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It isn’t easy to please everyone when it comes to association training meetings. The key is to use technology to enhance your meetings whenever possible. Here are some tips to help you find and utilize the latest in technology that will work for you and your association. Step 1 — Take the first step If you aren’t using PowerPoint and video, it’s time to start. Your association will automatically be upgrading meetings significantly by just picking out some game action to show, playing it for the group and then discussingRead More

By Tim Sloan “Methinks he does protest too much.” That’s a classic line from Shakespeare that a lot of officiating leaders cite when it comes to the subject of coaching their membership on what or what not to include when writing incident reports. We usually tell people, when relating a story on why they gave someone the boot, not to embellish it with irrelevant facts or emotions but simply say what happened and let the chips fall where they may. The standard retort is that when they do that, theRead More

It isn’t easy these days to find new officials. So, when you get rookies in your group, the last thing you want to do is alienate them or make them feel adrift by themselves. Here are some tips to ensure you keep newcomers coming back for more. Step 1 — Welcome them to the group If a new member is attending his or her first meeting, make sure you greet that individual as soon as possible at arrival. Introduce the new member to other members as well. Make sure theRead More

By Carl Smith What are the best ways to keep officials from turning back assignments? That issue, and it’s a major one for associations, has multiple facets. It starts with a solid policy set by the board, detailing steps to be taken with an official who is deemed problematic. Some officials just aren’t good planners. Others think it’s OK to give last-minute notice because they forgot something. A lot of potential problems concern the relational aspect of the assigner and the officials. The board must back the assigner and helpRead More

By Jeffrey Stern In some associations, elections are looked upon as a necessary evil. Other groups, arguably more enlightened, see them as a way to ensure the right people are properly placed in the positions that most benefit the chapter as a whole. Regardless of the overall attitude regarding elections, it is important to run them properly. The process runs more smoothly and is less of a pain if you avoid the speed bumps that can come with the territory. Before you can consider counting votes, it’s vital that yourRead More

For an official, the only sure things in life are death, taxes and rule changes. Keeping your members informed about all things officiating — including rule changes — is an important task. Here are some ways to do it. Step 1 — Know when the changes are released. The rules committees in each sport meet annually and almost universally at the same time every year (e.g. third weekend in January, first week in April, etc.). By knowing when the committees meet, you can begin to think about getting the wordRead More

By Ken Schimpf Successful organizations need great leadership. More importantly, successful leaders need great “followship.” When a member of an officials association takes on the task of leading, it’s all about who is following. The larger a “followship” you have; the more productive a leader you can become. Creating a “followship” takes time, savvy and strong resolve. Association members who choose to follow a leader do so because they receive value from being a follower. For some, it’s the belief that commitment to a leader can provide benefits to theirRead More

By Tim Sloan Just think of the possibilities: The biggest football game of the season has raged back and forth between two well-matched teams and now it’s come down to the last play. The quarterback’s majestic pass arcs into the end zone, is bandied about by four different players and finally falls into the grasp of a receiver — either just before or just after touching the ground. The back judge springs into the picture and decisively signals, “no catch.” He’s mobbed by his elated crewmates but quickly tears himselfRead More

In any organization, there are going to be times when someone is unhappy about something or with someone else. Resolving those situations in the quickest manner and leaving everyone involved satisfied with the result isn’t always possible. Your chances will improve if you follow a few steps. Step 1 — Don’t delay. Addressing a situation as soon as you become aware of it is arguably the most important step. The longer feelings are allowed to fester, the better the chance others may become involved by choosing sides. A problem betweenRead More

Retired four-star Army Gen. Colin Powell , known as one of the world’s most effective, results-driven leaders, offers a number of leadership philosophies in The Powell Principles that apply to sports officiating leaders. The book details two dozen mission- and people-based leadership skills that have guided Powell through his nearly half-century of service to the U.S. Powell, who was a featured speaker in a video welcome for a past NASO Sports Officiating Summit, relays guidelines that leaders can follow for unmitigated success. A few examples from the book include: WalkRead More