December 2004

CSAE would like to thank this month's CSAE e-news sponsor, Copper Conference Center: www.coppermeetings.com

Connect With CSAE:

Click here to visit www.csaenet.org for the latest information on what's happening at CSAE. Contact the CSAE office at 303-398-9090 or by visiting 2170 S. Parker Road, Suite 265, Denver, Colorado 80231. Contact Joan Tezak at joant@csaenet.org or Cheri Overton at coverton@csaenet.org.

Suppliers can now reach the CSAE audience via two methods: CSAE e-News and Executive Memo. Both methods reach the top decision makers at Colorado's associations. For the latest rate card and information, click here.

We welcome your comments, suggestions and contributions. To submit articles for either CSAE e-news or Executive Memo, contact Jill Ladouceur at 303-804-9778 or ladjill@qwest.net.

Upcoming Events:

Click here to see a list of upcoming CSAE activities.

Click here to download the 2005 luncheon registration form.

Click here to download the 2005 teleseminar registration form.

What's Up at CSAE:

"Can we get in trouble for that?" or "risk management" was the theme of the fourth and last in CSAE's education series. This program covered not only legal issues but other topics that could threaten the ability of an organization to achieve its goal. Learn more...

CSAE Question of the Month:

Professional & supplier members: What are you currently reading, both fiction and nonfiction? E-mail your answers to Jill Ladouceur at ladjill@qwest.net.

Association Trends:

We would all probably agree that one week, four books and two courses in leadership and management do not a leader make. And we can all agree that "leadership" is one of today's most popular business buzzwords. Companies are spending millions of dollars enrolling employees in leadership development seminars. So, what makes a leader? And how do good managers and good leaders differ? Can leadership be taught? And, in fact, are most people we consider leaders just really good, effective managers? Learn more...

CSAE E-News is being sent to you as a part of your membership benefits from the Colorado Society of Association Executives. To unsubscribe to this monthly service, reply to this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Upcoming Events:

• January 7, 2005--Luncheon "Post Election Debrief"
• January 12, 2005--Teleseminar "Making Your Marketing Resolutions Happen." Join us by conference call.
• February 3, 2005--Luncheon "Technology: Tips, Techniques, and Gadgets"
• February 9, 2005--Teleseminar "Your Organization, Your Marketing Team." Join us by conference call.
• February 25-26, 2005--Executive Director Winter Retreat, Winter Park Mountain Lodge
• March 4, 2005--Luncheon "Meetings: The WOW Factor"
• March 9, 2005--Teleseminar "Creating A Referral/Advocate Program." Join us by conference call.
• April 7, 2005--Luncheon "Marketing Makeover: Mistakes Associations Make"
• April 13, 2005--Teleseminar "Presentation & Closing Skills." Join us by conference call.
• May 6, 2005--Luncheon "HR Focus-Building Your Personal Brand"
• May 11, 2005--Teleseminar "Marketing During Slow Season." Join us by conference call.
• June 8, 2005--Teleseminar "3 Simple Marketing Strategies to Help You Sell." Join us by conference call.
• June 9, 2005--Luncheon "Organizational Culture-Is it a Mystery?"
• June 16-18, 2005--2005 Annual Conference, Ft. Collins Marriott
• August 5, 2005--Luncheon "Legal Issues Impacting Your Association"
• September 1, 2005--Luncheon "Best and Worst Experiences in Membership Marketing"
• October 7, 2005--Luncheon "Hotel Contracts: Norms and Taboos"
• November 3, 2005--Luncheon "On Being Influential"
• December 2, 2005--Luncheon Holiday Party

Return to top

What's Up at CSAE:

CSAE Presents: Bob Harris, CAE and Faegre and Benson, LLP

Recap Policies/Procedures and Legal Issues

by Mary R. Jordan, EdD, InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA)

"Can we get in trouble for that?" or "risk management" was the theme of the fourth and last in CSAE's education series. This program covered not only legal issues but other topics that could threaten the ability of an organization to achieve its goal. It is impossible to cram four hours of information into a brief article, so I've subjectively chosen a few quick tips to share:

• Harris suggests keeping a Disaster Survival Notebook which also doubles as the resource for staff to respond to public record requests. (Grab this notebook when escaping a fire!) It should include:
• IRS information returns for three years (form 990)
• IRS letter of determination (Can't find yours? To request a copy, call IRS Customer Account Services: 877-829-5500),
• Current financial report
• Articles of incorporation
• Bylaws
• Sales tax license and/or exemption
• Current rosters of Board and staff
• Policy manual
• Insurance policies
• Back-up disc to computers
• Major software licenses
• List of passwords.
• If you have a silent auction, you must collect sales tax.
• Always err on the side of openness with members.
• Minutes. Focus minutes on decisions and guidance; include verbiage to protect the association, its directors, and yourself. Use phrases such as "carefully reviewed" and "closely examined," for example. Electronic distribution should be in a format such as PDF to limit the ability to alter minutes.
• Documentation. If staff advises a committee to not to take a particular action they feel is illegal or advising an organization member on proper procedures, keep written documentation so staff has some protection.
• Ask an attorney to review the directors and officers insurance policy to be sure you're covered for what you actually need.
• Although the Sarbanes Oxley Act does not specifically apply to not-for-profit organizations, many are using it as a model. Several of the resources listed include copies of the act. It is highly recommended that a not-for-profit organization utilize an Audit Committee for oversight purposes. This group, not the executive director, should select and work with the auditor, receive the report, and discuss it with the board of directors.
• Create a policy on records retention.
• Associations offer forums for competitors to freely communicate. For that reason, the association may be responsible and must monitor discussions that could occur in the boardroom, outside the boardroom, in a trade show, in a seminar, and other locations. Listserves must be monitored to avoid boycott issues as well as the appearance of price fixing. A sample sign-in sheet for antitrust avoidance might state:

