I’ve been running on and off for about a year now. Some weeks I run 15 miles, other weeks I may only run 6 or 8. However, it’s almost time for me to kick my running into high gear as I start training for my first 15K — 9.3 miles — race.

What does this have to do with associations, you might ask. On the surface, nothing. However, knowing I have to run that 15K on Dec. 19 is motivating me to continue running each week, steadily increasing my mileage. Without a measurable end goal in mind, It’d be more  difficult for me to stay motivated.

Do you have quantifiable end goals in mind when it comes to you professional life?

Goal-setting is one of the most important aspects of our lives (both professional and personal), but goals need to be both measurable and attainable in order to (hopefully) succeed. (And if you don’t succeed, it’s OK to reevaluate how realistic a certain goal is.)

We’ve all heard of the SMART method for setting goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) and it may be overplayed, but it really is applicable. One other key point I would add is to make sure you are passionate about whatever you’re trying to achieve. Maybe it’s a mundane work task, maybe you want to train for a marathon. Either way, find a way to be passionate about it. Are you passionate about your organization? Passionate about running? learning? traveling? Set mini-goals along the way to foster those passions, no matter what your end goal is.

It may take me a really long time to cross that 15K finish line, but I’m just aiming to finish — I’ve never run more than 6.2 miles/10K at a time, so to me, just finishing is an accomplishment.

If you’re passionate about what you set out to achieve and you set realistic goals than can easily be measured, it’s unlikely you’ll fail.

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Just wanted to remind everyone about Small Staff Appreciation Month, which officially kicks off this Friday! The month is intended to celebrate small staff associations and the work they do.

As part of our celebration of Small Staff Association Month, we’ll be hosting daily giveaways:

• Every Monday through Thursday in October, we’ll give away our Small Staffs Rule T-Shirts!
• The first four Fridays in October, we’re giving away a Small Staff Care Package consisting of 4 $25 gift cards to Starbucks, Office Depot, Amazon and Visa – a $100 value!
• On Friday the 29th, we’ll randomly pick a winner of our grand prize – a 15″ MacBook Pro!

Additionally, we’ll will be profiling several small staff associations on this blog every Tuesday and Thursday in October. Let me know if your organization is interested in being profiled!

“Small staff associations do so much for their memberships and for the country’s culture, and they do it all with limited time, money and resources,” President Thomas Howard said. “We want to champion their work and show our appreciation for their passion.”

We want to invite everyone in the association industry – including association professionals, consultants and other software providers – to participate in Small Staff Appreciation Month by either sharing content on the Splash blog or through their own organizations’ initiatives.

“Small staff associations are a hugely important tranche of the association industry,” Maddie Grant, chief social media strategist of association consulting firm SocialFish, said.  “They not only represent thousands of individual members and push those members’ industries forward but they do it with an energy and enthusiasm and creativity often lacking in much larger, slower associations.”

For more information about Small Staff Appreciation Month and to enter the giveaway, visit, http://memberclicks.com/october.

There are a few things in life we can always count on … taxes is one of them, and change is another. So how do you deal with uncertainty?

In everything we do, there’s a certain amount of risk involved. Some things are riskier than others, and every decision needs to be carefully weighed. (Some decisions are easier than others to make, of course.) But when it comes to those big, possibly risky decisions, how do you deal?

1. Identify the risks. Big or small, inherent or possible, it’s crucial to weigh every possible outcome and the risks and benefits associated with each.

2. Evaluate and prioritize the risks. Everyone has a different appetite for risk. Some accept opportunities with inherent risk while others aren’t willing to accept any risks. Many people fall somewhere between the two extremes, and it’s important to know how your coworkers react to risk.

3. Select a risk management technique. There are tons of risk management techniques, and they can be as simple as implementing a new policy or training program or as complicated as partnering with another organization or chapter. Be ready to evaluate your program at some point, as you may need to modify it.

4. Monitor the program as you roll it out. Have any new risks presented themselves? Do you need to modify something?

What’s one risk your organization has taken that paid off?

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Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend; I can hardly believe October starts this Friday! I recently saw a few awesome presentations on SlideShare and wanted to share them with you all. I love SlideShare because so many fantastic, intelligent people post their presentations and they’re great for learning. Even if you can’t make the conference or meeting, you may be able to check out the presentations!

I hope your weeks get off to great beginnings! I always like to set weekly mini-goals every Monday morning so I can see tangible results each Friday. What are your goals for this week?

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a happy, productive week and is ready for the weekend! Are you experiencing fall weather in your area? I’ve been getting a bit here and I can’t wait for more! (Fall is definitely my favorite season, but I’m nowhere near ready for winter.)

Anyway, as always, there was some awesome content in the association world this week. Here are five posts you may have missed, but are definitely worth a read. (And if you didn’t miss them, perhaps they’re worth a reread?)

1. Jeff Hurt is back with a great post about why events need word-of-mouth marketing and individuals. If you’re a marketer at a small staff association, are you used to dealing with mass messages or individuals? Do you use a one-size-fits-all approach when marketing an event? Jeff’s post is definitely worth taking a look at.

2. This week, Eric Lanke asks, do you have a defined process for how innovation will function in your association? Having a culture that embraces innovation isn’t enough — often, if there isn’t a process in place, association professionals may feel they can’t speak up about a certain idea.

3. Following up after TSAE’s New Ideas Conference, Jamie Notter posted a great presentation called Managing Conflict With Confidence. It’s no secret that conflict occurs in every office, but it’s how you handle it that makes all the difference. Jamie also shared the handout from the presentation. A great resource.

4. One of the newest bloggers in the association space, Kathi Edwards had a great post earlier this month about why it’s tough to work for an association when the members do what you do.  Those members are always the most critical, and it can be difficult to deal with that feedback. Kathi’s inspiration? The aftermath of ASAE’s Annual Meeting and Expo.

5. This week on Acronym, Carolyn Hook shared a great story with a metaphor to her high school English teacher. That teacher had passion, and made the students want to learn. She asks association professionals how your interactions with members can inspire a similar passion and thirst. Can you make your members feel empowered and capable?

That’s all for this week! I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!