Wes’s Wednesday Wisdom

When it comes to data management, most of us know what to do; we just don’t do it. What is required is discipline. Discipline is absolutely critical when it comes to managing data effectively. For example, you have to have the discipline to: enter the data when you receive it (I so often hear associations say “We have […]

Because we’re so focused on always improving what we have now, it’s easy to overlook the things we already have. I’ve been working in association management systems for almost 30 years now, and the amount of progress in technology over that time is nearly dumbfounding. We’ve gone from systems that were entirely locked down, character-based,

I saw DJ Muller from MemberClicks speak on KPIs (key performance indicators). In his session he stated that KPIs must be presented in real-time in order for them to really be adopted. I think he’s almost right; KPIs need to be as close to real-time as feasible. In other words, if the KPIs are 24

When it comes to managing data successfully, process is critical. For example, a client of mine recently discussed how important it is for them to capture notes across their organization. As different departments talk to members and customers, it’s critical for staff to capture these conversations in the database. But the reality is this: if

In James Clear’s book Atomic Habits (I recommend it!), he discusses the concept of motion vs. action. In a nutshell, it’s the idea that we spend too much time planning what we’ll do instead of actually implementing. Because we are planning (motion), we trick ourselves into thinking we’re actually doing something (action).  It’s an easy habit to fall into.

I’ve written about this before, but apparently I have to keep repeating it. If you’ve got a “generic” email box (e.g., info@ or contactus@) or a generic voice mail box on your voice mail system, you need to check it EVERY DAY. And you need to RESPOND to inquiries.  The following just occurred: I contacted

Who Do You Trust I was reading an article recently about Warren Buffet’s “rules” for how he chooses companies to invest in. One of these states that, if he doesn’t trust the CEO of the company, he doesn’t invest. No matter how good the numbers, the fundamentals, the market share, if Buffet doesn’t trust the

It’s impossible to measure progress if you don’t know your starting point. This sounds axiomatic, but too often it is overlooked by associations looking to improve their data management. Measuring progress requires setting initial benchmarks. The new year is a perfect time to establish your data management benchmarks. Some ideas: How many data integrity reports do you

A client of mine recently wrote the following to me: “It’s so hard to set up a new database and decide how/where you want to track information when you don’t have a really good understanding of the database and how different fields/screens relate to each other. I think at some point when things slow down

In Dan Gilbert’s book Stumbling on Happiness, he writes: “Experience is unobservable to everyone except the person who it happens to.” I found this incredibly profound as I thought about how often I’ll hear from my clients and other association executives, “The software should function like this, because that’s how we do it, and that’s