Joe’s Perspective: The advantage of NIL is that players can receive a piece of the huge revenues that college athletics creates. In many ways this seems fair. However, at this point, it’s open season. There are basically no limitations. Does this hurt the competitive landscape of college sports? Does NIL interfere with the development of college athletes? Do the schools with huge financial resources get richer and the schools with less resources get poorer? Does NIL create inequities/jealousy on the team between a player who receives a million dollars and a player who receives nothing?

Your Turn: These are all great questions, all of which are above my pay grade. I’ll be interested to see how NIL progresses and is refined. I am also interested in how you, the younger generation thinks of this new NIL revolution. What do you think?

The post Weighing the Benefits and Negatives of NIL appeared first on Character and Leadership.

The International Society of Automation has created an AI-driven large language model (LLM) that’s designed to provide support for current members, attract new ones, and strengthen its international connections.

The LLM, named Mimo, was formally announced on July 11 but has been available since late June, said Jason Wampler, CAE, ISA Managing Director of IT. (The name Mimo is a reference to the engineering term “multiple input, multiple output.”) Mimo is trained on material from Pub Hub, ISA’s repository of proprietary information—white papers, articles, webinars, and more—to answer user questions relevant to the field.

ISA leadership began discussions about creating Mimo late last year. “We already had a knowledge base—our file-protected document-rights platform that shares our white papers, our standards, our articles, and so forth,” Wampler said. “We were asked [by the ISA board] to try to find better ways to surface that.”

Non-members receive only a limited number of answers from Mimo and shorter answers than what members receive.

One way Mimo helps with that effort is its ability to quickly translate materials, which helps with ISA’s goals of expanding its international reach. “Mimo can do basic research and help users compare one standard to another, and being able to do that if you ask it in Spanish as well is a game-changer,” Wampler said. “Now we have a constituency that knows we have the standards and content they’re looking for, even if English is not their first language.”

Mimo operates under a freemium model, in which non-members receive only a limited number of answers, and shorter answers than what members receive. In part that’s to help ensure that proprietary content isn’t used to feed large public-facing AI tools such as ChatGPT. (ISA bars users from repurposing its content in that way, and partnered with the tech company Betty Bot on the overall design and security elements of the LLM.) And it’s also designed to encourage those most engaged in automation-industry technology to become members. “Our CEO, Claire Fallon, has been very strong on making sure our IP doesn’t walk out the door,” Wampler said. “And we want to make sure that members get the best experience possible. When a non-member hits the site, we want to try to entice them to become a member.”

It’s too early for ISA to say if that strategy is successful. But Wampler said that usage of Mimo to access Pub Hub content was competitive with non-LLM searches on its content in June, when the tool hadn’t even been formally announced.

Beyond international outreach and potential membership growth, Wampler said he’s hopeful that Mimo can help ISA conduct gap analysis around its content, using data on the questions people ask it to help develop more content responding to those questions.

“What Mimo does for is us, is it provides us with a faster on-ramp for newer content,” he said. “If we don’t have a lot of material on a particular topic, a committee can start working on a white paper or come up with an education session at our next conference. I see that as a value-add to what LLMs can do.”

The post Automation Group Launches LLM Tool appeared first on Associations Now.

I always remember my mother telling me to choose my friends wisely. If you befriend the wrong person who does the wrong thing at the wrong time, and you are with them, you too might get into trouble, even if it isn’t your fault. That’s life. Many a person is in prison because of just such a situation. It was always an important lesson to remember.

The lesson below is similar.  It says that you need to pick your friends wisely, but for a different reason. He says that, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most amount of time with.” So, if you want to be goal-oriented and successful, hang out with people who are goal-oriented and successful.  If you find yourself hanging out with a bunch of knuckleheads or class clowns or trouble-makers, you might eventually fall into those categories.  Furthermore, he says that there are four types of friends:

 Addition: people that will add to your life and make your life better.Subtraction: when you are with these people, you are not the best version of you.Multiplication: They make you the best version of yourself.Division: People who are always dividing and making things hard.

