Happy Super Bowl weekend! Any football fans in the house? Anyone have any fun viewing plans? I’ll be hosting a small get-together at my new apartment, and still haven’t decided who to cheer for yet. (I’m leaning toward the Colts, though.) Or maybe you don’t care about football and only watch the commercials … or nothing at all. Regardless, I hope everyone has a great weekend!

As always, there were some great posts around the association community this week with information small-staff professionals can truly benefit from.

1. Jeff De Cagna discussed the five words he’ll be focusing on in 2010. I loved the quotes he included for each word, and coincidentally (or not?), each word begins with the letter I. This post will really inspire association leaders to hone in on what they want to accomplish this year.

2. Over at Association Management Solutions, J Bruce Wardle wrote about how to really focus on your 2010 goals to make this year a success. His great suggestion? Limiting your focus to just two or three factors at a time – it will be easier to concentrate on each one and your success rate will increase.

3. There was a fantastic guest post at Acronym by David Kushner about taking a forward-thinking approach to governance. As an association executive, consultant and board member, David had some great insights into what governance might be like in 2030. The post also attracted some great comments, so be sure to check it out!

4. What’s the difference between certificate and certificate programs? Mickie S. Rops covered this topic this week in a thoughtful post about the value and quality of certificates and certificate programs. There’s a workshop in Washington DC next week (at the same time as ASAE’s Technology Conference and Expo!), so if you can’t make it to Tech10, check this out.

5. I’m loving Cindy Butts’ posts lately! Her newest one has six practical tips for making sure webinars and conference calls are less chaotic. One notable one? Talk about anything besides the weather when waiting for everyone to join you. Or just say “I know you’re all multi-tasking so we’ll wait for the roll-call to start talking.” Great stuff!

From all of us at MemberClicks, have a great Super Bowl (or not) weekend! And if you’re in the DC area or getting snow, stay warm and be safe!

Since January is just about halfway over and you might be wavering on those resolutions (if you set any), I thought it might be helpful to discuss setting attainable goals. Whether you set personal or professional goals (or both!), I think it’s important to have a plan in mind to accomplish your goals. Don’t be vague; your motivation likely won’t last if that’s the case.

I find it helpful to put my goals in writing so I have a tangible reminder. Studies back me up on this, so whether you use a Post-It note or a Google document, writing goals down can definitely be helpful. Even just announcing your goals to your friends, family or coworkers can help keep you accountable.

A much-discussed goal-setting plan is the SMART method: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Each of those concepts should apply to your goals, and it’s so crucial to set objectives and have a plan of execution.

We’ve all heard the example of “losing weight.” To achieve that, you have to plan to incorporate exercise into your life and make healthier food choices, which can begin at the grocery store. Taking smaller steps can help you reach your overall objective.

Setting professional goals is no different. An example goal could be to “increase membership by X percent in X months.”

How could your association achieve that goal? What small steps would help you reach that target? What marketing tactics will you use? word of mouth? e-mail? social media? direct mail? face-to-face at networking events? And who else will be involved?

If you don’t reach your exact goal in the time frame you specified, simply reevaluate and choose a more realistic objective.

If your goal involves training staff members and/or volunteers, try making it fun for everyone involved. Our attention spans are only about 40 to 60 minutes in a classroom-type setting, so don’t be afraid to mix it up occasionally!

Many people in the association blogging community discussed Big Ideas in December, but to successfully implement any of them, you have to have a plan of action. Whether you set new goals to ring in 2010 or are plugging away at existing ones, good luck!

(Photo source: Flickr)

Who can believe it’s 2010? Personally, I was excited to say goodbye to 2009 and am ready to see what 2010 has in store for me — and for associations, as well. So in honor of the new year, here are my top five association management blog posts from the past week.

1. Over at Acronym, Brian Birch wrote about innovations from the past decade and how they will help associations going forward into a new one. My favorite part? The link to check out your association’s Web site’s old design (web.archive.org). So hilarious and nostalgic.

2. Jeffrey Cufaude discussed how associations should approach their goals going forward into 2010. He says, What beliefs, mindsets, policies, procedures, or practices help perpetuate the same behaviors or outcomes, the ones you want to change? Good questions here.

3. David M. Patt wrapped up the year by sharing some leadership lessons he discussed throughout 2009. My favorite points are the last ones – spend your time on relevant activities and be sure to communicate properly.

4. Updating or reinventing your chapter program for 2010? Check out Peggy Hoffman’s post at the Idea Center for tons of ideas on goal-setting. Keep in mind that it’s important to set goals that are measurable so you can keep track of your progress.

5. So I thought I posted a link to Elizabeth Engel’s post, So what will YOU do TODAY?, on Twitter. And when I check my Twitter stream, I realized I had forgotten to include a URL. So sorry, Elizabeth! Regardless, everyone should check out this post. We don’t need to wait for the new year to set resolutions or goals. What will you do to help your association today?

Thanks for reading Splash in 2009, everyone! I hope everyone’s new year got off to a fun and safe start, and have a great weekend!

(Image via ahisgett on Flickr)