Inertia
One definition of inertia is "to remain unchanged."
My sense is that many association processes, projects, or programs are the result of inertia.
That is, the process, project, or program was begun with all the best intentions, but years later, it continues because no one has really asked the question: "Should we still be doing this?"
Actual examples from my client work:
- The association still prints a directory even though there is an online directory that is easier to use and more up-to-date. ("We always print a directory.")
- The association still collects scads of demographic data about members during the join process, even though that data is never actually used for anything. ("We always collect this data during the join process.")
- The association manually moves data from one part of the database to another even though the data is no longer used for anything. ("I was taught to do this seven years ago but never knew what it was used for.")
Do any of these sound familiar? Look around your organization and ask yourself "Does what we're doing still make sense to do, or are we simply doing it because of inertia?"
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Patience and grace
Patience and grace A past client of mine recently told me: “You inspire confidence and …
Sometimes you just have to try it and see what happens
Sometimes you just have to try it and see what happens The single greatest key …
Sometimes you just have to try it and see what happens Read More »
Training and testing
Training and testing I’ve written before that the best form of training follows this process: …
How to save a “failing” project
How to save a “failing” project It is not unusual for me to receive a …
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 …