In conclusion, you need to pick your friends wisely.  How do you do that? You select the people in your life who bring out the best version of yourself and get rid of the people who bring drama and trouble to your life. If someone makes you feel bad about yourself, they are probably not the best person for you. If someone is distracting you from the life that you want for yourself, they are probably not good for you. Begin paying attention to this and choose the friends that bring out the best version of you. End of lesson.

]]> https://happyjoygaming.org/choose-your-friends-carefully/feed/ 0 https://happyjoygaming.org/advance-reading-for-asae24-2/ https://happyjoygaming.org/advance-reading-for-asae24-2/#respond Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:39:59 +0000 https://happyjoygaming.org/?p=72391
The 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting and Expo is fast approaching. Here are some key articles to read before the event. 

Whether you’re heading to Cleveland for this year’s Annual Meeting & Expo, or keeping up with the goings-on remotely, Associations Now has plenty of content to help you get up to speed on the meeting’s presenters and key themes. Here’s a sampling of some of the sessions and relevant articles.

Attend: “Chaos in the Boardroom: Interpreting Divisive Issues,” 4 p.m. Sunday, August 11. Speakers: Chris McEntee, MHA, FASAE, Principal, CWMcEnteeLLC; Paul Pomerantz, FACHE, CEO of American Society of Anesthesiologists; Mark Engle, DM, FASAE, CAE, principal of Association Management Center.

Read: “A Faster Path to Better Boards,” by Mark Athitakis, associationsnow.com, April 12, 2024. In this article, Engle discusses some of the essentials of board orientation, especially in terms of maintaining strategic focus. “What’s the centerpiece that you alone as a board member are responsible for?” Engle said. “We need to be careful, or various things can really undo what a board is trying to achieve. That means having a mindset of asking what we’re doing with strategy, what you’re doing with structure, and what you’re doing with culture. That helps shape where the conversation goes.”

Attend: “The Board’s Duty of Foresight in the Age of Polycrisis,” 10:45 a.m. Monday, August 12. Speaker: Jeff De Cagna, AIMP, FSRA, FASAE, Executive Advisor, Foresight First LLC.

Read: “Choosing the Future,” by Jeff De Cagna, Associations Now Board Brief, January 2024. In this article, De Cagna challenged boards to prioritize future focus. “The board’s duty of foresight will endure as a vital choice for association boards committed to setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing, and foresight,” he wrote. “For boards ready to become fit-for-purpose, the duty of foresight is an ethical, honorable, and purposeful decision to stand up for their successors’ futures.”

Attend: “Build Your Association’s Culture Inside and Out,” 4:30 p.m., Monday, August 12. Speakers: Genevieve Borello, MPA, CAE, Director, Membership, Marketing, and Diversity, American Bar Association, Section of Taxation; Christopher M. Williams, CAE, Executive Director, Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association; Jamie Notter, co-founder, Propel Culture Consulting

Read: “Three Steps for Becoming AI Ready,” by Mark Athitakis, associationsnow.com, April 9, 2024. In this article, Notter shared insights on how organizations can position themselves well culturally to handle challenges around AI and beyond. “One place where associations have a leg up on others is the idea of co-creation,” he said. If you want to be agile, you’ve got to be good at creating something with someone, and that is completely in an association’s DNA. You’re co-creating with volunteers. So bring in users to show them what you have, get feedback, and incorporate it on a regular basis.”

Attend: “Critical Considerations for Meeting Safety,” 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 14. Speakers: Gary A. LaBranche, FASAE, CAE, CEO of RIMS; Stuart Ruff-Lyon, CMP, RIMS chief events and sales officer; Teresa Anderson, VP, Content, ASIS International.

