AITP Chapter Operations Manual (Part 3)

How to Organize Your Chapter for Growth

Important Facts to Keep In Mind

No one likes to do detail work or fill out forms. Everyone is busy and has enough red tape to handle. However, we all recognize that a certain amount of it is necessary if we are to organize our time and do a thorough job. So, you organize your chapter, direct your efforts in the proper channel, save the most time and get the best results.

1. Program and Membership - the key to chapter growth

a. They are synonymous.

b. You cannot have one without the other.

c. Without a good program you cannot retain members.

d. Without members, you have no reason to have a program.

2. Awareness of Needs

a. Know your specific chapter needs and how they can best be satisfied.

1) Use your chapter committees and memberships.

2) Use your Region.

3) Work with your Region president.

4) chapter questionnaire.

b. Know your chapter problems and find solutions. Could be one of the following:

1) Communication - chapter mailings, newsletter, business meetings, president's memo.

2) Leadership.

3) Geographical.

c. To reach the many prospective members in your area to acquaint them with AITP professionalism.

d. Select the right people to get the job done.

e. Plan a quality educational program of courses, seminars and chapter functions to keep members interested and learning.

f. A good orientation program for new members to help them become involved in the learning process and find help if and when they need it.

3. Compile a chapter manual for use by your Region president

a. A complete guide and reference tool at his fingertips.

b. Contains information also for chapter officers and committees.

4. Presentation of the AITP story to local companies, colleges and governmental agencies.

5. Helpful Hints and Cautions

a. Questions in a prospective member's mind that we must try to answer:

1) What must I learn to really know the industry?

2) What is available to me?

3) Where can I go to learn?

b. Explain the name AITP is a misnomer as to what we represent. Not just data processing, but the whole spectrum of the information processing profession.

c. Explain the benefits derived from learning.

d. Avoid attempting to be instructors and pass out only enough material to whet the appetite.

e. Make the audience aware of the rewarding and satisfying experience of belonging to the AITP family.

Education, membership and using organization and communication along with the right people create professionalism and the growth of your chapter!

Chapter Issues and Solutions

Chapter Issues Related To Involvement

There is a lack of knowledge about what committees exist at the chapter level and what their responsibilities and duties are.

Members on the Board of Directors or on committees are doing too much work giving other members the impression that the job requires too much dedicated time and that they don't have that much time to devote.

Some members are or have experienced burnout.

Sometimes one person tries to do it all (no delegation and too many one-person committees).

People are reluctant to ask people to participate.

Cliques prevent new members from getting involved.

Jobs don't have boundaries (specific definitions and time commitments).

Solutions Related To Involvement:

· Break large tasks into smaller tasks and disseminate.

· Develop special interest groups.

· Encourage past officers to serve in advisory capacity - make sure you use them for advice.

· Have "get involved" night (or theme for year).

· Define tasks to be done and the time requirements so that those being asked will know what to do.

· Develop process to ensure that members (other than board members) become involved in committees.

· Discourage (discreetly, if possible) the forming of cliques at the meetings.

· Invite new members to participate on a committee or to do some task.

· Publicize names of all committee members in newsletters.

· Use coded badges at meetings to identify new members, board, special areas of interest, etc.

· Have board members assigned to different tables at dinner meeting.

· Before year starts, define committee functions in newsletter.

· Conduct a new member orientation.

· Spotlight a different committee each month in newsletter and/or at meeting.

· Make a policy that all new members must participate.

· Establish roving welcoming committee.

· Ask for a commitment, i.e. make two phone calls or attend a ½-hour meeting

· New members who indicate committee preference should receive follow-up action from committee chair or designee. Random board members should be assigned to new members who don't indicate committee reference.

· Develop management skills and delegate.

· Encourage the AITP career path (movement up the ranks in the chapter).

· Respond to new members' interest.

· Always thank people for what they have already done. Pat them on the back in public - recognize them for anything that will get their name in front of the group

· Create programs for community involvement that will appeal to the bulk of the membership.

· Give them an opportunity to make a mark on the local community.

· Use ideas generated from president-elect workshop.

· Have welcoming committee and use sponsor or "big brother/sister" technique to make new members feel welcome.

· Give people a rest - draft new blood - then come back to them and appeal to their sense of pride.

· Be creative in starting interest projects.

· Never have one-person committees.

· List names and activities in the newsletter.

· Have a list at the meetings of the things that need to be done.

· Publish a list of things that need to be done.

· Approach people with an upbeat, positive attitude.

· Make it fun - have fun at committee meetings.

· Use thank you notes to give individual recognition for their efforts.

· Accept "no" as a valid answer.

· Don't keep asking the same people to do the same job.

· Hold panel discussions for general meetings (get more people involved).

· To overcome cliques, have hospitality committee.

Chapter Issues Related To Attendance:

· Lack of knowledge of AITP activities and goals.

· Lack of notification.

