Once in awhile, I’ll read a blog post that particularly inspires me to contribute to the conversation. In this case, Bruce Hammond’s “Saving Your Job By Doing Something New” really struck a chord with me.

By training I’m a journalist, and I’ve written before about how I still have a soft spot for newspapers. Many of my friends work for newspapers, and as you no doubt know, that particular industry is in especially dire straits right now.

Because of that, I was so thrilled when my friend, a page designer, told me she was the unofficial Tweeter and “social media expert” at her newspaper. She’s also the fill-in sports editor and go-to travel editor. Although she was hired as a page designer, she used her social media know-how and interest in sports to make herself indispensable to the organization.

Stand out from the crowd

Association executives can do the same thing. The whole “that’s not in my job description” just doesn’t cut it anymore. It’s career suicide, especially in this economic environment. What other interests, hobbies or talents do you have that you can contribute to the organization?

Perhaps you’re a CPA who loves sports. Organize a March Madness bracket for your members. Although this may not help the “bottom line,” it engages members and fosters a sense of community, and — let’s face it — it’s fun.

Or maybe you’re a membership coordinator who loves to read. Could you contribute a book review to your organization’s newsletter?

This post was also inspired by Seth Godin’s newest book, “Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?”. In the book, Godin writes that everyone who does emotional, passionate work is an artist, and that doing so will make you irreplaceable to your organization, no matter which industry you area  part of.

We all have different interests and unique talents that we can apply to our professional lives. How can you cultivate your interests and talents to stand out from the crowd and help your association prosper?

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