A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, Martha holds a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in International Business. In addition to a variety of daily operational responsibilities at Schneider Publishing, Martha serves as the conference registrar for the annual TEAMS Conference & Expo.

Her dedication and in-depth knowledge of the company make her a valuable member of our team.

She can be reached by e-mail at Martha.Romero@SchneiderPublishing.com or toll-free at (877) 577-3700.

WE’RE HERE TO SERVE YOU AND WE LOVE TO SEE YOU WHEN WE’RE TRAVELING! Please call us toll-free at (877) 577-3700 or e-mail us if we can be of service in any way or if you’d like to schedule a meeting with us when we’re in your area. Until next month, thank you for supporting the communities we serve!

As Takash points out, it is always a prudent investment to help people perform at a higher level. Takash suggests that taking the following four steps can help tremendously:

1. Practice emotional control. Takash cautions leaders to watch out for the inner and oftentimes impersonal autopilot that kicks in when times are tough. He suggests counteracting the autopilot syndrome by connecting with others in a respectful, timely and competent manner. Takash also suggests that executives should demonstrate compassion and understanding while maintaining clinical objectivity.

2. Provide frequent updates. Takash believes many executives create unnecessary stress and resentment by not sharing what’s going on with the organization. Takash suggests that a great way to keep teams and individuals informed is to designate time on your calendar to share your knowledge. Takash says these updates should be initiated by you, the leader, and should involve honest disclosures of what you do know and what you don’t know.

3. Become an exceptional listener. Takash points out that getting people to perform in tough times requires understanding and that requires listening. His checklist for listening includes encouraging others to talk, clarifying for certainty when they speak, and eliminating distractions. According to Takash, if you listen at a deeper level, you’ll create more committed and confident performers.

4. Lead with (realistic) optimism. Leading during turbulent times, says Takash, can bring home the sobering reality of negativity, anxiety and stress. Because bad attitudes and the behaviors that go with them are contagious, Takash suggests that leaders need to paint pictures that are reflective of the truth, but they must also speak about the possibilities and opportunities that might be buried in the challenges the organization faces.

That point has certainly been driven home by the many hospitality industry professionals who are facing a decline in their corporate meetings business as a result of the problems in the financial sector. Many association executives may soon find the relative value of their meetings increasingly important not only for their members (who need the information and professional networking that associations provide even more when times are tough) but also for the hotels and convention bureaus who are looking for group business to replace that lost from the corporate sector.

To order Joe Takash’s book, “Results Through Relationships: Building Trust, Performance and Profit Through People,” visit the online bookstore at www.AssociationNews.com. For more information on Takash and the consulting services he provides, visit www.joetakash.com.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

Best New Sports Event
2008 Ultimate Boarder, Lake Tahoe, CA & Ventura, CA

Best Professional Sports Event Series or Circuit
2007 NFL NFC Championship Playoff Series, Multiple Host Cities

Best Professional Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2008 ESPN Winter X Games, Aspen, CO

Best Professional Single-Sport Event
2008 U.S. Open Golf Championship, La Jolla, CA

Best Collegiate Sports Event Series or Circuit
2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships, San Antonio, TX

Best Collegiate Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2008 NCAA Division I Women’s Gymnastics Championships, Athens, GA

Best Collegiate Single-Sport Event
2008 BCS National Championship Game (LSU vs. Ohio State), New Orleans, LA

Best Amateur Sports Event Series or Circuit
2008 USA Softball KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour, Multiple Host Cities

Best Amateur Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming, Omaha, NE

Best Amateur Single-Sport Event
2008 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Oklahoma City, OK

Seated, Left to Right: Chris Stiepock of ESPN X Games, Chuck Wielgus of USA Swimming, Bill McCarthy of the United States Golf Association, D’Ann Keller of the NCAA and Ron Radigonda of the Amateur Softball Association of America.

Standing, Left to Right: Timothy Schneider of SportsTravel Magazine, Tim Hoover of Ultimate Boarder, Stacey Weddington of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, Wayne Burrow of the NCAA and Lisa Furfine of SportsTravel Magazine.

A Texas native who recently relocated to Los Angeles, Michelle graduated from Southern Methodist University and holds a degree in Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. Michelle previously served as an advertising account executive for the Dallas Morning News and the Los Angeles Times.

Michelle’s enthusiasm and dedication to her clients’ needs make her an excellent addition to our staff.

She can be reached by e-mail at Michelle.Gonzalez@SchneiderPublishing.com or toll-free at (877) 577-3700.

Over the years, not only have these green practices become second nature for our staff, they’ve also produced real savings for our organization. If your organization is looking for ways to increase its green quotient, here are several simple tips courtesy of the Web site techsoup.org:

• Don’t print or photocopy e-mails, forms and other documents unless absolutely necessary. Instead, publish documents electronically, post one copy at a central bulletin board or distribute them as attachments via e-mail. Eliminate fax cover sheets by using a label on the first page of a fax. Print only as many copies as you really need. With meeting handouts, ask staff members to share.

• Use double-sided printing and copying. Many printers and photocopiers allow you to set double-sided or “duplex” printing as the default setting.

• Lay out your association’s publications with as little white space as possible. Reduce margin widths and font sizes, and use single-spacing if possible.

• Most word-processing programs include a tool to add tracked comments to pages on your computer. When preparing documents that will require multiple versions, get accustomed to exchanging “soft drafts” with your comments embedded, rather than editing hard copies by hand.

• Use the spell-check and print-preview features before printing any document.

• Use the back sides of old photocopies, printed sheets and outdated letterhead for scratch paper. Pages can be used in full sheets, or cut in half or quarters. Stack the pages in trays or have them bound into notepads and store them near printers, along with used envelopes that can be used to route internal communications.