· Boring and uninformative topics.

· Meeting time and place and cost.

· Lack of membership involvement and recognition.

· Schedule (meeting too lengthy).

· Lack of member camaraderie.

Solutions Related To Attendance:

· Establish "calling committee" to call everyone on the roster. They should know who and what the program is so they can inform the member being called .

· Make the meeting informative and enjoyable.

· Select good meeting sites, i.e. easily accessible, centrally located, good meals, reasonably priced, adequate facilities.

· Reward perfect attendance.

· Contact member who didn't attend and tell them they were missed.

· Recognize members at the meetings for accomplishments.

· Give door prizes (money, free lunches/dinners, box of diskettes, etc.).

· Use handout material to document benefits to AITP.

· Make sure calling committee members are enthusiastic - don't let people use their secretaries to make the calls.

· Cover appropriate business issues but limit time.

· Have someone tell jokes on themselves to "lighten" the atmosphere and make people feel at ease.

· Set up a committee to visit large company installations to encourage their support for AITP activities.

· Send "thank you" letters to person's boss when they make a significant contribution to the organization.

· Get a bus, van, or car pool, etc. and bring others to the Region/Association conference - make it fun.

· Have someone in local chapter write a small article for the newsletter on how AITP has helped them professionally.

· Personal contact by vendor peers, etc. to tell people they've been missed.

· Set up special activities that are purely social to encourage members to get to know each other.

· Have board members contact someone that isn't active.

· Survey members for meeting place give them choices along with prices (if they vary).

· Have calling committee contact members about registration for Region and Association Conferences.

· Develop Welcoming Committee.

· Quality programs are required.

· Stay on schedule.

· Invite Region and Association officers to the meeting and ask them to brief the members on current activities.

· Convenient time and location for meeting is needed.

· Have sponsor introduce new members during pre-dinner social time and formally during meeting.

· Telephone community and follow-up - track who comes - make second call if necessary.

· Use theme meeting and related topics - "Bosses' Night," etc..

· Survey members to insure meeting night/location is best for most - situations do change.

· Have a luncheon meeting instead of a dinner (attracts different people).

· Thank people for coming - maintain positive attitude - have fun.

· Careful on using "buzz words" and acronyms that guests and new members won't know, i.e. COPA, IPA, AD, etc..

· Rate the meeting - short questionnaire for attenders - Act on valid comments.

· Vendor sponsored refreshments such as punch, bar, dessert, etc. Advertise as benefit.

· Have no-smoking tables, control alcohol consumption.

· Well structured meeting a must - from sign-in to exit - keep time short/overlap business and dessert.

· Guest/member interaction - introduce guests, new members - have specific badges to identify interests, committees, computer.

· Each chapter should determine what motivates a person to join AITP and promote what they find out.

· Meetings should be conducted like business meetings.

· Where appropriate, ADs need to educate chapter members about Region and Association activities.

· Standardize meeting time and location.

· All leaders should make a point to speak to someone they don't know at each chapter meeting.

· Have "Member of the Month".

· Membership committee follow up on absent members.

· Human interest tidbits on members in newsletters.

· Have Bosses' Night for general meeting to stimulate company support

Chapter Issues Related To Member Communications:

· There is a general lack of communications with the members.

· Bad mailing addresses --- Association and chapter records.

· Little or no communications with "new" members. Chapters don't follow up with new members or guests to get them back or get them involved.

· Most chapters don't have promotional information available about what their chapter is doing. Chapter doesn't know how to sell AITP.

· Members that renew aren't communicated with upon renewal.

· Chapters don't know what the individual needs of their members are.

· People don't listen!

· No recognition for accomplishments or contributions.

· The Association awards programs are not being used.

· Sponsors of new members don't get involved after the new member is accepted for membership to make them feel at home.

· People new to town don't know how to find out about AITP.

· Communications to chapter leaders need improving.

· Training of chapter leaders needs improving and to be more readily available.

· Lack of written documentation to all levels of the association.

· No membership campaigns are being conducted.

· Members have a poor perception of what benefits are available for their money.

· Information about bad experiences are passed on to others and they are very hard to overcome.

· Improvements aren't communicated effectively.

Solutions Related To Member Communications:

· Letters from chapter president after member is approved.

· Make sure past problems aren't perpetuated - face them head on and solve them.

· Get P.O. Box and business cards for chapter - distribute cards at chamber of commerce functions, trade shows, etc..

· Print award certificates of appreciation.

· Personally call members to complete a brief questionnaire to get input on members feelings and needs.

· Use spring/fall chapter report to develop chapter promotional information that can be distributed to existing members, used in newsletter, sent out with membership applications, etc..

· Automate awards records in PC database - purchase package and pass on each year to new chairperson.

· Pick a counterpart in another chapter to communicate with regularly.

· Provide feedback to appropriate party when negative experiences occur.

· Write letter from chapter president to members encouraging them to sponsor new members.

