From inception, chambers of commerce were built on a foundation of advocacy. They were a place for business executives to gather to talk challenges and find solutions. Public authorities began to see the Chamber as a trusted voice for common interests. Since then, our strength and platforms have continued to grow with advocacy becoming a […]

That question was a reality check. I was working with an international business consultant who happened to live in my community. He asked me for my vision for the chamber of commerce where I had just become CEO. I explained my vision with passion and enthusiasm. What I wanted to accomplish, by plans and audacious […]

You probably have that person at work, on your chamber board, or in your membership who you feel is toxic. You feel they repeatedly suck the life force out of you and you would rather walk on hot coals than have a conversation with them. It can be challenging to communicate effectively with these individuals, […]

What sets successful organizations apart from others – or to put it another way, what’s the difference between being great and good? While I’m sure that answers to the above can vary widely, I often fall back on the classic ASAE best-selling book “7 Measures of Success” published in 2006 for my talking points. ASAE’s […]

Research on meeting productivity reveals that leaders are spending increasing amounts of time in meetings. Research also reveals that the majority of time devoted to meetings is viewed as unproductive. My own research into nonprofit board performance issues has found that when board members attend unproductive meetings, they feel their time is being wasted. And […]