LinkedIn Pulse Post by Jon Bisset FSAE (Chief Executive Officer at Community Broadcasting Association of Australia - CBAA and AuSAE Board Member)

How does an organisation build member value? How do you stay relevant? How do you integrate social media wisely? How do you identify major trends within association management? These were just some of the questions tackled as part of a panel session in which I participated at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) conference Great Ideas Asia-Pacific in Hong Kong earlier this week. 

It was a pleasure to be joined on the panel by executives from the Project Management Institute China, The Hong Kong Management Association and Korean MICE Association, as well as moderator Peter O'Neil, of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, who lead the dialogue. It was fascinating to hear such a culturally diverse group of association CEOs from around the world discuss their own organisation’s challenges and successes, especially in terms of change management and the process of transforming “great ideas” into action.

Diversity provides a lesson for each of us to be okay with and open to those things that set us apart – race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical and mental ability, language (the list goes on) and understanding and accepting of people for who they are. Being culturally aware provides an opportunity to stand back and consider that there are certain backgrounds, personal values, beliefs and upbringings that shape the things we all do. Learning about and listening to people from other cultures helps us relate to one another and be okay with different perspectives.

I saw this quote recently, and it’s stuck with me.

"Diversity is the one true thing we have in common."

Now that’s something to embrace.

This post originally appeared on LinkedIn here (click on link to listen to a CBAA podcast on diversity).

It is invaluable to have experienced people guiding your organisation. How can you obtain this help? A senior employee is a considerable investment, and you may not need long-term permanent help. An external consultant can provide invaluable expertise, but may be short term and costly. A board of directors gives the company direction, but being a director is a commitment that comes with considerable legal obligations. There is another alternative – appoint an advisory board. What is an advisory board, why should your business have one, and what issues need to be addressed?

What is an advisory board?

An advisory board is a group of individuals who provide know-how and strategic advice to the business’ co-founders, managers, and board of directors (if it has one). There is no hard and fast rule about what level of experience the members have or in what field they specialise. An advisory board is made up of whoever the founders choose.

You should choose people with the skills, experience and/or connections to help you grow your business. Advisory board members with contacts in the industry are of very high value to your business. When choosing your advisory board, try to find experts with different skills and experience to the founders. Having a broad skill set is generally more valuable to the business than having expertise in the same area.

How much will an advisory board cost?

Members of advisory boards typically provide their expertise free of charge. Some organisations might offer certain members a small amount of equity in exchange for a longer-term commitment to the business and as an incentive to stay on board.

What makes an advisory board different from a board of directors?

A board of directors is a shareholder-elected body that governs the company. The primary goal is to make decisions in the best interests of the company. Directors are in charge of business strategy, setting business goals, inspecting company accounts, and appointing senior executives, such as the CEO, to run the business. Board decisions are binding on the company.

An advisory board offers general advice on strategy, such as making directional recommendations based on their assessment of the business plan and offering ideas to test. Advisory board guidance is not binding on the company. Under the law, members of an advisory board do not have to comply with directors’ duties.

What liability does an advisory board have compared to a board of directors?

It is crucial to know the important distinction between directors and advisory board members, so they understand the risks, duties and liabilities of each role. Directors have director’s duties under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), the general law and the corporate governance documents including the Shareholders’ Agreement. Directors have fiduciary duties to the company, which include exercising due care and diligence when making company decisions, and acting in the best interests of the company, and to endeavour to ensure that the company does not trade while insolvent.

These duties are a risk for directors. If directors do not uphold these duties, they can be expelled from the board, face legal repercussions, and be penalised under the Corporations Act. Directors need to know their obligations and duties. It is good business practice to take out insurance for directors and officers of the company.

Advisory board members need to be careful that they are not inadvertently acting as directors. Under the Corporations Act, directors are defined in two ways: (i) people appointed to be directors, and (ii) people with sufficient influence and power over the decisions of a company. The latter are de facto or shadow directors. De facto or shadow directors can be held to have full directors’ duties and liability.

Key legal agreements – terms of reference and an Advisory Board Agreement

In setting up an advisory board, it is important to have an Advisory Board Agreement that establishes expectations, roles, and legal protections for the business and its advisory board members. This includes confidentiality, and that all intellectual property generated by the advisory board for the business belongs to the business. Your Advisory Board Agreement should clearly set out that members have no power or influence over the running of the company, and the advisory board is not empowered to instruct or direct the directors.