I have been asked to remind all in attendance that various state and federal laws prohibit the exchange of information among competitors regarding matters pertaining to price, refusals to deal, market division, tying relationships and other topics which might infringe upon antitrust regulations, and that no such exchange or discussion will be tolerated during this meeting. These guidelines apply not only to the formal meeting sessions but to informal discussions during breaks, meals, or social gatherings. Thank you for your cooperation. Chairman of the Board.

• Who owns the copyright? Ownership may be different for handouts, audiotapes, PowerPoints, etc. When hiring a speaker or author, think about how you might want to use the information in the future: print, electronic, US, worldwide, derivative works, and display. What about rights to publicity? What rights do the author have?
• The Fair Labor Standards Act was revised in 2005. Check this out.
• An employer in Colorado sets his employment rules; the Colorado Wage Act is the enforcement tool to ensure that the employer is consistent with what he sets up.
• Directors and officers are generally protected under Colorado 7-128-401 if they act in "good faith." This is defined as acting "with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation."

For specific information, contact Bob Harris, CAE, 850-561-1234, Bob@rchcae.com; Adrienne McNamara and Chuck Weese, Faegre & Benson, LLP; 303-607-3679, amcnamara@faegre.com.

Resources

• www.nonprofitcenter.com--Bob Harris's web site with free information and downloads. For example, click on Guest Columns and Free Management Articles to see articles such as "Minutes Are to Protect the Association," "Maximizing the Benefits of Meeting Attendance," "What to Tell the President about Committee Planning," "Legal Audit for an Association," and more. Management Tips and Templates includes information on association antitrust policies, member feedback cards, listserve etiquette, etc.
• www.faegre.com--Resource for legal issues such as CAN-SPAM act, corporate governance and the nonprofit board, fax laws, and more.
• www.guidestar.org--A website geared mainly toward 501C(c)3 organizations.
• www.boardsource.org--Another resource guide for not-for-profit organizations.
• www.independentsector.org--A resource center specializing in effective corporate-nonprofit partnerships.
• www.irs.gov--Among much else, this site includes a sample conflict-of-interest/code-of-conduct policy.
• www.nonprofitrisk.org--A source for tools, advice, and training to avoid risks so you can focus on your nonprofit's mission.
• ABA Guidebook--American Bar Association's guide for understanding the legal perspectives of not-for-profit corporations.
  

Return to top

Association Trends:

Leadership Versus Management: What's the Real Deal?

by Sharon Burns, Ph.D., CPA, AFCPE Executive Director

We would all probably agree that one week, four books and two courses in leadership and management do not a leader make. And we can all agree that "leadership" is one of today's most popular business buzzwords. Companies are spending millions of dollars enrolling employees in leadership development seminars. So, what makes a leader? And how do good managers and good leaders differ? Can leadership be taught? And, in fact, are most people we consider leaders just really good, effective managers?

Many of us speak about great leaders and then we follow up with a list of traits or qualities that person possesses. But research suggests that only 10 percent of the characteristics of good leaders can be defined by the "right stuff" such as high energy, dominance, self-confidence, intelligence or a myriad of other traits. Some leaders succeed because they are, in fact, situational leaders: in the right place at the right time with the right knowledge, experience or attitude. Other research suggests that the very best leaders have what is known as emotional intelligence (EQ). Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage oneself and to manage relationships with others. It comes from a rich knowledge of self and the interest in improving oneself when appropriate and compensating for one's weaknesses in other ways.

While true leaders are invaluable in seeing the possibilities, setting the course and influencing individuals to come along, true managers are invaluable in an organization's success. A good manager sets goals and manages the use of resources (including people) to reach those goals. They coach, counsel, support, resolve and do. Managerial skills can often be taught if the student has a predisposition to learning the skills. These include time and stress management, conflict resolution, communication skills and the like.

The qualities of dynamic leaders and successful managers often overlap. Rarely will a visionary succeed without some management skills (unless he or she has a huge staff), and it's almost impossible for a manager to perform without some leadership qualities. In either case, the best scenario for success includes a teamwork approach: having a vision, communicating the vision, assigning the right person to the job and setting appropriate expectations, providing the resources and training to accomplish the goal, and providing motivating incentives. A lapse in any of these areas may set the groundwork for failure at worst, or low job satisfaction in the best case.

Bottom line: a leader has influence, a manager may not. Regardless of traits, situations or EQ, a true leader has vision and embraces change. And a true manager is able to transform a vision into reality through the wise use of resources and employing relevant coaching techniques.

Sharon Burns, Ph.D., CPA, is the executive director of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education based in Columbus, Ohio. She can be reached at sburns@afcpe.org.

 Return to top