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By Donald C. Collins We generally think of association leadership as assigning power, elected power and the power to garner the best assignments (which presumably is linked to ability). That traditional power can translate into economic power — the power to run camps, give clinics, etc. It can translate into power to be a trainer in your association — a power that gives one access to all the new officials, which should reinforce one’s power to assign, be elected and garner future good assignments when the best of the newRead More

In some associations, there are officers who’ve held their post for dozens of years and many associations wouldn’t think of electing a different slate of officers. That’s not good, because if your members share that view, beware. Apathy is at hand. If your members are convinced the leadership is a closed society, they will feel no special allegiance to the group. In addition, your organizations will miss out on a variety of fresh ideas from members willing to serve in office. The results: low morale, high member turnover and aRead More

Many association board members get frustrated with the behavior and antics of certain members during board or membership meetings. Or maybe the inability of maintaining a fair atmosphere for all members to participate frustrates them. Does that sound familiar? People-management and fairness are core skills of every successful official. Why not reapply your officiating skills to meetings? Planning. Effective pregame preparation is a paramount skill for an official that wants to succeed. Bring that same skill to meetings. Come with your thoughts organized and the information placed in an easilyRead More

Whether you’re an association leader or a regular member, networking within your group or within another area group will provide useful contacts to further advance the goals of your association or your own officiating career. It can only help to get to know the leaders of other associations and it’s absolutely invaluable to understand the needs of your own membership. The more you know about people, the better you can utilize their skills to help with association management. Step 1 — Arrive early so you can greet others as theyRead More

By Jerry Grunska Beginning officials sometimes harbor grand illusions about getting to the top. Veterans often say that young people are impatient; they expect too much too quickly. But veterans have always decried unrealistic expectations of newcomers. It’s not automatically a bad thing to rise up rapidly, but it is unseemly to go about it the wrong way. That’s where you need to step in, as a leader within your association, to help newer officials navigate a course for success. The wrong way is to curry favor aggressively before acquiringRead More

There’s a dispute between your association and the league in which you’re contracted to work. It’s unresolvable. Your group is also being sued by one of its own members. That, too, is unresolvable. Is it time to hire a lawyer and go to court? Not necessarily. Have you considered arbitration? Officials associations lack the time and money to engage in litigation. That creates a problem as we clearly live in a litigious society. Associations have not historically placed great emphasis on contractual arbitration, but is arbitration worthy of a seriousRead More

Every official wants his or her association to be successful. Is there a magic formula for success? Where should the focus lie in the association to be successful? Like many things, there is no single entity that generates success. It is a combination of symbiotic processes and efforts that come together and form the elusive target called success. Definition of success. Before you can be successful, you have to define success. Is success more membership? A larger budget? Better officiating? More clinics and meetings? It is critical that the associationRead More

As a leader of an association, you must be aware of what is happening within the membership. That is particularly vital if you sense some unrest between members or between the membership and the association leadership. Recognizing that dissension exists within the association is the most difficult part of the entire process. There are several actions that will help you recognize possible dissension. Be aware. During meetings and social events, make a conscious effort to be aware of points of conflict between members or among the membership toward the associationRead More

Organizing meetings to keep them on track, informative and short is a tough job. Having a guest speaker at your meetings can help with the informative part. It can also help keep members interested and help your attendance. Of course, if you don’t get the right speakers, it can also hurt your attendance. Some have a tendency to run long and might not stay on track. Here are some ideas that may help you in choosing your guest speakers, and keeping them on track. Step 1 — Understand needs. You mustRead More

It’s important to cut down on distractions and stay on point during your executive board meetings. Never have a meeting on couches. Count on this rule: The softer the seats, the less effective the meeting will be. Another dependable rule: When elbows are on the table, people get down to business quicker. Always sit around a table. People will stick to business and they’ll be able to handle their papers better. Use the correct table. A round table is best for committee or board meetings. Everyone has equal positional statusRead More