It's all relative...
Over the course of my 22 years of consulting, I've consulted with well over 250 associations. And in that same time, I've probably spoken with an additional 1,000 or more. And one thing that still makes me chuckle is when someone says something along the lines of "We're a small association" or "We have a small budget" or "We can't afford anything too expensive."
And the reason I chuckle is that all of these things are relative. I've had associations with 50 staff say they are a "small association" (trying telling an association of four staff that that is "small") and I've had clients tell me that their "small budget" was "only" $200,000.
So my point is very simple: When describing your organization, your budget, or your project, don't use general terms like "small" or "large." Be specific. Because what's "large" or "small" to you may mean just the opposite to the person you're talking with.
![]()
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
But are you really willing to change?
But are you really willing to change? When any organization is making a change in data management […]
Two tips for data conversion
Two Tips for Data Conversion I’ve written a lot about data conversion over the years […]
Who should “own” the database?
Who should “own” the database? One of the most common questions I get from my […]
What makes you weird?
What makes you weird? When I work with clients on selecting a new association management system, one […]
Why “AMS Consortiums” Don’t Work
Why “AMS Consortiums” Don’t Work About once a year I will get a call from […]
Your vendor will disappoint you
Your vendor will disappoint you I follow politics as a hobby. A past publisher from […]
Learn how to lose
Learn how to lose “Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to […]
Ownership is Required
Ownership is required When asked for the most common reason AMS implementations fail, I typically respond […]
Eliminate to optimize
Eliminate to optimize So much of data management is habit (both good and bad) which is […]
For data governance, ask “Why?”
For data governance, ask “Why?” Recently I’ve had the opportunity to work on several data […]
