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WHAT YOUR ASSOCIATION STAFF REALLY WANTS


If you asked Volunteer Board Members what their staff truly wants, a majority of them will probably answer “more money.” I think they would be surprised to know that they are wrong. Don’t misconstrue, everyone wants a raise. This is not an association staff desire but probably the desire of every employee in the world. Its been proven. No one says "No" to money.

However association professionals are unique animals. They know the deal going into the non-profit world. Their job brings great satisfaction, creativity and flexibility. It does not bring high salaries. Thus the internal craving of each association professional is a simple affirmation. They like to be acknowledged for the work they do.

It’s such an easy principle. They’d like board members to say something like “Thank-you, we appreciate you, great job, we know how hard you work.” You would be surprised to hear that many of these board volunteers defer these affirmations for themselves. It’s the chronic crux of what association professionals endure. It’s almost an unspoken expectation of the job. When something goes wrong, you will hear about it but when something goes right, you can guarantee there will be a board member taking your credit.

As an Executive Director I go out of my way to let staff know how much they are appreciated. I often call them out in front of other staff members to make sure they are recognized in front of other colleagues and whenever possible, I try to recognize them in front of the board. Staff want to feel valued and know that their efforts are worth it. I know they are paid to accomplish a certain jobs but when they receive positive reinforcement their loyalty and production will increase exponentially.


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