The more clearly this distinction is set out in the agreement, the more protected your advisory board will be from inadvertently taking on the liability that comes with director’s duties. It is also a good idea to have a Terms of Reference, to give each member an overview of the other advisory board members, roles and obligations.

In conclusion, advisory boards can be an invaluable asset, and can assist in accelerating your business growth. A solid understanding of how an advisory board, and a strong Advisory Board Agreement, will allow you to protect the members from exposure to liability, and help your company benefit from their expertise.

This article first appeared on startup smart.

The recent 2015 Intergenerational Report illustrates that we need to take continued steps to boost productivity and encourage higher workforce participation to drive future economic growth. While the report projects income growth will slow, it also shows that Australia can continue to prosper by making the best of our circumstances and opportunities. Tax reform is a critical part of the Government’s policy to create jobs, growth and opportunity.

The Federal Government has released a new tax discussion paper which begins a dialogue on how we create a tax system that supports high economic growth and living standards, improves our international competitiveness and adjusts to a changing economy and new opportunities.

This paper specifically targets the Not-for-Profit (NFP) sector asking if the current tax arrangements are appropriate - raising issues around the ongoing availability of Fringe Benefits Tax concessions and other foregone tax revenue. Governments provide a number of tax concessions to support the NFP sector. While these tax concessions help increase the level of activity in the NFP sector, the value of revenue forgone from the concessions is significant and growing steadily. Tax concessions for the sector can also increase complexity, in part because they vary according to the type and purpose of NFP organisations. In some cases, NFP tax concessions provide NFPs with a competitive advantage over their commercial competitors.

Please find the full NFP chapter of the tax discussion paper here. For more information about this process and discussion please click here or check out the interactive website. 

The Treasurer opened the conversation on tax by releasing the tax discussion paper on 30 March 2015. The Government is seeking submissions on the issues raised in the discussion paper. You have until 1 June 2015 to lodge your formal submission.

Business travel is a significant cost area for any organisation and with help from a Corporate Traveller expert, you can take control of your expenses and boost your bottom line.

As the official travel manager and Annual Partner of AuSAE, Corporate Traveller is offering up to $1,000 business travel credit* to all AuSAE members who become clients before 30 June 2015.

When you partner with Corporate Traveller you can take advantage of the Flight Centre Travel Group's global negotiating strength. Corporate Traveller clients benefit from dedicated 24/7 service, access to flexible payment options, local personal service, clear financial reporting and no lock in contracts.

They specialise in business travel management for a range of industry sectors. Their service, expertise and travel management strategies have been tailored to suit each market to ensure you achieve the best results from your travel.

For more information, visit the AuSAE Corporate Traveller special offer page or call them on 1300 732 280.

*Refer Terms and Conditions on Corporate Traveller website

Corporate Traveller is a leading Australian business travel management specialist. They are a wholly owned division of Flight Centre Limited and offer a unique combination of expert advice, local personal service and global negotiating strength to maximise your business travel savings.

Despite the tough funding environment facing the Australian Not for Profit sector it’s time to start talking about and investing in the exploration of sustainable business models, writes NFP strategy expert George Liacos.

As we approach the time of year traditionally dedicated to strategic planning, Not for Profits face pressure unlike many of us have seen in a long time. Although existing funding is under question for thousands of NFPs, planning for the future still (perhaps now more than ever) needs to happen.

Don’t make the mistake of searching for new grants, or rushing to rebrand. Instead, this year, take a fundamental look at your business model - this may help to unearth new opportunities where your organisation can deliver value, and accordingly may open up new avenues for financial sustainability.

There is no point regaling you with all the factors at play. Suffice to say, funding is hard and getting harder. So what’s changing? The sector is now not just talking about, but investing in, the exploration of sustainable business models. That’s what’s changing. There is a real sense of momentum. The Big Mo (as they say in US presidential races) - The point where the conversation turns from ‘what if’ to ‘how to’, where it’s harder to swim against the tide than keep moving.

