Notes from Twitter’s 5/19/09 Association Chat

Q1: Are associations struggling with the way different generations want to interact? If yes, what are you doing about it?

• Very different assumptions about what networking “should” look like.
• Teaching members about differences can be challenging
• Showing members the use of new mediums get results: Facebook, blogging, twittering, Virtual world of Second Life. Teaching them what/how
• Education is the key in getting association members engage with Web 2.0 features. Lead them to it and teach them how. Helps both association and the members’ professionally.
• Realize that old-style lecture sessions won’t cut it anymore. Young members want to connect, both online &in person.
• Everyone will start using the tools. Different generations may use the same tool differently though.
• Members will value Web 2.0 tools differently. One size does not fit all.
• Some associations positioning themselves for when members start using social media. Have built their social platforms and ready to go.
• Build a social media strategy including utilizing outposts.
• Lead members to it, train volunteer leaders how to use it, engage them and they help other members learn it. Engagement early is key.
• Don’t wait for younger members or early adopters to join organization before start using social media tools. Star now and it will attract different audience than you currently have.
• Look for champions on outposts (FB, SL, Twitter, etc.), participate in outpost conversations, add extra value on your own site.
• Second Life being used for some networking and training by some associations.
• Active presence in social media will not destroy association but potentially breathe new life into it.
• Important that people can get back to your association website but your association should not be a silo
• Association should have presence in several social media outposts.
• often there is tension between doing what members want and making board members comfortable with change

Q2: Thoughts about using social media around events and meetings.

• Multi-purposing content and using content not only to passively inform but to engage
• Integrating Twitter and Facebook for association meetings and events.
• Extending meeting and event with attendees both before and after event through social media.
• Encouraging blogging and Twitter use at conference through Bloggers Hub like at World Innovation Forum 2009
• Encouraging use of backchannel to talk to attendees at conference and virtual attendees.
• Work with speakers so they understand and can engage people using Twitter during meetings or events.
• Create tools (videos, web pages) explaining how to use social media tools at event.

Q3: Thoughts about keeping local association chapters alive.

• Social media alone will not breathe new life into chapters.
• Is not cure-all but will bring some new folks, blood, life into chapters if done correctly.
• Chapters die because of people in them or lack of people. Not because of tools used.
• Teaching members how to use social media tools so they are not rude or inappropriate to new members key.
• Ultimately, chapters and associations should be about relationships.
• Burned out volunteers cause death to chapters.
• Leaders need to learn to be more inclusive, share the workload and celebrate different POVs. Social media tools can support that.
• Lack of vision, lack of leadership, resistance to change will cause death to chapters.
• Chapters and associations need leaders not managers.
• Chapters and associations tend to promote workhorses and not leaders. Then not training new leaders on how to run organizations. Both of these factors lead to decaying organizations.
• Our organizations are often not attractive to various generations. May be able to sell why join but keeping them is different.
• Same project run by different leaders can be different experience based on “how not what.”
• Revolution doesn’t happen when society adopts new technology. It happens when people adopt new behaviors as Shirky says.
• Social technology accelerating the process of mindshift. 

The next Association Chat (#assnchat) will be Tuesday, May 26 at 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific). You can follow by going to Tweetchat or Tweetgrid and following #assnchat, or in Tweetdeck you can create a search column for #assnchat.

Participants:
AlanJBaptista, ArashRobinson, CharmsS, Christytj, CynthiaDAmour, DanScheeler, ImageSpecialist, jmancini77, JamieNotter, JeffHurt, kikilitalien, ltwhite, MPIRandy, MsStallings, paulaberger, pinnovation, reedstockman, rjohnston, robinhickey, unklbuck