• Keep the lights off in rooms that are used infrequently, such as conference rooms and low-traffic bathrooms, server rooms and storage rooms. Make use of natural light whenever possible.

• Utilize the power-save feature on computers and photocopiers.

• Turn off computers and other office equipment at the end of the day.

• Eliminate the use of paper, plastic and Styrofoam kitchenware. Provide staff with reusable coffee mugs and dishes.

• Post clear instructions as to what is recyclable on or near recycling and trash bins. Place these containers in highly trafficked, easy-to-access locations.

• Encourage staff members to join the recycling and reuse effort. Recognize employees who exemplify best environmental practices.

By combining environmental awareness with a measure of creativity, you can help make your association’s headquarters greener. Do you have other ways of being green?

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

In addition to working in the publishing industry for more than twenty-five years and earning several fine art degrees, Hagit has been invited by several galleries and venues to exhibit her art. Her previous experience includes working in the art departments of Entrepreneur magazine, Teleflora, Cannon Communications and 101 Communications.

She can be reached by e-mail at Hagit.Worona@SchneiderPublishing.com or toll-free at (877) 577-3700.

Last month, we considered the study’s findings that association members volunteer more than most but spend most of their volunteer time working for community organizations. The study also found that members’ values drive their choices, reaffirmed the importance of making direct requests to members to volunteer and revealed that providing meaningful experiences is the best way to retain quality volunteers. This month, we present the remaining major findings of the study:

• The importance of involving the younger generations. According to the ASAE study, Gen-X and Millennial Generation association members are slightly less engaged than older association members and are likely to volunteer differently, but they actually believe more strongly in the importance of volunteering. The challenge for associations then will be in finding meaningful and substantive ways to involve these less experienced but very eager young professionals.

• The professional benefits of volunteerism. Two thirds of the survey respondents said they look for opportunities to connect volunteering to their professional work. In fact, many regard volunteering as a benefit of membership; they see the association volunteer work they have done as something that has made them better professionals. This is a powerful message that associations can use in both member—and volunteer—recruitment strategies.

• Recognizing the “ad hoc” volunteer. While the first people who might come to mind when you think about volunteers are those who fill board and committee seats, the study suggests that most volunteers are performing lower-profile services such as mentoring, membership recruitment or activities that might be even further off the radar screen for association staff. The risk is in assuming that these “ad hoc” volunteers require less attention. Instead, the study suggests finding ways to identify, support and acknowledge all volunteer contributions.

• Organizational strategies can support or discourage volunteering. The study finds that family, work and geography can all limit volunteer participation. But survey respondents also indicated that many of the reasons they did not volunteer for their professional association are within the association’s power to address. In fact, the number one reason they did not volunteer was a lack of information about the opportunities. Other addressable issues revealed in the study include poor communication and follow-through with volunteers, forgetting to thank them, lack of support or training, and unclear or ill-defined roles.

For more information or to order “The Decision To Volunteer,” visit www.asaecenter.org or call (888) 950-2723.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

“The Decision to Volunteer: Why People Give Their Time and How You Can Engage Them” was written by Monica Dignam, ASAE’s vice-president of industry and market research, and Beth Gazley, Ph.D., of Indiana University. The findings, which consider both association and community volunteering, are based on responses from 26,305 members of 23 co-sponsoring associations. This month and next, we’ll present the findings of the study, which should help your group do a better job of recruiting and retaining volunteers. The study found that:

• Association members are highly engaged people. On average, the individuals who participated in the ASAE study volunteer more than the national average, and for more organizations. But they reserve most of their volunteer hours for community organizations, not for associations. In fact, the study finds that turnover among association volunteers is high. Association members are busy people so associations have to work hard to get their attention.

• Values drive volunteer choices. In studies of volunteerism, the most commonly cited reason for serving has been a desire to help others and create a better society. The new ASAE study finds that the same holds true for professional volunteering. While association members still expect career benefits from their professional volunteering, they are also interested in volunteering for reasons bigger than themselves, especially to build a stronger profession.

• The direct ask is the most powerful. The top methods by which members were recruited into volunteer activities were through participation in chapters or annual meetings, and through a request by staff or other volunteers. Passive recruitment techniques such as Web site postings were not nearly as effective. Like donors, volunteers respond most when approached directly with meaningful tasks.

• A meaningful experience keeps them coming back. Once an association recruits a new volunteer, the focus then must turn to ways to retain them as a volunteer. The new study indicates that as busy professionals, association volunteers are no different from most community volunteers in expecting a chance to work with like-minded people, network, keep skills sharp or learn a new skill, pass on their knowledge, and contribute to a cause they believe in. Above all, people who volunteer for associations expect to be involved effectively. Volunteer expectations also vary according to where association members are in their careers. One size will not fit all, and associations must design flexible volunteer activities for their members.

Next month, we’ll look at the study’s findings regarding the importance of involving younger members. “The Decision to Volunteer” will be available for purchase at the ASAE Annual Meeting, August 16–19, in San Diego. The authors of the study will also be on hand to discuss their findings. For further information, please visit www.asaecenter.org or call (888) 950-2723.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

Sarah graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of California Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Professional Writing for Business Communication. Sarah served as a marketing and public relations specialist for an internet marketing company and for the Santa Barbara chapter of the Association for Women in Communication.

In addition to overseeing the development of our promotional materials, Sarah will also administer an array of print, live-event and Web-based initiatives. Her creativity, expertise and enthusiasm make her an outstanding addition to the Schneider Publishing team. She can be reached by e-mail at Sarah.Caminker@SchneiderPublishing.com or toll-free at (877) 577-3700.