CSAE Connect

#CSAE09 iPhone Volunteer Session Slides

What's happening in the mobile space right now is really exciting to me, because it's so much more than a one-way platform associations can use to push out content.  Given the increasingly passionate love affair so many of us are having with our iPhones, Blackberries and other devices, mobile offers a compelling way for associations to build a meaningful, always-on, always-accessible presence in the lives of our members that we can use for mutual benefit.

Watch this commercial by mobile device manufacturer HTC that crystallizes the role mobile devices are now playing in our lives:

There is no question in my mind that mobile is the future of associating, and I hope association leaders will begin thinking creatively about how they can deconstruct their existing macro-level volunteer opportunities to create a full spectrum of micro-level opportunities for voluntary engagement.  If associations can broaden and deepen engagement by making it simpler, more attractive and more meaningful for their stakeholders, it will open the door to many more compelling strategic opportunities for radical value creation in the years ahead.

Download PDF of IPhone Volunteer Slides (CSAE 09)

Jeff De Cagna is chief strategist and founder of Principled Innovation LLC, located in Reston, Virginia.  He can be reached at jeff@principledinnovation.com.

#CSAE09: Associations Next Workshop Slides

Hi everybody, today is Thanksgiving in the United States, but I'm here in Toronto at #CSAE09, and so far it's been great fun.  Yesterday, I presented my workshop, Associations Next: Serious Questions for 2010 and Beyond, and I tried a little experiment.  As I wrote on one of my slides:

What if somebody led a workshop and only asked questions?

For a little over three hours yesterday morning, about 70 leaders in the Canadian association community participated in a series of small and large group conversations around the many, many questions I posed to them.  (Download Associations Next (CSAE09) slides).  As I've already written, it was an experiment that I was motivated to try because I wanted to do something creative that would help me advance my effort to nurture new ways of seeing and thinking within association leaders.

Based on the reaction I've heard around the conference, this different approach worked.  I was pleased with how the session went, and it was a valuable learning experience for me as well.  Many thanks to the terrific participants who stayed with it even if they were a little bit uncertain about what we were doing at times!

Jeff De Cagna is chief strategist and founder of Principled Innovation LLC, located in Reston, Virginia.  He can be reached at jeff@principledinnovation.com.

A Message from Glenn Tecker

Glenn Tecker, the Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremonies taking place November 25th, 2009, is President and CEO of Tecker Consultants, an international consulting practice. He has served as an association executive and as a board member for both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Glenn has authored several books and articles on association leadership and excellence, including two books by the ASAE Foundation (Successful Association Leadership: Dimensions of 21st Century Competency for the CEO and  Building a Knowledge-based Culture: Using 21st Century Work and Decision-Making Systems in Associations).

Glenn does considerable work with CSAE. His leadership of CSAE’s CEO Symposium for the past 12 years has consistently received outstanding evaluations.

Toronto Buzz

We'll all be converging in Toronto in less than 2 months, so now is a great time to provide you with some insight and little-known facts about the host city.

In 1834, it offically became Toronto when the town incorporated itself as a city with a population of 9,254 people.   Today, with a population of 2.5 million, Toronto is the fifth largest city in North America .  That's one heck of a growth spurt!

In 1869, Timonthy Eaton opened his first store, T.Eaton & Co., in Toronto.  Today, while Eaton's stores have been gone for a decade, the Toronto Eaton Centre is a major tourist destination with 230 stores that attract around one million visitors per week.  Check it out for some great holiday shopping when you come in November!

In 1921, The Toronto Transit Commission was created.  Known today as the TTC, it has expanded greatly and nearly 1.5 million people use the system each day for only $2.75 per passenger.  Each TTC user is helping the environment!  While you're here, take a bus, subway or streetcar and reduce the environmental footprint you leave behind.

In 1931, Maple Leaf Gardens opened and the Toronto Maple Leafs won their first Stanley Cup in 1932 beating the New York Rangers.  In 1967, the Leafs won their 13th Stanley Cup.  Ever since then fans have been waiting to get out of 'unlucky thirteen' and are still waiting for another Cup win...42 years later.  Didn't I hear something about hockey tickets at last year's Conference?