Read: “How One Association Handled an Active Shooter Incident in Conference City,” by Mark Athitakis, associationsnow.com, May 23, 2023. In 2023, RIMS’ annual conference was disrupted by an active shooter in the downtown Atlanta area. At #ASAE24, LaBranche and Ruff-Lyon will discuss their actions since then; RIMS, along with ASIS International, collaborated with ASAE on a survey and toolkit around risk and crisis management. “No organization that ever goes through one of these situations will say that they did everything perfectly,” LaBranche said at the time. “We certainly didn’t. We’ve learned a lot, and the fundamental, big learning is that if you have a citywide convention, you have to have a citywide crisis management and communication plan.”

The post Advance Reading for #ASAE24 appeared first on Associations Now.

Whether you’re heading to Cleveland for this year’s Annual Meeting & Expo, or keeping up with the goings-on remotely, Associations Now has plenty of content to help you get up to speed on the meeting’s presenters and key themes. Here’s a sampling of some of the sessions and relevant articles.

Attend: “Chaos in the Boardroom: Interpreting Divisive Issues,” 4 p.m. Sunday, August 11. Speakers: Chris McEntee, MHA, FASAE, Principal, CWMcEnteeLLC; Paul Pomerantz, FACHE, CEO of American Society of Anesthesiologists; Mark Engle, DM, FASAE, CAE, principal of Association Management Center.

Read: “A Faster Path to Better Boards,” by Mark Athitakis, associationsnow.com, April 12, 2024. In this article, Engle discusses some of the essentials of board orientation, especially in terms of maintaining strategic focus. “What’s the centerpiece that you alone as a board member are responsible for?” Engle said. “We need to be careful, or various things can really undo what a board is trying to achieve. That means having a mindset of asking what we’re doing with strategy, what you’re doing with structure, and what you’re doing with culture. That helps shape where the conversation goes.”

Attend: “The Board’s Duty of Foresight in the Age of Polycrisis,” 10:45 a.m. Monday, August 12. Speaker: Jeff De Cagna, AIMP, FSRA, FASAE, Executive Advisor, Foresight First LLC.

Read: “Choosing the Future,” by Jeff De Cagna, Associations Now Board Brief, January 2024. In this article, De Cagna challenged boards to prioritize future focus. “The board’s duty of foresight will endure as a vital choice for association boards committed to setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing, and foresight,” he wrote. “For boards ready to become fit-for-purpose, the duty of foresight is an ethical, honorable, and purposeful decision to stand up for their successors’ futures.”

Attend: “Build Your Association’s Culture Inside and Out,” 4:30 p.m., Monday, August 12. Speakers: Genevieve Borello, MPA, CAE, Director, Membership, Marketing, and Diversity, American Bar Association, Section of Taxation; Christopher M. Williams, CAE, Executive Director, Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association; Jamie Notter, co-founder, Propel Culture Consulting

Read: “Three Steps for Becoming AI Ready,” by Mark Athitakis, associationsnow.com, April 9, 2024. In this article, Notter shared insights on how organizations can position themselves well culturally to handle challenges around AI and beyond. “One place where associations have a leg up on others is the idea of co-creation,” he said. If you want to be agile, you’ve got to be good at creating something with someone, and that is completely in an association’s DNA. You’re co-creating with volunteers. So bring in users to show them what you have, get feedback, and incorporate it on a regular basis.”

Attend: “Critical Considerations for Meeting Safety,” 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 14. Speakers: Gary A. LaBranche, FASAE, CAE, CEO of RIMS; Stuart Ruff-Lyon, CMP, RIMS chief events and sales officer; Teresa Anderson, VP, Content, ASIS International.

