Happy Friday! Who can believe we’re already just about through February? I know it’s a short month, but it really seemed to fly by this year. It was definitely an exciting month in the association community, and to round it out, here are my five favorite posts from this week.

1. Peggy Hoffman wrote a great piece stemming from an association exec’s confession on an ASAE listserv. The association wasn’t sure what to do with a standing PR committee. Peggy focused on three lessons from this confession, and the ensuing discussion. There’s no clear conclusion, but many of the committee’s tasks could become ad hoc tasks for volunteers.

2. At Association Subculture, Shelly Alcorn has started a new series focusing on Jim Collins’ “How the Mighty Fall” and applying it to associations. In part two, she writes about the pursuit of more — more mergers, more chapters, more members, more more more. It’s not always better, and can lead to an organization’s downfall.

3. I’ve been loving Jeffrey Cufaude’s “Wednesday What-If” series. This week, he drew some inspiration from the men’s figure skating in the Winter Olympics and wondered what would happen if associations focused more on consistent, high-quality work rather than tricky, big breakthroughs. One single effort or initiative can use up a lot of resources, so perhaps we should consider how to make every single element of your efforts richer and more valuable.

4. It’s no secret the association community is enthralled with “best practices,” but, as Jamie Notter wrote this week, those practices can be inherently flawed if they don’t change with time. There’s a great discussion in the comments here about how best practices have to be allowed to evolve to stay up-to-date. Does your organization blindly rely on “best practices?”

5. Thinking of incorporating video into your nonprofit’s communication plan? Be sure to check out this awesome post. One organization tried out video, and shared its successes and mistakes so others can learn from them. Some takeaways: keep it short, have a mission and keep your resources in mind.

If you’re getting hit with snow again, stay warm this weekend! Wherever you are, have a great one!

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Every time I visit New York, I try to walk, walk, walk everywhere. It’s my preferred way to navigate through the city. Sometimes, though, it’s necessary to take mass transit Now, I’m pretty familiar with the city, so rather than spending $8 on a cab ride whenever I wanted to travel, I just took the subway.

To a first-time subway-user, this map can be extremely confusing. New York is a unique city because it’s divided into five different boroughs, each with several unique neighborhoods. The subway is by far the most effective way to get around, but I’ve seen countless tourists staring at this map, bewildered.

However, it can be deciphered and understood, and people (tourists and locals alike) can travel between different neighborhoods and boroughs.

Imagine each neighborhood in Manhattan is a silo or department in your association. (I hope there aren’t that many, but bear with me.) Is there a clear road map for members, staffers and board members to help them navigate through it? How transparent is your association’s all-consuming “policy?” And how long does it take for people to digest and understand?

Sure, the Metro Transit Authority isn’t perfect (I used to accidentally end up on the wrong train occasionally, and some lines are mysteriously closed on the weekends), but it’s transparent and easy to understand. If your association’s map or policy is this intricate, is there a way to simplify it for those who may not be familiar?

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I recently took a long weekend trip to New York, and when I returned to the office, I had more than 1,000 items to read in my Google Reader.

Slowly, I’ve made my way through them and in the process, I stumbled upon a few links that can really benefit small-staff associations.

A guest on post on Mashable discussed how to deal with negative feedback in social media. This article is full of practical tips and strategic advice for damage control. Social media is, first and foremost, a conversation, so your association should make an effort to join it.  If a negative sentiment about your organization pops up on a social network, do you know how to respond? Do you know who will respond?

This post from Converstations offers a new perspective on Facebook Pages. Would you ever let your members take control and ownership of one of your organization’s social media outposts, such as Facebook? By making the goal of the Facebook Fan page to be a section for and by the community (with the business or brand being the “Fan of the Community”), now we may have something.

I wouldn’t be surprised if your organization’s members created a Facebook Page or Group “unofficially,” before the association got on board. If members already have accounts created at Facebook, it’s only natural for them to want to gather there, making it a “one-stop shop” for all their communication needs.

Rather than reprimanding or ignoring the “unofficial” gathering, try embracing it. Over the last few weeks, the association community has seen what volunteers and members can do, and it’s truly extraordinary. Communities can thrive (or fail) with or without an association backing it up. Your organization should try to help its communities prosper in the cloud (i.e. online spaces) rather than tearing them down.

And if the conversation grows negative, remember to evaluate the offending comment and see if there’s any truth to it. Use it as an opportunity to grow.

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It’s been a little while since I’ve highlighted some of our awesome customers. We work with some really amazing organizations and associations, and from time to time, I like to spotlight a few on this blog to show them off and promote their causes.

The Iowa Association for College Admission Counseling is dedicated to maintaining relationships between secondary and high schools and universities and colleges. They promote the needs of college admissions counselors and set professional standard for admission to a higher education institution. They host an annual conference, as well as a college fair to support students who are seeking higher education. IACAC has more than 600 members and is affiliated with the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

The Society for Human Resource Management of Tompkins County is a growing association with 125 human resource professionals from the Ithaca, N.Y. area. Affiliated with the Society for Human Resource Management, the chapter offers professionals in Ithaca and the surrounding areas career growth and development programs and services.

The Wound Healing Society is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the science and practice of wound healing. Made up of clinical and basic scientists, the society provides a forum for interaction among scientists, physicians, licensed practitioners, industrial representatives and government agencies, according to its About page. With 500 members in the U.S. and other countries, WHS publishes a leading journal in wound healing.

The District of Columbia Nurses Association has more than 2,000 members and maintains a code of ethics for Washington, D.C.-based nurses. A constituent members of the American Nurses Association, DCNA also keeps a “Rights in the Workplace” for all its members and makes sure that all pay and insurance is fair. Members can gain experience in the nursing field as lobbyists, media spokespersons, union advocates and community activists.

If you work with MemberClicks and would like your organization featured on Splash, please e-mail me at shannon@memberclicks.com.

How does your organization define a volunteer leader? Is it a board member (at any level)? Is it anyone who pitches in on various projects, regardless of their “official” title?

Of course, board members should be commended, honored and thanked for their service to the organization. But what about the people who like to be involved but don’t necessarily have the time to devote to being a board member? What about the people who just like to pitch in often and contribute to their organization?

Ribbons at annual meetings? A certificate? A shout-out at conferences? All decent ideas.

I really like the concept of sending a newsletter the organization’s e-mail list, giving recognition to volunteers. My only caveat is that people may not open it or take the time to read it, so it may not have the intended affect. But who doesn’t like to see their name in print (provided it’s not in a police blotter or crime report)?

I think most volunteers just want some sort of recognition. It doesn’t have to be a huge gesture. It can be as simple as just saying “thank you.” It can make a huge difference and let them know that their efforts are appreciated.

Of course, without a healthy and active board, your association wouldn’t exist. But I think it’s the other volunteers — the ones who contribute often, but perhaps in smaller ways, that help the association thrive.

I think it’s crucial to recognize and thank anyone who volunteers and contributes. It doesn’t have to be an over-the-top gesture. For example, I think a short handwritten note can be extremely meaningful, especially in our predominately digital world.

So even if they never serve on a board, be sure to recognize your volunteers, no matter which level they serve at. The smallest chapter can still make significant contributions to the organization as a whole.

In our busy lives, gratitude can truly go a long way.

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