Conference Report

Annual Conference, Exhibition and Dinner 2008 Recognition, Results, Rewards Building the framework for association management good practice 5 Feb 2008 Welcome Dinner; 7 Feb 2008 Conference and Exhibition Central Hall Westminster| Storey's Gate | Westminster | London SW1H 9NH		Main Sponsor Venue Partner
A premier event in the association management calendar – the annual Institute Conference, Exhibition and Dinner in London on 5-6 February offered a platform for delegates, speakers and partners to debate practical solutions with top-end industry managers:     The Intention Walk We all share similar targets but how you can get to where you want to be? Tom Branston, Director, Bamboo Coaching, led an interactive session, where delegates were encouraged to explore their approach to their goals in a fun but informative way.     How, when and why to say sorry: Reducing conflict and resolving complaints in your association Everyone is called upon to handle a complaint from time to time whether it is from members, staff, the public, or someone else. Independent Complaints Reviewer, Jodi Berg, advised how to effectively manage a complaint and prevent escalation and further damage to your association.     Protecting your association and board members: risk management, culpability and corporate manslaughter Did you know that directors of organisations can be held personally responsible and jailed if a person dies on their premises or at an event they are holding? Did you know that all successful prosecutions in this area have been of directors of small organisations? Do you know how to avoid this risk and protect yourself and your board members? John Hooker, Director – Client Services Specialists, THA Group, outlined how to appraise who in your organisation is liable should the worst happen, what the applicable laws mean in the real world and the practical steps you need to take to protect you, your employees and your members.     Finding the balance: managing relationships between elected and salaried officers The challenges of managing an organisation that has both elected and salaried officers are varied. Not only do each come to the table with different motivations and desiring alternative outcomes but for the organisation to perform at its optimum both must find a way to work together and quickly before the next set of elections come round. Jennifer Jenkins, Managing Director, MCI, discussed the challenges of finding the balance between officers, strategies to ensure harmonious working and explored how effective Presidents and Chief Executives work together, defining a successful partnership.       Influencing the future of associations The pressures on associations are enormous, the way they operate and the demands members make are changing all the time. As part of the conference delegates learned how they will be given the opportunity to take part in one of the largest research studies into UK associations ever undertaken and what that study will achieve. Plus, at a time of ever increasing legislation, delegates explored resources that can help.     Putting a value on your association: Leveraging your brand to raise funds via sponsorship Do you know the value of a banner advert on your website? What about the sponsorship of your annual conference? Is it possible to calculate the market rate of these intangible opportunities and ensure that they are neither too expensive that they put off your sponsor nor too cheap that miss out on an important revenue stream. Jan Potgieter, Founder and CEO,The Negotiation Academy – Europe, showed how to identify how to calculate the value of different sponsorship opportunities; learn the perceived value of your organisation and develop increased revenue streams.     Get connected: participation is the key to a healthy organisation Justin Kirby, CEO of DMC, led a session giving delegates an insight into the world of 'connected marketing', whereby participation generates advocacy for your organisation in order to sustain and drive membership and uncover new revenue streams. During his presentation delegates learned about: enabling all stakeholders to connect and collaborate with each other, listening to them and distinguishing the noise from the valuable information; identifying the most influential stakeholders; giving experiences that exceed expectations by inviting participation in your plans; how social media tools can help enable the participation process and even streamline operations.		View presentations made at the Annual Conference: Three key success factors for fundraising negotiation Finding the balance: managing relationships between elected and salaried officers Sorry seems to be the hardest word: Resolving and learning from complaints Protecting your association and board members: risk management, culpability and corporate manslaughter Get connected: participation is the key to a healthy organisation
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