Stay tuned for more Toronto Buzz with history, must-sees and dining recommendations for your stay with us in Toronto.  After the Conference, stay the weekend and check out all this city has to offer.

The Inside Scoop

As the 'CSAE insider', I'd like to introduce you to the team that works diligently to put together the CSAE National Conference & Showcase.  Keep an eye out for us at Conference and be sure to say 'hi'.

Jana Cassidy, Coordinator, Conference & Events handles registration.  Jana is the one who responds to many of your inquiries about Conference, processes your registrations, organizes your onsite packages and takes care of the speakers needs.  She is a 'jack of all trades' and keeps things up-to-date and organized.  Throughout Conference, Jana will be stationed at the registration desk handling your registration information needs.

Gail McHardy, Director, Conference & Events is the leader and champion behind the Conference.  Gail's vision for Conference is to ensure that members, both executive and business, attend, enjoy and leave with new knowledge, ideas and strategies to enhance their roles within their organization.  A real advocate for CSAE's Conference, her strive for excellence keeps us all on our toes and constantly learning and developing new skills.

Finally, I'm Claire Gettas, Manager, Conference & Events.  My main role is to handle the Showcase.  As a Conference attendee, you won't likely see me much on the first day as I will be at the MTCC getting ready for the big show.  Showcase is my pride and joy and I look forward to seeing you all walking the aisles and checking out what your business partners have to offer.

I am excited about this blog and hope you will enjoy the content.  I look forward to providing you with 'The Inside Scoop'.

Did You Know 4.0

The original "Shift Happens" PowerPoint presentation was created in the summer of 2006 and posted to YouTube as a video in 2007. Over the last 2.5 years, at least 20 million people have viewed various versions of the presentation.  If you've attended a business conference during this period, you've probably seen a "Did You Know?" video at least once.

The video you see above is version 4.0, and it was posted to YouTube this week.  Take a few minutes to watch it, and think about the implications of the information it presents for your association, and for your industry or profession.  What did you know?  What surprised you?  What captures your imagination?

Please share your reactions to the video as comments below.  Let's get the conversation started!

My Thanksgiving in Toronto

During the last week of November, millions of Americans will be celebrate another Thanksgiving holiday in all the traditional ways: turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning and professional football in the afternoon.  It's our yearly national ritual, and one to which I always look forward.

But this year, I have other plans.

This year, I will be spending Thanksgiving in Toronto at CSAE '09 as a speaker, blogger and enthusiastic participant, and I could not be more excited.  The CSAE National Conference is a fantastic education and networking experience.  I had a wonderful time last year in Vancouver, and I'm so very pleased to be joining delegates from across Canada again this year.  

Now I just need to find a place in Toronto where I can get some turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie!

The Launch of CSAE Connect

Welcome to CSAE Connect, the blog for happenings surrounding CSAE’s National Conference & Showcase ’09 taking place in Toronto November 25-27.  As a new initiative this year we hope that you will find the blog interesting, thought-provoking and entertaining.

 

Our team of bloggers, consisting of members, non-members, speakers and CSAE staff, will provide great diversity in the content provided on this blog.  You may find posts about a great education session, a hot spot to check out while in Toronto, or an interesting idea raised by a keynote speaker.  If you have comments or feedback about a posting, we encourage you to share them on the site.  We’d like to hear what you have to say.

 

Along with written content we will post pictures of the Conference throughout the event.  You may also share your pictures by uploading them live to the site.  This way it gives those who cannot attend a chance to see what’s happening and for those attending to remember some great moments.  We hope to have video posts and, possibly, live streaming content on CSAE Connect.  Stay tuned for more information.

 

This blog will provide an added bonus to those attending and for those unable to join us a chance to experience the event though various viewpoints.  I encourage you to bookmark this page, subscribe to the RSS, or follow us on any one of the social media sites we are involved with. 

 

More information and registration for the Conference is available at www.csae.com/conference.  Don’t forget we are offering some excellent pre-Conference education opportunities on November 24^th.

I look forward to seeing you in Toronto November 25^th – 27^th.  Share the information and enjoy the full benefit of the CSAE National Conference and Showcase Experience.

 

Michael Anderson, President & CEO

Canadian Society of Association Executives