If you only do one thing this differently this planning season – catch this wave - make it the year to start seriously addressing long term financial sustainability – don’t only talk about funding models or fund raising this year, talk about your business models. Whether your company hosts a formal planning session, a 2 day retreat or just updates last year’s numbers, dedicate at least 25% of your planning time to exploring and stress testing your future business model and sustainability and see what funding models appear.

Here are a few tools and techniques that might help you guide your team on the sustainable business model journey:

1. It’s time to start from a different place
   
   Put some things on the bench – don’t do SWOT, PESTEL, environmental analysis yet. Also bench quantitative analysis – revenue lines, price per service, funding per person. We will go through these – but later on.
   
   
2. Redesign around what social problem you will solve
   
   a. What’s your Value Proposition? What’s your Impact Goal? Question what problem you exist to solve (or will have solved in 5 years) with your customers, stakeholders, partners. This will generate modifications to existing services and may uncover new ones. Be prepared to let go (in the workshop at least) of the major current funding source in pursuit of delivering value (the key to sustainability).
   
   b. Using tools like the acclaimed Business Model Canvas, develop a business model around these value propositions & services.
   
   
3. Go even further
   
   a. See if digital innovation can fundamentally transform either the external or internal dimensions of your organisation – or both.
   
   b. Run same logic over partnerships. Outsource, co-source etc.
   
   c. Look to innovative payment models to not just alter your funding stream but as a way to keep you afloat.
   
   
4. Break your new model
   
   a. Use old school strategic planning tools to try to break your shiny new model. These tools have a place and it’s right here.
   
   b. Get your Excel on! Model out your changed and new income lines, weave in your expenses and use your innovative payments ideas to massage the cash projections.
   
   c. Develop an appropriate budget. Run through some scenarios: shoestring, surplus, steady.
   
   
5. Find, and then Line up, the ducks …
   
   a. Create your roadmap/action plan. Try a simple four step mode for creating usable roadmaps
   
   i. Get down all the projects you need to do to reach a sustainable model
   
   ii. Sort them into the four rows Financial Projects, Client Projects, Internal Projects and Growth & Development Projects (thanks, Balanced Scorecard!)
   
   iii. Sequence them into three columns, this year, next year and later. No one really keeps the roadmap past two years anyway so this little technique keeps the team happy that they have been heard but pushes less important projects backwards
   
   iv. Chose no more than 2 projects per year per category… doing less can be more
   
   b. Most NFP’s don’t have one or both of these skills: Commercial / Business development OR Technology. Find them. Secure them. Put them to work.
   
   c. Set the cultural tone and tempo to one of change and engage already well-documented change management techniques.
   

The transformational journey to sustainability is as uncomfortable as it is inevitable and delaying the outset is simply irresponsible. 2015 is the year to be taking the first step towards a sustainable business model. There is a large and growing community of organisations that have already begun. It’s time for you to embark.

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Step out with purpose. Keep your feet.

About the author: George Liacos is the Managing Director of Spark Strategy, an agency that works with Not for Profits and Social Enterprises to realise their social mission objectives. Liacos has advised Not for Profits, Social Enterprises, Governments and Commercial organisations for over 18 years in the areas of new business and funding models, business and digital strategy, and system transformation. He has also held roles as the National Lead Partner for Transformation at Grant Thornton, Program Director for the Department of Premier and Cabinet as well as Chairman and Non-Executive Director on a number of technology and service businesses. 

This article first appeared on ProBono News. Please see the original article here.

Cloud computing is the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.

Cloud computing in recent years has exploded to be terminology that we are all familiar with. Although for many of us this new technology is not easily understood, what businesses must understand though is there are many positive ways cloud technology can help your business excel, saving you time and money and giving you peace of mind in the event of a disaster.

A recent survey conducted by Infosys found that Australia businesses are leading the way in accepting cloud computing(1), this shows there is obvious benefits to cloud computing, but how can you use cloud computing to help your business and ultimately increase your bottom line.

Here are our top five benefits on why your business should start cloud computing now.

1) Infrastructure and Upgrades
Because technology is always changing, and so is the infrastructure that goes with it. The cost of updating your infrastructure is always a large financial investment. By using a dedicated cloud company which continuously purchases state of the art equipment to ensure your service is reliable in an environment, eliminates the need for maintaining hardware and associated IT administration. Most of the cloud solutions offer upgrades for free as part of the package and can easily be downloaded via the internet or even automatically completed to help with easy software integration.

