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Tips - March 2003
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." |
-- Margaret Mead |
Where Small Is Better
Really it’s not about size; it’s about reaching the goal. Too often we judge a local meeting’s success based on how large the turn-out was. We judge how important a group is by how many people support it. Sometimes the goal is better served with a smaller size. And your association’s larger goal of building community is served whenever you can bring two or members together.
Here are four examples of successful small groups.
Kitchen Table, Boston — This band of 15 young women from different economic backgrounds pool money to aid worth causes. As one member explained, she wanted to make better and more focused giving decisions. This group’s goals are: to build a community of women with diverse experiences, to expand their network of people involved with social change, to learn through this experience of giving, and to give dynamically with community representation.
The Kitchen Table is among a growing number of giving circles or "clubs with cause" as one writer Maureen Kennedy described.
Bakers Dozen, Chicago — Limited to 12 members, this group and others like it around the country, help its members improve their individual businesses. The Bakers Dozen brings together retail bakery owners from many points around Chicagoland to regular meetings where they share ideas, trade product formulas and help solve individual challenges. This group is so successful that one new member confided he was honored when invited to join the group when an opening occurred.
Called profit enhancement or share groups, their goal is achieved when the group is small, diverse and committed to one another.
ANEX, Baltimore-Washington Corridor — This informal group grew out of need to connect with other association professionals outside the beltway. ANEX, which stands for Association Networking Exchange, meets regularly for lunch in and around Columbia, MD. There is no fee (you pick up your tab) and the agenda is unstructured. The goal is to make connections you can use whether it’s to get a supplier referral, find the next job, or solve a member problem.
What makes groups like ANEX work are the friendships that form, the commitment of a few to send out the "gathering call" via email, and the shared understanding that this group functions for the participants and when the participants are no longer interested the group can disband without guilt.
Baker-To-Baker Workshops — These one-day events are small gatherings of state association members at a member bakery. The event is more like an open-house than an educational meeting and registration is limited to 10-15. The host bakery provides a tour of their facility, demonstrates a house specialty and provides the formula (recipe), and frequently — especially if they operate a deli — serve lunch. Attendance is limited to achieve the goal of bringing members into an operating bakery to get hands-on product demonstrations, see first-hand production and marketing techniques and have a rich conversation.
Thinking Small in Your Association
Are there small groups waiting to form in your association or business? One way to find out is to monitor list servs or "eavesdrop" on member networking happening at annual meetings and trade shows. Listen for common needs and common interests. Look for that member who expresses a specific need or goal that can be addressed by bringing a small group of people together.
To look at some formal models, explore profit enhancement groups (PEGS), leads clubs and giving circles (see Small Group Resources ). Also, visit a local chamber and take a look at their small business groups.
To try out small on a meeting, you need to build small. You don’t need a big meeting space, sophisticated AV or diverse agendas. Like the Baker-to-Baker workshops, you choose a small, intimate venue. You set expectations that the event is designed small and the goal is plenty of "give and take" among participants.
Want to learn more any of these groups, contact us and we’ll fill in the details. Also, Mariner’s Peggy Hoffman is actively involved in ANEX.
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