DAY 1
8:00 a.m.
Registration and Breakfast
8:30 a.m.
Welcome, introduction and program overview
9:15 a.m.
User Guide to Me
Exercise to unlock new insights about each other to enable connection and understanding in the vital relationships that guide the association
10:00 a.m.
Opening Keynote
Bending the Arc: Making the Case for the Profound Importance and Impact of the Association Sector
10:45 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m.
Leadership Essentials: Part 1
We will introduce and review the key concepts that are evident in the associations that are performing above trend in a challenging, dynamic environment.
- Agility: high-performing associations have mechanisms in place to foster a culture of experimentation, product management and continuous learning.
- Insight and Foresight: Boards must allocate appropriate space to consider the implications of both near-term and long-term indicators and forces that shape their strategic and programmatic choices.
- Rigor: leading a thriving association requires a deep understanding of key financial and business concepts including principles of risk management, strategy execution and measurement and durable frameworks to navigate the intersection of mission and margin.
12:15 p.m.
Lunch
1:00 p.m.
Interactive Q&A Session
Participants will engage with the faculty in an interactive Q&A format to review and reinforce principles covered in the morning session
1:45 p.m.
Plenary: Leading in an Age of Not Knowing
Context setting: this is a uniquely challenging time to be an association leader. Even the most seasoned and savvy leaders are facing challenges new to them, and the best paths forward are often nebulous at best.
We will set context by reviewing data and information on forces that are shaping the association environment including economic headwinds and business models, ESG, divergent belief systems, the impact of AI, workforce development imperatives, etc.
2:45 p.m.
Break
3:00 p.m.
Leadership Essentials: Workshop Scenarios and Solutions
Participants will work within their teams using diagnostic and forecasting tools to explore how the principles covered in the morning session apply to their governance and strategy context.
Leadership Essentials: Report out
Teams share takeaways from their conversations to establish connections and learnings across the group
5:00 p.m.
Networking Reception
6:30 p.m.
Dinner on your own
DAY 2
8:00 a.m.
Registration and Breakfast
8:30 a.m.
Focus for the Day
-Overnight reflections
-Plan for the day
9:00 a.m.
Leadership Essentials: Part 2
Introduce and reinforce foundational concepts of effective governance and strategy, aligning and applying them to the context established during day 1:
- Clarity and Alignment: of our mission, vision, goals, values, roles and responsibilities as codified in our bylaws and policies. This includes establishing norms for the roles of the chair and chief staff officer and ensuring that the Board is prepared to align to its highest and best use.
- Intentional Practices: the highest-performing associations are those that establish and nurture a set of foundational processes and protocols including those that ensure that the Board optimizes its composition, competencies and capabilities and has a consistent set of measures by which it evaluates progress.
- Culture: Boards that embrace principles of inclusion, candor, respect, trust and accountability will over-perform in an age of accelerations.
10:30 a.m.
Break
10:45 a.m.
Leadership Essentials: Workshop Scenarios and Solutions
Participants will work within their teams using diagnostic and forecasting tools to explore how the principles covered in the morning session apply to their governance and strategy context
11:45 a.m.
Leadership Essentials: Report out
Teams share takeaways from their conversations to establish connections and learnings across the group
12:15 p.m.
Working Lunch: Questions and Solutions
Participants consider their open questions and submit to an online poll (e.g., menti.com) for facilitator input
1:15 p.m.
Taking it Back
Facilitators will introduce methods that will enable participants to develop a roadmap for applying the concepts and principles during the coming year
2:30 p.m.
Final Thoughts and Wrap Up
3:00 p.m.
Adjourn