2) Capital Cost
Businesses are quickly waking up to the fact that cloud solutions make good business sense when it comes to cost management. Managing in-house IT infrastructure and operating costs are the main reasons that businesses are turning to the cloud. With so many cloud providers in Australia, the cost of this service has become very competitive. Evaluating your business requirements for a cloud service before approaching providers will ensure the service you will be provided with matches your company needs. When it comes to cloud services cheapest may not be the best option.

3) Disaster Recovery
Implementing a system of backups where your data is stored both on your system and on the cloud is a perfect contingency plan for your business. Make sure that your cloud provider has a Disaster Recovery and business continuity plan in place for those “what –if” scenarios. Ensuring your Cloud Computing provider can support your business if a disaster does occur is also a prerequisite.

4) Security
Security concerns are still one of the greatest apprehensions that businesses have in regards to using cloud technology. Trusting your valuable data to a third party does have risks. But by acquiring knowledge about the physical and technical controls of the data centre, it’s country location and who can access it, is a good way to put you at ease that your data is safe. Ensuring that both the data centres’ and it’s anti-virus software and firewalls are updated will help secure your data.

5) Performance/Availability
In today’s world having fast, secure access to your data when you want it is essential. To achieve this select a cloud provider that includes a multi-server environment or multi location access. Ask if your cloud provider can easily increase its capacity when you need it without interrupting your workflow is essential for business to run smoothly.

Sage MicrOpay (AuSAE Annual Partner and Payroll/HR System Specialists) Private Cloud provides software services for companies who want to leave it to the specialists to manage the IT component of their payroll and HR systems. Together with their Australian based Private Cloud provider Dimension Data Cloud Services, they provide a service that delivers the highest levels of security, management and skills to ensure your sensitive human capital data is protected and delivered to users on time, every time.

Speak to the AuSAE Annual Partner Representative for Sage MicrOpay Christine Marcos on christine.marcos@micropay.com.au or phone 02 9884 4128

One of the most popular Dilbert comic strips in the cartoon’s history begins with Dilbert’s boss relaying senior leadership’s explanation for the company’s low profits. In response to his boss, Dilbert asks incredulously, “So they’re saying that profits went up because of great leadership and down because of a weak economy?” To which Dilbert’s boss replies, “These meetings will go faster if you stop putting things in context.”

Great leadership is indeed a difficult thing to pin down and understand. You know a great leader when you’re working for one, but even they can have a hard time explaining the specifics of what they do that makes their leadership so effective. Great leadership is dynamic; it melds a variety of unique skills into an integrated whole.

Below are 12 essential behaviors that exceptional leaders rely on every day. Give them a try and you can become a better leader today.

1. Courage

“Courage is the first virtue that makes all other virtues possible.” —Aristotle

People will wait to see if a leader is courageous before they’re willing to follow his or her lead. People need courage in their leaders. They need someone who can make difficult decisions and watch over the good of the group. They need a leader who will stay the course when things get tough. People are far more likely to show courage themselves when their leaders do the same.

For the courageous leader adversity is a welcome test. Like a blacksmith’s molding of a red-hot iron, adversity is a trial by fire that refines leaders and sharpens their game. Adversity emboldens courageous leaders and leaves them more committed to their strategic direction.

Leaders who lack courage simply toe the company line. They follow the safest path—the path of least resistance—because they’d rather cover their backside than lead.

2. Effective Communication

“The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.” —Joseph Priestley

Communication is the real work of leadership. It’s a fundamental element of how leaders accomplish their goals each and every day. You simply can’t become a great leader until you are a great communicator.

Great communicators inspire people. They create a connection with their followers that is real, emotional, and personal, regardless of any physical distance between them. Great communicators forge this connection through an understanding of people and an ability to speak directly to their needs.

3. Generosity

“A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.” —John Maxwell

Great leaders are generous. They share credit and offer enthusiastic praise. They’re as committed to their followers’ success as they are to their own. They want to inspire all of their employees to achieve their personal best – not just because it will make the team more successful, but because they care about each person as an individual.

4. Humility

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” – C.S. Lewis

Great leaders are humble. They don’t allow their position of authority to make them feel that they are better than anyone else. As such, they don’t hesitate to jump in and do the dirty work when needed, and they won’t ask their followers to do anything they wouldn’t be willing to do themselves.

