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Some association boards seem to have it all. They work well together, get a lot accomplished for the association and motivate members to become active contributors. As a result, the association thrives. Other association boards … are, well, just the opposite. Here are six signs your board of directors is dysfunctional and your association likely won’t get too much done for the betterment of the group. 1. You don’t know what’s in your bylaws (or you don’t know if you have them). Leaders must have the necessary tools in placeRead More

Some association boards seem to have it all. They work well together, get a lot accomplished for the association and motivate members to become active contributors. As a result, the association thrives. Other association boards … are, well, just the opposite. Here are six signs your board of directors is dysfunctional and your association likely won’t get too much done for the betterment of the group. 1. You don’t know what’s in your bylaws (or you don’t know if you have them). Leaders must have the necessary tools in placeRead More

Communicating with coaches, players and game managers is something all officials should work on. But how about association-to-official communication? Is your chapter or association providing members all the information they need to stay on top of what’s going on? It’s best to put one member (perhaps the association secretary) in charge, but it’s a good idea to have at least one other set of eyes examine material before it is distributed to the masses. Here are some tips on making sure everyone in your group is well informed and madeRead More

By Lawrence Tomei There are some high-pressure jobs with built-in stress components for which a worker cannot afford to shirk his duties. There are occupations where a professional may commit an irreparable blunder if his or her focus on an assignment is diverted for a split second. A little negligence in such high-stress jobs may put people’s safety in danger — or the outcome of a game in jeopardy. Such is the nature of the sports official. With stress as a given, sometimes it’s tough to keep the morale up.Read More

By Tim Sloan The best way to advance people in your organization, to sound like Yogi Berra, is to advance ’em. If they are willing and desiring to try and you’ve put a good development initiative into place, the odds are in your favor. Like the tightrope walker, again, if someone’s willing to get on the wire in the first place, then, after the first 15 feet or so, it doesn’t matter how high he or she goes — if they’re going to succeed, they’re going to succeed. If theyRead More

Many associations believe that recruiting officials is the most important task they have. But just because you get new members in the door of their first association meeting, doesn’t mean they will stay in the long-term. Retaining new officials is critical. Keeping them starts with making a positive first impression. Groups need leaders and other members to buy into the importance of providing for new members from the start. Associations need to give new members a reason. Step 1 — Welcome them to the group. If a new member isRead More

You might think the only time the media wants to talk with officials or cover officials is when controversy erupts. It doesn’t have to be that way. Don’t wait for the media to come to you. Go to them with positive information and story ideas about officiating and your association. A connection with someone in the media will help you to get some attention from a newspaper or television outlet. If you have an official who is a reporter or writer in their day-job, use that person to share yourRead More

In this overly litigious, sue-happy society, perhaps the only way to ever avoid being sued for anything is to move to a deserted island and live off coconuts and fish. A local association may have no intentions beyond assigning games and helping its member officials get better at their jobs. But even do-gooder groups get sued. Attorney Alan Goldberger, author of Sports Officiating: A Legal Guide and a former football and basketball official who frequently represents sports officials in court, offered advice for avoiding legal entanglements (or surviving those thatRead More

Senior members in your association can be assets long after their on-court or onfield officiating days are over. They often have a great knowledge of the inner workings of the association, assignment policies and the rules of the game because of their years of experience. Retaining retiring members can be beneficial to your group and those senior members. There are a variety of tasks retired members can perform in the association, but first you have to convince them to stay. Often that isn’t hard since most officials love the avocationRead More

By Jeffrey Stern Every association has them: Members who sit at meetings with arms folded and legs crossed, who never volunteer for committees, don’t participate in discussions and whose only reason for being there is because the bylaws include an attendance requirement. They’re not necessarily harming anyone, but they’re certainly not helping anyone, either. As an association leader, you have two choices. You can ignore the behavior, figuring that it’s better to let a sleeping dog lie. Or you can attempt to turn that bump on a log into aRead More