How to Bring All Your Members to The Table [Thanksgiving Edition]

Administrative Management, Growing Your Membership

Happy Thanksgiving from the AMO team! As you prepare food, welcome your out of town guest and enjoy the holiday festivities, take time to reflect on your work this fall. As association executives, its your responsibility to welcome all members to the table. Creating an inclusive environment where everyone can learn and grow as professionals is essential to a successful organization.

To help your association flourish, we’re compiling our Thanksgiving inspired tips to cultivate an inclusive, well-rounded association.

Be open to new dishes [and ideas]

Though Thanksgiving will likely always involve turkey, stuffing, gravy and green bean casserole, don’t be afraid to think outside the box for at least part of your menu. Experiment with a unique vegetable or test out that cultural dish. Similar to your Thanksgiving menu, be open to new ideas with your membership. Test out new benefits. Start an initiative that helps new members get involved.

Check in with friends and family [and members] that you haven’t seen in a while

As you reconnect with long-distance relatives or friends, be intentional about your conversations. Check in on personal achievements, work updates, and family matters. Though this may seem obvious, sometimes an internal check can help you be more mindful and present in conversations.

Yesterday, we wrote a post about the 4 steps to be a great association leader. And similar to my point above, one of the steps included frequent and genuine communication with members. Don’t just check in at your annual event – send handwritten notes, personal emails or reach out over the phone.

Remember the true mission of Thanksgiving [and your association]

It feels like every holiday is becoming more commercialized these days. Black Friday has now turned into Black Thursday and stores are already pushing Christmas. This year, I challenge you to be more present in your holiday plans. Give thanks for those around you and remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

We can apply the same mentality to our work in associations. How did your group help a professional achieve success? Did your work improve community relations or open new doors for future engagement? Instead of rushing through your work in the holiday season, take time to reflect on your accomplishments and the people who made it happen.

A couple weeks ago we hosted an event at our parent company, ArcStone, called Happy(our) where we discussed ways to be happy in the workplace and life in general. It’s a great read to help set your intentions through the holiday season. Check it out here: Happy(our) Recap: Acceptance, Kindness and Saying Yes

thanksgiving for associations

How are you celebrating the holiday season?

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