Establish a consistent system for notifying your board members of meetings. Association work runs in cycles, e.g., monthly newsletters, quarterly board meetings and annual budgets. Start by using a calendar to identify the projects and their deadlines. The more streamlined your cyclical work, the fewer mistakes, omissions and interruptions. As you set up systems for recurring work, these form the operations of the organization.
Few associations have an operating manual.
Yet we know in the profit world that the best run and highest value franchises are the ones that use operating manuals. Though it may seem daunting to create these manuals, once they are written, smooth operations lie ahead for your association. Sometimes staff find themselves having to do nearly everything in the association from editing the newsletter to applying the postage. By outsourcing, you ll free up time that is needed for more important projects. Finally, you ll gain valuable outside expertise and creativity.