Associations are developing lots of content—brochures, how-to-guides, books, articles, etc. Have you trademarked your logo or copyrighted your material? It’s critical in keeping your brand intact and an association’s ability to grow and thrive. Associations need to understand and navigate IP issues affecting them including: copyright, trademark, cybersecurity, privacy, social media, music licensing and member issues. It also covers patents, which associations don’t usually have, but it could impact them in sensitive places. Intellectual Property for Nonprofit Organizations and Associations (©2013, ASAE Association Management Press), by Jeff Glassie, Eileen Morgan Johnson, and Dana O. Lynch, addresses legal issues relevant for nonprofit managers and associations executives. Another issue the book addresses is social media. Associations’ use of these tools have grown exponentially. Organizations are creating blogs and joining networks like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. People are utilizing the Internet, websites, and social media to research, find, and use information. It’s critical for associations to understand the legal issues involved with intellectual property.
Drawing on the experience and expertise of recognized authorities from association and nonprofit organizations, The Volunteer Management Handbook, Second Edition (©2012, John Wiley & Sons), by Tracy D. Connors provides a guide for establishing and maintaining an active and effective volunteer program. The book covers volunteer demographics, volunteer program leaders and managers, policy making and implementation, planning and staff analysis, recruiting, interviewing and screening volunteers, orienting and training volunteers. It also explores volunteers and the law, including liabilities, immunities, and responsibilities.
When Chad “Corntassel” Smith became Principal Chief, the Cherokee Nation was a chaotic and dysfunctional entity. By the end of his tenure 12 years later, the Nation had grown its assets from $150 million to $1.2 billion, increased business profess 2,000 percent, created 6,000 jobs, and dramatically advanced its education, language and cultural preservation programs. His book, Leadership Lessons from the Cherokee Nation (©2013, McGraw Hill), outlines his leadership model, which is based on a traditional Cherokee prayer that encourages learning from different perspectives as the sun moves across the sky from sunrise to sunset. The book delves into what exceptional leaders do differently from their colleagues and what can be done to develop leadership skills that make a positive difference.
Giving With Confidence: A Guide To Savvy Philanthropy (©, 2012, Heyday), by Colburn Wilbur and Fred Setterberg, provides offers seven core principles for effective philanthropy. The book aims to incorporate some of the best ideas from organized philanthropy and individual giving to provide a means for improving the reach, scope, and impact of an individual’s contributions. The authors note that philanthropy today often is impulsive, routine, disconnected and overreaching. The seven principles the authors elaborate on are:
- Follow your connections;
- Send money where you can’t go;
- Dare to be dull;
- Embrace courage, ambiguity, discomfort, and risk;
- Learn from others;
- Expand your reach with technology; and
- Change the culture.
How can associations compete effectively in a new normal characterized by complex challenges in the marketplace, member preferences, technology, and other areas? Road to Relevance: 5 Strategies for Competitive Associations (©2013, ASAE Association Management Press), by Harrison Coerver and Mary Byers, CAE, equips association executives and volunteers with strategic yet practical guidance for focusing, delivering value, and eschewing distractions in the real and very dynamic environment in which they operate. The authors point out that for organizations to be successful, their strategies have to align with industry and market conditions, as well as internal functions and capabilities. Too often in trying to create a winning value proposition, associations attempt to be too many things to too many people, which reduces the organization’s significance and risks irrelevance. It’s critical for associations to pick the right priority in order to move forward. The book outlines five strategies that lead a relevant association to successfully compete, including:
- Build on strength;
- Concentrate resources;
- Integrate programs and services;
- Align people and processes for efficiency; and
- Purposefully abandon services and activities.