Give your staff more freedom, not less
I often tell my clients, when it comes to data management, I'm a big liberal; I believe you should give as many staff as possible the ability to edit data within your data management system (with proper training, of course!). The point of a centralized data management system is not just to hold the data in one place, but to allow all staff to update that data when appropriate.
I've lost count of the number of organizations I've worked with where only one or two staff were allowed to update data within the AMS. If a staff person received a data change (e.g., new phone number, new title, new email) they would have to email the person who can update that data in the AMS. So the result is at least TWO people will have typed out (or at the very least cut-and-pasted) the same information (first the email, then into the database).
And I've seen a similar thing happen with editing the association's website. Often only one or two people are allowed to make edits, so any changes to the website have to go through these staff, which slows down the process and increases the opportunity for error.
My suggestion: train your staff and then trust them to do the work correctly. Isn't that why we pay staff?
![]()
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
How to avoid the “IT black hole”
How to avoid the “IT black hole” Going all the way back to my days […]
The “People” are important!
The “People” are important! I’ve written a lot about people, process, and technology over the […]
Always look for the MVP
Always look for the MVP I first wrote about minimum viable product (MVP) just three […]
The longer you take, the longer it will take
The longer you take, the longer it will take It may sound like a tautology, […]
Data is for action
Data is for action When deciding whether or not to collect a piece of data, […]
Have you shopped yourself?
Have you shopped yourself? I’ve always been fascinated by the “secret shopper” concept. (Maybe it’s […]
To improve adoption, decrease the friction
To improve adoption, decrease the friction “Before you try to increase your willpower, try to […]
“Is this normal?”
“Is this normal?” ne of the greatest parts about my job is that I get […]
My advice? Stop doing that
My advice? Stop doing that! There is a classic TV sketch featuring Bob Newhart as […]
Is a college degree really required?
Is a college degree really required? I saw a job listing last week for an […]