Read: “How One Association Handled an Active Shooter Incident in Conference City,” by Mark Athitakis, associationsnow.com, May 23, 2023. In 2023, RIMS’ annual conference was disrupted by an active shooter in the downtown Atlanta area. At #ASAE24, LaBranche and Ruff-Lyon will discuss their actions since then; RIMS, along with ASIS International, collaborated with ASAE on a survey and toolkit around risk and crisis management. “No organization that ever goes through one of these situations will say that they did everything perfectly,” LaBranche said at the time. “We certainly didn’t. We’ve learned a lot, and the fundamental, big learning is that if you have a citywide convention, you have to have a citywide crisis management and communication plan.”

The post Advance Reading for #ASAE24 appeared first on Associations Now.

I found myself needing to stop at a local mall. And I didn’t expect to hear someone shouting in such a hostile manner.

I heard the awful words and felt the sting in them before I even rounded the corner. When I turned to see what was happening, and saw her crying, I wasn’t sure what to do or say. Before I could react, she muttered to herself. Straining to hear, I picked up on the fact that she was repeating those awful words to herself.

I thought….“You are not those words. I don’t even know you, but I can see that it’s not true. Don’t give him your power.”

She somehow managed a smile before her friend showed up a moment later, and they embraced as she broke down again. Once I could tell she was in great hands, I was able to continue with my day.

One of Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous quotes is “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Sounds easy, but…it isn’t, especially in the moment.

In these simple words, she conveyed a profound truth about personal power, resilience, and self-confidence.

This tells us that the power to influence our feelings and self-perception resides within us, not in the words of others. It means that we control the narrative about our worth, value, and abilities. When we give others the authority to make us feel less than, we surrender our personal power.

So, what should we do when someone tries to make us feel inferior? Here’s a roadmap to build confidence, cultivate resilience, and reclaim personal power:

Understand your triggers: Identify situations or comments that make you feel inferior. Understanding these triggers can help you better prepare and react to them.

Remember: Triggers are not a sign of weakness; they are a part of being human. Awareness of them is the first step towards control.

2. Foster a Positive Self-Image

Embrace your strengths: Recognize your unique abilities and the areas where you can improve. Having a balanced perspective on your abilities fosters self-esteem.

Remember: You are a work-in-progress, and it’s perfectly okay. Embracing your weaknesses as areas for growth will make you unstoppable.

3. Develop Emotional Intelligence

Control your reaction: When someone tries to belittle you, remember you have the power to control your emotional response.

Remember: Not every negative comment deserves your energy. Be selective with your emotional investments.

4. Set Personal Boundaries

Communicate your limits: It’s important to let people know what is and isn’t acceptable behavior towards you.

Remember: Setting boundaries is a sign of self-respect. You are teaching others how you want to be treated.

5. Practice Self-Affirmation

Boost your confidence with positive affirmations: Remind yourself daily of your worth, capabilities, and achievements.

Remember: Positive self-talk can change your outlook on life. Make it a daily ritual.

6. Surround Yourself with Positive Influences

Choose your company wisely: Surround yourself with people who inspire, encourage, and respect you.

Remember: You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

7. Seek Professional Help When Necessary

Reach out to a professional if feelings of inferiority persist: There’s no shame in seeking help from psychologists or coaches to help you navigate your feelings and develop coping strategies.

Remember: Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but rather a testament to your strength and commitment to personal growth.

Do not let anyone undermine your worth or potential. Instead, embrace the powerful words of Eleanor Roosevelt, and realize that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Image Credit: Alex Shute

]]> https://happyjoygaming.org/7-way-to-build-confidence-and-cultivate-resilience/feed/ 0 https://happyjoygaming.org/best-sales-strategies-dont-include-covert-manipulation/ https://happyjoygaming.org/best-sales-strategies-dont-include-covert-manipulation/#respond Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:34:54 +0000 https://happyjoygaming.org/?p=72384

In leadership, the focus often gravitates towards grand visions and sweeping changes. The big stuff.

But my experience is that it’s usually the small, seemingly insignificant threats that can derail organizations.

We think that lions and sharks are scary, and we dismiss the tiny mosquito. But the mosquito is far riskier to humans.

