these members will a clearly defined request that includes a measurable outcome, a “what’s in it for me” and time commitment. For example:
- Fan base builder – actively invite colleagues & followers to engage in the discussion, join the community & LinkedIn group; goal is to engage 50% of members within 4 months; time commitment is very flexible 1- 2 hour every 2 weeks
- LinkedIn (or Community) Moderator – Watch over the activity, post regularly, encourage discussion; goal is to have weekly participation by members; time commitment about 1-2 hr weekly
Second, the chapter should be tapped as a test partner to build a chapter discussion area on the new community. National staff can help with the technology (training, maintaining) and access to member contact info while the chapter staff and key volunteers create the content, seed the discussion, promote involvement.
Third, use the launch of the new website as an opportunity to draw members to web … and the to the social media communities you build.
Their Homework: Complete the people search on LinkedIn to id other members. Map out a first steps plan for how to begin both arenas and gather volunteers on a call (webinar preferably) to provide a walk-through on both platforms and discuss next steps. Map out a content plan for generating discussions in both arenas.
In terms of the new website, be sure to add RSS feeds on key pages (like the calendar and news pages). Add links to SMACNA’s new member community.
4 – Get in the Know ... Take the time to learn the tools and understand the community
Do your homework – listen (see #2 above), learn, practice (okay it’s really play!), launch. A great place to learn is Commoncraft.com which offers a full series of short videos that explain social media platforms in plain English like these on LinkedIn, blogs and RSS Feeds. Duct Tape Marketing serves up great info on Facebook at 5 tips for Getting More from Facebook. LinkedIn For Dummies gives you a great intro to LinkedIn and then check out Hubspot’s 5 Tips to info how maximizing the group.
Our Diagnosis: The chapter – Kathleen in particular – is ready to try some things. The question really is comfort. Start by creating a chapter group within the national community and then create a LinkedIn group. On both, invite your champions in and kick a few tires. Then invite the full membership.
We’d also suggest that a national LinkedIn Group with subgroups for each of the chapters maybe a better solution. Right now there is a LinkedIn Group rouge group with one member that national needs to check in to.
Their Homework: Chapter and national staff need to sit down and walk through the options vis-à-vis the new member community and a joint LinkedIn Group, then map out a plan and proceed.
5 – Jump In ... With a plan mapped out, give it a go!
One of the challenges facing Kathleen and the chapter is that this is a new frontier and her members are not early adopters. The key to success will be first answering what’s important to their members and then using social media tools to deliver it.
We’ll check back in with Kathleen and Sacramento chapter in a couple of months. Meanwhile, we’ve asked a few social media strategist to judge the make-over … so watch for their comments!
Always in search of ideas.
