Mon, 27 July 2015
Josh Linkner’s most recent New York Times best-selling book (he currently has two), The Road to Reinvention, explores the idea that one of the most common—and easily avoidable— reasons communities, organizations and individuals fall is because they fail to reinvent. This episode is the first part of a two-part conversation that Mike Bills had with tech entrepreneur, venture capitalist, keynote speaker and Detroit native Josh Linkner. In this segment, Josh talks about the trouble with resting on prior successes rather than driving purposeful transformation and the grit of Detroit that has lessons for us all. QUOTE IT “To be an effective leader today, that rote memorization, follow-the-rule-book is just completely inadequate. What we need today is to train people to be creative problem solvers.” (11:23) “If we can encourage courage, recognize that if we want great big breakthrough ideas we have to have a lot of bad ideas along the way to get there. ” (18:35) DIG IN Josh says reinvention is a very misunderstood word. Hear his theory about what reinvention really means around the 14:00 mark. TAKEAWAYS 2 - The largest natural resource in your organization is human imagination. 3 - Find new points of differentiation by using the information that everyone has and figuring out how to position your organization as a unique solution. 4 - Build a culture that supports creative risk-taking. 5 - Failure is a part of the process and should be learned from instead of punished. |
Mon, 20 July 2015
The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Meeting 2015 in Detroit is just three short weeks away. And we think the international audience that this event attracts is going to get more than they bargained for by coming to the City of Detroit. In this episode, Mike Bills and Misty Miller highlight a conversation with Renee Lewis, CMP, about reinventing the conference experience and why Detroit is a destination like none other. QUOTE IT “I guess you could make some changes and say you’re reinventing, but at the same time you’re not always solving the issue.” (11:18) At 18:18 Renee sums up why this year’s ASAE Annual Meeting participants will learn something special that they can’t get anywhere else. 2 - Letting go of stale education models that no longer serve your core audience keeps your organization relevant and in-demand. 3 - Detroit’s comeback gives conference goers a first-hand look at how sustainable change can be applied in a fluid system. 4 - Look for barriers that seem immovable, and figure out how to redefine them to be an asset instead of a road block. 5 - The PureReinvention team can help meeting planners build one-of-a-kind content for their next meeting in Detroit based on the lessons of successful local business owners, organizations and individuals that are redefining and rebuilding the city in real time. |
Mon, 13 July 2015
This is a unique time in association culture when there could be four or five generations working toward the same mission. Lacey Thompson, events manager at the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Lansing, is always looking for ways to build on the foundation of the yesterday while sprinkling in the technology and learning styles of today. In this episode, Mike Bills and Lacey talk about how incorporating tech into the delivery of your communication and education systems helps members better relate and connect to their association. QUOTE IT
DIG IN
TAKEAWAYS 2 - Personalize everything you do. A thoughtful comment or gesture can go a long way. 3 - Sharing association news in efficient and friendly ways makes members feel more connected to association leadership. HBA of Greater Lansing uses their Information Minute videos to highlight association news in less than 60 seconds. 4 - Even when you connect on social media or through email, it doesn’t replace the need for face time. 5 - Blend old and new delivery methods for your education and content to keep members engaged while still remaining reliable.ted for the long haul. |
Mon, 6 July 2015
Alignment between an association's Board and the CEO can be a very powerful thing. Cindy Kosloski, chief executive officer of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Lansing & Jim Magnotta, HBA of Greater Lansing board president and founder of Magnotta Builders & Remodelers, have found the sweet spot between strategy and execution. In this episode, Mike Bills gets to sit down with Cindy and Jim for a really interesting conversation about how they are working together to “tinker with tradition” and what they are learning along the way. QUOTE IT “Most executives are going to try to take actions that have a high probability of success. But that’s not what we’re going to do here with reinvention. You have to be ready to accept failure on a fairly regular basis.” (22:35) Listen at 15:20 as Jim explains his plan for sustaining change long-term at the board level, and keep listening to get Cindy’s perspective on what that means for her in the CEO role. TAKEAWAYS 2 - Allow disruptions to be a learning opportunity, not a brick wall. 3 - Invite core decision makers to be owners early on in the process. They will more than likely offer different insight and be more committed for the long haul. 4 - Respect the traditions but look for creative ways to improve them. It’s possible to remain steadfast to your mission and still make change. 5 - Focus on what’s important and give that to your members or customers. A simple product or resource done well is better than an elaborate, confusing offering. looking for ways to make them better. |