Take-away solutions to real-world regional challenges were what more than 175 executive directors and volunteer leaders from all 28 regional associations were looking for. And they found that and more at the 2010 Regional Association Council’s 11^th annual Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) last week in Grapevine, Texas.

“This year’s LDW provided a variety of impressive tools they could take back to their associations to use right away,” says RAC President Kendra Kirks McDougal, MAS. “Social media was a hot topic—there were high marks in the opening general session as trends were presented on this new way to communicate, a standing room only social media breakout session, as well as ongoing Facebook and Twitter conversations and pictures.”

Another packed session at LDW was a roundtable discussion by PPAI’s Government Regional Action Committee (GRAC), where attendees learned the latest information and PPAI lobbying efforts on product safety, 1099 reporting, safe harbor for contractors and other government issues related to the industry.
Pulling together a master calendar inside the Learning Lab, a new feature to LDW, was also a big hit, says Laura McKinney, CAE, PPAI’s senior manager of regional relations and one of the event’s organizers.

“The four learning labs included putting together the beginnings of their masterpiece, a master calendar, where major activities, such as tradeshow and professional development events, membership and leadership activities, are coordinated for the upcoming year,” she says. “In addition, it was non-stop networking as the attendees exchanged ideas with those who do what they do.”

One-on-one consulting sessions with PPAI staff in professional development and marketing also were a popular feature at this year’s meeting, McKinney says.

LDW is a unique offering in and among the regional community, says Michele Packard-Milam, CAE, PPAI’s director of member and regional relations.

“We have the privilege of working closely with nearly 200 volunteer leaders to identify and address the challenges and successes experienced by all associations,” she says. “Our objective is to deliver an exhilarating, energizing learning and sharing experience to some of the most dedicated and generous people in the industry. Our volunteer leaders rock!”

About 40 percent were first-time attendees, McDougal says. Specially designed buttons identified this group and a separate lunch was held on Thursday to help them bond, she says. This year’s conference also had a handful of second-generation attendees; those whose parents had attended in previous years.

Top among the regional challenges mentioned by many attendees was retaining and increasing membership. Keynote speaker Peggy Hoffman, CAE, president of Mariner Management and Marketing, an association management company, tackled that problem in Thursday’s opening session.

“You don’t have to have a lot of money to create volunteers,” Hoffman says. “Time is the No. 1 reason people do not volunteer. You have to create easier, faster, quicker volunteer opportunities. People don’t want to sit on committees.”

Associations also have to let go of some of their control over the process, Hoffman says.

“Some of our associations have maybe gotten off the beaten track and have become a bit hierarchical, a bit tightened and closed,” she says. “You have to let volunteers put their own stamp on policies and procedures.”

A program within a program, 25 regional executive directors also participated last week in the third annual Executive Directors Learning Forum (EDLF), a full day of customized educational sessions that covered topics specifically for the multifaceted role of a small-association executive director.