5. Self-Awareness

“It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself.” —Latin Proverb

Contrary to what Dilbert might have us believe, leaders’ gaps in self-awareness are rarely due to deceitful, Machiavellian motives, or severe character deficits. In most cases, leaders—like everyone else—view themselves in a more favorable light than other people do.

Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence, a skill that 90% of top performing leaders possess in abundance. Great leaders’ high self-awareness means they have a clear and accurate image not just of their leadership style, but also of their own strengths and weaknesses. They know where they shine and where they’re weak, and they have effective strategies for leaning into their strengths and compensating for their weaknesses.

6. Adherence to the Golden Rule +1

“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.” – Jon Wolfgang von Goethe

The Golden Rule – treat others as you want to be treated – assumes that all people are the same. It assumes that, if you treat your followers the way you would want a leader to treat you, they’ll be happy. It ignores that people are motivated by vastly different things. One person loves public recognition, while another loathes being the center of attention.

Great leaders don’t treat people how they themselves want to be treated. Instead, they take the Golden Rule a step further and treat each person as he or she would like to be treated. Great leaders learn what makes people tick, recognize their needs in the moment, and adapt their leadership style accordingly.

7. Passion

“If you just work on stuff that you like and are passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.” – Mark Zuckerberg

Passion and enthusiasm are contagious. So are boredom and apathy. No one wants to work for a boss that’s unexcited about his or her job, or even one who’s just going through the motions. Great leaders are passionate about what they do, and they strive to share that passion with everyone around them.

8. Infectiousness

“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” —Reverend Theodore Hesburgh

Great leaders know that having a clear vision isn’t enough. You have to make that vision come alive so that your followers can see it just as clearly as you do. Great leaders do that by telling stories and painting verbal pictures so that everyone can understand not just where they’re going, but what it will look and feel like when they get there. This inspires others to internalize the vision and make it their own.

9. Authenticity

“Just be who you are and speak from your guts and heart – it’s all a man has.” – Hubert Humphrey

Authenticity refers to being honest in all things – not just what you say and do, but who you are. When you’re authentic, your words and actions align with who you claim to be. Your followers shouldn’t be compelled to spend time trying to figure out if you have ulterior motives. Any time they spend doing so erodes their confidence in you and in their ability to execute.

Leaders who are authentic are transparent and forthcoming. They aren’t perfect, but they earn people’s respect by walking their talk.

10. Approachability

“Management is like holding a dove in your hand. Squeeze too hard and you kill it, not hard enough and it flies away.” – Tommy Lasorda

Great leaders make it clear that they welcome challenges, criticism, and viewpoints other than their own. They know that an environment where people are afraid to speak up, offer insight, and ask good questions is destined for failure. By ensuring that they are approachable, great leaders facilitate the flow of great ideas throughout the organization.

11. Accountability

“The ancient Romans had a tradition: Whenever one of their engineers constructed an arch, as the capstone was hoisted into place, the engineer assumed accountability for his work in the most profound way possible: He stood under the arch.” – Michael Armstrong

Great leaders have their followers’ backs. They don’t try to shift blame, and they don’t avoid shame when they fail. They’re never afraid to say, “The buck stops here,” and they earn people’s trust by backing them up.

12. Sense Of Purpose

“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” – Ken Kesey

Whereas vision is a clear idea of where you’re going, a sense of purpose refers to an understanding of why you’re going there. People like to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. Great leaders give people that feeling.

Bringing It All Together

Becoming a great leader doesn’t mean that you have to incorporate all of these traits at once. Focus on one or two at a time; each incremental improvement will make you more effective. It’s okay if you “act” some of these qualities at first. The more you practice, the more instinctive it will become, and the more you’ll internalize your new leadership style.

What other qualities would you like to see added to this list? Please share your thoughts on exceptional leadership in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

About the author:

Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the #1 bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart, the world's leading provider of emotional intelligence tests and training, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.

This blogpost first appeared on LinkedIn

Voting is currently under-way for the positions of AuSAE regional director in ACT/NSW and New Zealand regions. Please see below all candidate statements. To vote, an automated email was sent on March 2 from "election buddy". Voting for these positions close on March 31. AuSAE thanks all candidates for applying. 

