What Now?: Leadership in Uncertain Times
Tough times test your leadership. Creating a sense of stability that inspires others despite the chaos around them takes leadership with purpose, persistence and a plan. This posting offers a leadership strategy to help you navigate and adapt to adversity, uncertainty and other crises that may come your way.
Essential Qualities For Today’s CHAMBER Leader
Being trusted to leader a chamber of commerce is quite an honour. It comes with expectations, both explicit and implicit, and from a wide variety of community stakeholders. This issue of Letts Talk explores seven essential qualities of today’s chamber leader.
Mick Fleming: Legendary Leader
Mick Fleming is a legend. As CEO of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives from 2001-2017, Mick was a mentor to me and many. In this post, I share a remembrance of Mick and encourage us to learn from his example.
Teamwork Needs Teamwords: Updating Our Language for Inclusivity
In addition to a wonderful mosaic of cultures in today’s workplace, many also have staff and volunteers that have been born in up to five different decades. This diversity of ages, backgrounds and experiences is a strength for our chambers, if the language we use is supportive of teamwork and high performance. Language shapes how we think and interact with the world. This article demonstrates that by replacing outdated idioms with inclusive alternatives, or retiring them altogether, we demonstrate respect for the diverse experiences of others.
Chamber Wisdom: Guidance To Get a Banker to Say Yes
Everyday business owners contact our chamber teams seeking business guidance. So, why don’t we put more effort into marketing our advisory services? Referrals, insights, acting as a sounding board, mentoring or providing that all important encouraging word – these are just a few of the services that business communities everywhere seek from their chamber. This issue shares an example of guidance given to business owners seeking a loan from their bank.
ACCE Horizon 2.0 Shares Trends For The Next Decade
ACCE - the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives asked delegates at their recent Elevate Conference in Dallas to consider ten trends and forces that will have the most impact on your chamber in the next decade. Specifically, delegates were asked to choose the top 4 most dominant trends. This posting shares the ten trends identified and encourages chamber leaders to explore more of the thought-provoking initiatives of ACCE.
Plans For 2025 World Congress Underway
Chamber leaders world-wide are excited to learn more about plans for the 14th World Chambers Congress. This bi-annual conference will be hosted by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Melbourne, Australia, September 2nd-4th, 2025. This article highlights some of the wonderful experiences and amenities awaiting delegates.
A Job Like No Other
The allure of choosing chamber management as a profession is strong. You have the unique privilege of dealing with some of the brightest and best in your community, and the golden opportunity to make a difference, not for one company but for everyone who does business in your town. At the same time, it can be simultaneously, exhilarating, exasperating, and marked by phenomenal highs and character-testing lows. This article reflects on the unique nature of the chamber profession and its peculiar nuances.
Effective Team-building Requires a System
High-performing teams don’t just happen. By acknowledging common dysfunctions, this article explores practical techniques required in creating a team-building system.
Delegate For Success
Done well, effective task delegation can bring many benefits to your chamber. Done poorly, you can get sidetracked with a whole host of issues. What’s the secret to delegating well? This blog covers practical tips for delegating tasks that will help your chamber succeed.
Navigating That Overwhelmed Feeling
Navigating the many roles of chamber executives can sometimes be overwhelming. Advocate, Ambassador, Recruiter, Rainmaker…the list of roles goes on. This article explores strategies to acknowledge the potential for overwhelm and to combine strategic tools that can overcome challenges and lead with resilience, purpose and sustained success.