Tiny challenges can accumulate and become critical if ignored. Understanding how successful leaders manage these small threats provides valuable insights for all of us.

Attention to Detail

Leaders who excel are often distinguished by their attention to detail. They recognize that in the minutiae lies potential danger. Consider a leader navigating a company through a period of rapid technological change. While major projects capture the spotlight, this leader knows that the outdated software in one department may seem minor today but could cause serious security risks if not dealt with quickly. A proactive approach in upgrading systems, even when they appear secondary, safeguards the company’s future.

Consistency in Small Practices

Athletic coaches provide a clear example of managing small threats through consistent practices. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden didn’t just focus on game-winning strategies. He began each season teaching players how to properly put on their socks and lace their shoes. How would you feel if you were on that team? But this small lesson was critical—preventing blisters and sprains that could sideline his players during crucial moments. And teaching players that the small things matter. Wooden’s meticulousness exemplifies how managing small details can contribute to big successes.

Perspectives on Vigilance

Historically, leaders who anticipated and mitigated minor threats often led their nations through tumultuous times successfully. Winston Churchill, during the early days of World War II, focused not only on massive military strategies but also on bolstering morale among British civilians, a smaller, softer aspect of the war effort. But this played a major role in sustaining the nation’s spirit.

Innovation from Small Beginnings

In the corporate world, leaders like Steve Jobs exemplified the importance of addressing small innovations that signal larger industry shifts. Jobs’ focus on the aesthetic details of Apple products, such as the tactile feel of the keyboard or the color of an iPhone, seemed minor. It seemed insignificant. But this often shaped market trends and increased customer loyalty. His ability to treat these small elements with importance paved the way for Apple’s dominance.

Leveraging Technology

Today’s leaders have at their disposal an array of technological tools to monitor and manage small threats. Data analytics, for example, can highlight slight shifts in customer behavior or minor increases in operational costs that might indicate larger issues. A leader’s ability to integrate this data into daily decision-making processes can prevent small threats from becoming larger crises.

Emotional Intelligence

Beyond technology and tactics, emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in identifying and addressing these threats. Leaders like Nelson Mandela utilized emotional intelligence to perceive undercurrents of dissent. That let him address a small issue before they escalated. His approach to engaging and making minor adjustments in policies helped maintain a delicate balance during South Africa’s transition period.

Strategic Rest

Sometimes, the small threat isn’t something that needs to be done, but something that needs to be avoided. Think burnout. Rest is important. Jeff Bezos is known to only make high-stakes decisions after sufficient sleep. Seems silly to some to delay a decision, but it works.

Through understanding how successful leaders handle the small threats—by being vigilant, detailed, consistent, and strategic—we can gather insights into the art and science of leadership. It’s a continuous balancing act, where the smallest details can have the most significant impacts.

So, whether you’re in the Boardroom or on a Safari, remember: it’s not just the big stuff. The small stuff is often more important than it appears.

Image Credit: erik karits

]]> https://happyjoygaming.org/how-leaders-handle-the-smallest-threats/feed/ 0 https://happyjoygaming.org/a-special-kind-of-signing-day/ https://happyjoygaming.org/a-special-kind-of-signing-day/#respond Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:28:55 +0000 https://happyjoygaming.org/?p=72378

In almost every high school across the country, athletes sign their national letter of intent to celebrate a scholarship with a particular school. It’s usually a big deal. Schools set up a table with the college colors. Athletes wear a shirt or hat to indicate where he/she will attend college. Family and friends attend the event to support the athlete. For big-time athletes, members of the media cover the press conference. The athlete then signs the letter to make it official.

However, at Henrico County Schools in Virginia, they hold a different kind of signing day. Students who have elected not to go to college, and instead have accepted vocational and tech jobs, are celebrated. Just like the athletes, these students wear the hats of the business they will soon be working for. Family and friends applaud this decision. The business gets recognition and the athletes smile as they sign their employment contract.