If you believe you are eligible to vote and have not received an email, please call Toni Brearley on +61 7 3394 8381.

AuSAE ACT/NSW Regional Director Candidates 

Peter Griffin, General Manager, Real Estate Institute of New South Wales I have worked in the Association sector for the past eight years. Prior to that my career spanned a number of industry sectors including health, IT, publishing, financial services, telecommunications, and management consultancy. Originally trained and professionally qualified in both marketing and accounting (unusual but very handy), my current role is General Manager of the Real Estate Institute of NSW. I would love to be given the opportunity to serve on the AuSAE Board. I believe that my diverse experience and skills would be of great benefit to AuSAE and its members as the organisation and its members grapple with a range of issues. I believe that I can help to find solutions to those issues.
Joe Lopino, Executive Director, Australian Furniture Removers Association Through my experiences in numerous industries I have developed strong advocacy skills to effect change, growth and obtain stakeholder engagement. My current role as Executive Director of Australian Furniture Removers Association has required me to utilise those advocacy skills at both State and Federal Government levels. I also bring a strong governance background and board principles as graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. I hold a delegate seat on the Australian Trucking Association Council as well as a member of their Transport and Economic Policy Committee.
Lauretta Stace, Chief Executive Officer, Fitness Australia I believe in the value of Associations. Associations have a vital role to play in society because through collaboration and collective action, people can change things for the better. I have been involved with the Association sector for 15 years in leadership positions. I am currently the CEO and Company Secretary of Fitness Australia Ltd. I understand, value and respect the role of a director in this sector and would like to share and contribute my skills, knowledge and experience to help advance AuSAE as the Peak Body for Associations. I have a thorough understanding of and experience with corporate governance and the role of a director. I am also a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

AuSAE New Zealand Regional Director Candidates 

Rod Auton, Chief Executive Officer, Crane Association of New Zealand I have been fortunate to have worked in Senior Executive Positions for eight and a half years and in this time have contributed and been instrumental in formulating governance policies, formulating organisational strategy, and ultimately advancing the organisation. I have a diverse range of skills gathered over a 50 year working life. They include business management, planning, change management, financial management, and evaluation and monitoring. I have the ability to listen, analyse, and question strategy proposals and performance data as well. I have an in-depth understanding of the not-for-profit environment and the issues that associations face. I have a firm belief that I can contribute positively to the AuSAE Board and the Society as a whole and request your support.
John Collyns, Executive Director, Retirement Villages Association New Zealand I have been an Executive Director of four industry associations over the last 20 years, as well as an elected board member of various other organisations. As a result I have worked closely with many different people, ranging from the CEOs of listed public companies to owner-operators and sole traders who have been on the various boards I've worked with. I understand the principles of governance. I have always believed in effective representation of all members in an association, and the RVA itself scored 81.1% satisfaction by its members in a recent AuSAE survey. I am a passionate advocate for AuSAE and the not-for-profit sector. I have regularly attended AuSAE events (and even spoken at them on occasion). I work closely with my peers in the industry association sector, especially via Business NZ's Industry Advisory Group, and have persuaded both the Bus and Coach Assn and the Retirement Villages Assn to join as a member. I am proud to have recently been made a Fellow of AuSAE.
Nick Hill (current Board Member Term 2011-2014), Chief Executive Officer, Building Officials Institute of New Zealand As Chief Executive of the Building Officials Institute of New Zealand (BOINZ), the peak body representing the Building Controls and Building Surveying sectors, I have been committed to improving professionalism and the much needed skill sets for our membership and the wider building and construction sector in New Zealand. I have been fortunate to have made and achieved recognizable changes to the building sector in New Zealand. I am currently Vice President of AuSAE, its Treasurer and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. I have been involved with the Society since co- leading the 2011 merger of ANZI (as it President) with its Australian counterpart (AuSAE) to form the broader Australasian Society of Association Executives. Contributing to this newly formed organisation has been both consuming and a pleasure as the Board set about invigorating member benefits and value to achieve much needed membership growth on both sides of the Tasman.
Linda Noble, Chief Executive, Governance New Zealand  As Chief Executive of Governance New Zealand, a Division of ICSA International, I am responsible for the implementation of strategic objectives that enhance and promote the organisation both locally and in the international arena. Key achievements in this role include the rebranding to Governance New Zealand (formerly Chartered Secretaries NZ), instigating a national conference, overhauling the professional education programme, and representing the interests of Governance New Zealand at ICSA International Council meetings. Having worked extensively with complex governance structure, I have a very good understanding of the responsibilities of being a director and the skills required for the position, including accountability, leadership and strategic thinking. As a qualified management professional, I bring a wealth of experience in the not-for-profit sector along with excellent business and financial expertise that would make me an asset as an AuSAE Board member.

