Happy New Year

We had all hoped that the pandemic would be easing up by now. However, so far it looks like we will all be called upon to continue running in overdrive as the creative, flexible, and resourceful association executives that we have all proven to be since March 2020. Being in overdrive is pure stress and everyone reading this knows what I mean.

If your team is anything like mine, I imagine you will join me in being incredibly grateful and honored to collaborate with an amazing staff who have dedicated their time and effort to driving the mission of our organizations. Grateful, too, for board members who support what we do in so many ways and, of course, our members who show their support by participating in the organization.

Clarity evades me as I look through a very cloudy crystal ball and try to see signs that would allow me to envision how to prepare for the months ahead. However, even in a fog there are some things that guide us. So, here are a few thoughts that we can consider despite the uncertainty.

Health and Safety First: We will all need to follow the abounding rules and regulations designed to protect us, that dictate how we will operate our organizations. There is also the emotional intelligence needed as we lead our employees and our community. We need to communicate with them and listen to them as we develop next steps relating to our work environment. When having staff meetings, rather than asking closed-ended questions like, “Does anyone have any questions?” ask open-ended questions that will get people to share their thoughts — “What did you think of that?" or “What possible outcomes do you see as a result of that action?”

Mission: Our society is still moving through a pandemic that has dramatically changed how we live and how we work. Your board may feel the need to re-examine its mission and strategic plan in order to envision the new age that is unfolding. Plan for that, but in the meantime stay focused on what must be done now and be flexible to change as needed.

Operations: In a radically changed work world, the gap between how we work now and how we will need to work moving forward is becoming more apparent. We will need to keep a close watch on new and/or evolving concepts and tools to help us streamline and be more effective.

Cash Flow: We all saw how critical cash flow is to the operation of an organization and that lesson will stay with us. Looking at how to drive revenue, identifying new streams of revenue and diversification of revenue, will be ongoing. Keeping a close watch on expenses while looking for ways to drive revenue will help keep the organization moving forward.

My thanks to each of you out there who make up our incredibly special association community. The work we do is critical to the future of our city and our country. Here’s to a healthy, happy, and safe 2022.

 

Claire Rosenzweig
President & CEO
Better Business Bureau® Serving Metropolitan New York

Claire Rosenzweig, past chair of NYSAE, currently serves on the NYSAE board of directors.