Insights

Who pushes you to explore your inner potential to excel in the boardroom and beyond? Identifying quality mentors within the current professional landscape takes the ability to see that almost everyone you encounter has something they can teach you. Taking from an exercise from my recently published inspirational journal, 30 Days of Extraordinary: A Guided Journaling Process to a Fulfilled Life, you are the sum of the people you surround yourself with. Take a moment to imagine a dining table, set to your liking. Now imagine welcoming the frequent flyer guests of your life to take a seat at the …

Event planning can be a stressful task for many associations, but it doesn’t have to be. With over 25 annual conferences and events under our belt, Van Petten Group has compiled five tips to help your organization plan an engaging event. Step 1: Choose an ideal venue Each association has its own qualities, which define the organization. Our job as an association management company is to find what suits you best. Choosing the right venue can be a challenging task – especially if you have a limited budget. However, we will always choose a unique venue that is easily accessible, …

When breakthroughs are made for advancement of dynamic organizations, it is because many intricate systems have worked in harmony to output something brand new. It is integral to keep a close eye on the system that puts everything into motion, the board. Regular self assessment of the health of the board as a whole can be a beautiful method for breakdown prevention. When was the last time your board assessed your strengths and weaknesses? What might you find this time around that could open the door to supporting your mission even further? Assess for success. To ensure the passion of …

While driving you forward, your organization is fueled by the ideas and perspectives of complex thinkers that look to the world with a studied gaze. With such unique and passionate visionaries at the helm, conflict can naturally bloom. Heated discussion can arise when deciding on best solutions. These kinds of conflicts have the ability to foster great change and advancement but only if they are addressed constructively. How will your board harness this heat to keep the mission at full tilt instead of looking to put out the fire and sweep it aside? Do you avoid conflict at all costs? …

We live in an age of amazing freedom to connect with industry professionals all over the globe, but with this magic comes a price. You have the power to take a meeting while in a car traveling for a flight or going home for dinner with the kids, but when you do, how do you ground your focus in the task at hand? Do you feel like you could be doing better than you have, but need a nudge? If you take care to curate tools to access your full attention, you will bring your organization to the next level …

Communicating the innovations of your organization’s field when led by passion has the opportunity to open minds and solve seemingly unsolvable problems. This is a interesting line to walk when ingenious experts who usually work in isolation and are not comfortable speaking to a crowd. Being able to share new concepts that could change how your field functions takes skills not always fully cultivated. Here are a few tips to turn your field experts into extraordinary speakers. Be confident in your stance before you even say a word. Carol Kinsey Goman, PhD, reveals how body language communicates with your audience …

When you end a board call and feel the endorphins released by the enthusiasm of a great meeting of the minds, you know you are part of something special. There is no mistaking the feeling of true collaboration. When the people that make up organizations can come together and spark joy in each other, there is magic to be made. Setting this image as a goal to aim for is truly attainable when you have a clear mission and an inspired vision that will inform an evolving working strategy that your entire board understands and can get behind. Have you …

Your board is your guiding brain trust which at its top functionality steers innovative strategy to achieve its mission guided by the vision of the organization. The delicate balance of this beast, the board, is that it is fed by the health, knowledge, and passion of volunteers. Even the healthiest brain trust can use additional resources to improve functionality. Determine your current board dynamics when looking to develop and build a stronger board. Where are some areas that could use a closer eye? Observe burnout as it occurs. Without clarity to what is expected, a new board member can bite …

January is almost over and it’s time to push forward and re-examine the goals you’ve set for your organization this year. According to Business Insider, 80% of enthusiasm for resolutions can dwindle out by February. At Van Petten Group, we want to help you stick with your big plans and create actionable goals for your team! Here are some ideas in how to strategize for a successful 2019. When formulating resolutions or goals for your organization, remember that not all of the responsibility falls on your shoulders. In our previous Insight, “Celebrate and Motivate: Creating Intuitive Catalysts for Winter Productivity …

Cheers to the first week of 2019! Ideally, your organization has wrapped up the holiday season and your team is eager to hit the ground running to break even bigger ground this year. In reality, some are still adjusting from the additional hustle that happens in the end of the year. Studies show that January and February are the lowest months of productivity across the board. How can you motivate yourself and your team to break through the mold and begin 2019 with a bang? January is a great time to take stock in what you’ve accomplished in the last …