Please find a copy of the AuSAE Constitution and AuSAE By-Laws

The 2015 Redback Report is here! Find out what makes your online audiences tick and use this research to enhance your webinars and webcasts!

What did Redback Conferencing uncover?
The importance of increasing interactivity and keeping viewers engaged is still front of mind for many and the need for on-demand access and powerful and passionate presenters is evident.

However, delivering on what you say you're going to, clear and uninterrupted audio quality and knowledgeable presenters seem to have topped the list when it comes to importance in this year's report.

Why should you download this?
The aim of this research is to assist you when it comes to planning, marketing, hosting and reporting on your webinars and webcasts.

Here’s some of what the research uncovered:

• How much are attendees willing to pay for your online events?
  
• The best time of day and time of week to hold an online event
  
• Memorable experiences - what gets people talking about your event?
  
• Preference – should you use webcams? Should you focus on heavy duty slides?
  
• What's more important... Audio vs. Content, Passion vs. Knowledge?
  

Click here to download your copy of the report!

“The story of innovation has not changed. It has always been a small team of people who have a new idea, typically not understood by people around them and their executives.”
—Eric Schmidt, Chairman, Google

Some of the most frequent questions we get from CEOs and leaders of other companies are: How does Google innovate? Can innovation be planned? Can it be taught? Ultimately, we think that company culture and innovation can’t be separated. “You have to have the culture,” says Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, “and you need to get it right.” We also believe that to stay competitive, we (and every other company in the world) absolutely have to innovate.

So how do you create a culture of innovation? Google doesn’t have a secret formula, though we’ve done our best to find one over the years. But we have distilled our thinking into a set of basic principles—ideas we believe can be adapted and applied at pretty much any organization, regardless of size or industry.

In this Google for Work perspective, we’ll share these eight principles of innovation and show how we apply them inside Google.

1. Think 10x
The notion of “10x thinking” is at the heart of how we innovate at Google. To put the idea simply: true innovation happens when you try to improve something by 10 times rather than by 10%.

2. Launch, then keep listening
The restaurant business has a smart idea called the “soft opening.” Instead of hoping everything is perfect and inviting the entire public to arrive all at once, a new cafe will have a few days or weeks where they invite people in, learn what works, discover
what customers love, and slowly grow (they hope) into a successful business that everyone is talking about.

3. Share everything you can
At Google we believe that collaboration—that is, people working together in teams—is essential to innovation. And collaboration happens best when you share information openly. So as a company, we share as much as possible with employees. This doesn’t mean every last business or strategic detail, but we do strive for transparency.

4. Hire the right people
Google has grown at a rapid rate: from 2,000 Googlers a decade ago to more than 50,000 now. What we hope hasn’t changed is the kind of people who work here and the types of projects they like to work on. Ever since our very first hires, Google has worked hard to attract people who want to tackle big problems that matter and do great things for the world.

5. Use the 70/20/10 model
We’re firm believers in a concept first introduced in the early days of Google: the 70/20/10 model. Simply put, it means that:

• 70% of our projects are dedicated to our core business
  
• 20% of our projects are related to our core business
  
• 10% of our projects are unrelated to our core business
  

6. Look for ideas everywhere
The best ideas can’t all possibly come from any one team, one department or one company. We believe great ideas can be found anywhere, and we look for them everywhere.

7. Use data, not opinions
Data usually beats opinions. So at Google, data is a big part of every choice we make. We test and measure almost everything we do so that we have a continuous data stream to inform our decisions.

8. Focus on users, not the competition
We believe that if we focus on users, everything else will follow. If you can build a robust and loyal base of people who love what you do, you’ll have something rare and valuable. For us, that always starts with the desire to improve the lives of users.

For a copy of the full whitepaper "Creating a Culture of Innovation" please click here.