Joe’s Perspective: These athletes deserve a special celebration of their accomplishments. Good for them. They undoubtedly worked hard for a long time to receive this scholarship. The same can be said for these students who have chosen a path in the trades. They will become electricians, plumbers, welders… These students will make good money in these professions and they will begin making that money right away. It is a solid life decision. Good for them. And, in my opinion, they deserve just as much recognition for their accomplishments.

Your Turn: What do you think of these students who are signing employment and apprenticeship letters with employers?

]]> https://happyjoygaming.org/a-special-kind-of-signing-day/feed/ 0 https://happyjoygaming.org/keys-to-a-successful-merger-2/ https://happyjoygaming.org/keys-to-a-successful-merger-2/#respond Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:25:56 +0000 https://happyjoygaming.org/?p=72374
The Endocrine Society’s merger with an academic group ends a “transactional” relationship, allowing it to better focus on its mission.

On July 30, the Endocrine Society announced that it was merging with the Association of Program Directors in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (APDEM). On the surface, this seems like a simple arrangement: The leading umbrella organization in a medical field brings in a smaller group working in the same area. But as with many mergers, the reality is more complicated.

Endocrine Society CEO Kate Fryer, CAE, explains that the society has had a long relationship with APDEM, effectively serving as an AMC for it since 1998. But over time, that relationship became more of a pain point than a source of unity. “It had moved into a place that was more transactional—we were having conversations about how many hours staff were spending on this job [of administering APDEM], and how much we were charging,” she says. “It ended up taking conversations away from being about our groups working together, on getting our shared missions accomplished.”

Fryer shared a few ideas about what made the Endocrine Society-APDEM merger worth the effort, and which may apply to associations considering a merger discussion of its own.

Conversations start around the question of, What are we trying to achieve? Let’s blue-sky what the world could look like if we came together.

Endocrine Society CEO Kate Fryer, CAE

Know your purpose going in. Endocrinology has a pipeline problem: Demand for specialists in the field outstrips the number of doctors working in it. The two organizations are both invested in speeding and widening the pipeline, which made the merger discussions easier. “Because APDEM’s focus is on training the next generation of endocrinologists, we felt like this is exactly the partnership to help drive that conversation into a really more transformative space, as opposed to sort of incremental stuff that both organizations have been doing,” Fryer says. “We’re envisioning a world where we can drive many more people into the pipeline.”

Start with trust-building. The process from initial merger discussions to final announcement took two years. Patience with any merger discussion is essential, and Fryer says she’s found that discussions with APDEM succeeded when board leaders across the two groups, rather than staff leaders, led the sensitive conversations. “We’ve found that it works best when it is member leader to member leader for that first outreach,” she says. “Those conversations really start around the question of, What are we trying to achieve? Let’s blue-sky what the world could look like if we came together.”

Respect autonomy. Though the organizations have merged, APDEM maintains its own board, and the Endocrine Society deferred to APDEM leadership on how to approve the merger on its end. The merger was approved by the board, which was required by its bylaws. But APDEM also took the question to its membership, which wasn’t. “It wasn’t a legally binding vote, but it gave them a lot of comfort that their membership was behind this decision,” Fryer says. “And that vote was near-unanimous.”

Recruit for a merger mindset. Like a lot of medical disciplines, endocrinology has a host of subfields and associations representing them, and Fryer says the Endocrine Society is looking for ways beyond the APDEM merger to better connect with them. That may involve mergers, but not necessarily. Regardless, Fryer says she is mindful that good relationship-building starts with board members who are open to building those bridges. “Our nominating committee has been incredibly focused on partnerships and a strategy of not trying to go out into the world to compete with our sibling and partner societies,” she says. “Rather, we want to look at how we can partner, and that skill set has been one of their focuses.”

The post Keys to a Successful Merger appeared first on Associations Now.