· Call members coming up for renewal to remind them to do so.

· If member doesn't renew find out reasons why.

· Contact local TV stations about public service announcements - be sure to include a hotline number in announcement.

· Call and write new members (either membership promotion chair or president) welcoming them and encouraging their attendance and participation.

· Ensure that board members have the information and tools to effectively perform their jobs.

· Ask at meetings for new addresses and phone numbers of any who have moved, also provide change of address page in newsletter.

· Write to D.P. shops which are not represented at AITP selling the benefits of AITP and the local chapter.

· Membership retention chair should call and write members who are up for renewal reminding them how important they are and encouraging their renewal.

· Listen closely to what members have to say about themselves, AITP and their companies.

· Always present the chapter and AITP in a positive manner.

· Ensure that incoming officers understand their roles and how they affect the member.

· Provide recognition to members for accomplishments (announce at meetings and publish in newsletter).

· Prepare written documentation on job descriptions for chapter officers, also a list of inventory to be handed on to new officers.

· Hold a leadership workshop - where all board members are invited .

· Thank members who bring guests.

· If possible, list a AITP phone number in the yellow pages.

· Acknowledge member input, act on suggestions and give feedback.

· Encourage communication between counterparts in other chapters and regions.

· The president or ad should call new members to welcome them to the chapter and personally invite them to the next meeting.

· Publish SIG, region and association activities in local newsletter.

· Be listed with the chamber of commerce for new arrivals to the city.

· Have a long-time member be retention chair.

· Include guests and prospective members on mailing list, also a calling committee.

· Recognize new members in the newsletter.

· Newsletter should be more than just a meeting announcement. Only thing all members receive - promote chapter and activities in the president' message.

· Chapter leaders need to understand Association/Region positions and purpose - organize resource material and training for consistency and for involvement and understanding the association and region.

· Board members should be encouraged to become active at region level - committees, conference, observers.

· Region president is required to produce monthly communication to ads and chapter presidents - ask why if this in not being done.

· Have region/association representative address chapter meeting and/or board meeting.

· Encourage phrases like "our association," "we," etc..

· Encourage members to come to board meetings - hold a special board meeting every so often.

· Ensure AD does the job - ADs write article for newsletter from the region and association news.

· Develop a local chapter promotion piece - accomplishments, contracts, plans, etc. joint venture if by chapter.

· Encourage company support by providing information on AITP, local chapter from another source..

· Keep timely record of names, addresses and entering new members..

· Establish a procedure for headquarters to receive member change of address information from chapters.

· Mandatory association and region meeting attendance for chapter president and AD - can promote chapter to chapter communications.

· Membership retention activities should begin immediately after approval of a new member's application.

· Solicit member feedback either in person or by phone.

· Current hardcopy job descriptions for all leadership positions should be available at all times.

· Keep in mind that the chapter is the primary service delivery vehicle for AITP.

· Leadership training workshops should be mandatory for all leaders.

· Determine who should be eligible for IPA's and encourage them to submit their paperwork.

Chapter Issues Related To Programs/Education:

· Speakers have poor presentation skills.

· Topics are not of interest to the chapter membership.

· Program chair doesn't know where to get good speakers.

· General lack of coordination at meeting (all aspects).

· Lack of organization - all general topics

all technical topics

all data processing topics

all management topics

· Chapters do not know how local colleges and universities can help - speakers, seminars, facilities, etc.

· Education materials available from Association AITP headquarters are not coordinated--education courses not available.

· Poor or untimely publicity about program topics, speaker's qualifications, date, time, location, etc.

· Small chapters do not know about speakers that are available through Region, SIG's, etc.

· Chapters aren't using what is available -- maybe they don't know what is available because the AD or president hasn't informed them.

· Chapters are embarrassed because of poor attendance and reluctant to seek a good quality speaker because of the anticipated turnout ("Catch 22").

Solutions Related To - Programs/Education:

· Have programs lined up at least six months in advance.

· Use Speakers Bureau for programs.

· For the immediate month's program, publish in the newsletter a program profile giving brief background of the speaker and topic.

· Each month in the newsletter, publish a calendar of the coming programs and events.

· Use oral and written contact with the speakers especially afterwards to thank them.

· If poor attendance at meetings is a problem, have joint meetings with other organizations.

· Have educational seminars available for non-AITP and AITP members.

· Use a program/meeting check list to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly.

· Make Region and Association education resources lists available to more than just ADs.

· Separate programs committee from education committee.

· Volunteer to speak at another chapter.

· Don't mix topics if the particular interests of the chapter members is narrow.

· Mix topics to appeal to a broad base of membership.

· Hold chapter meeting to address all issues related to poor attendance at a 'special' meeting - go all out to make it successful.

· Make sure publicity is complete, timely and appealing.

· Fire chairs if they are not being effective.

· Have arrangements committee and programs (speakers) report to the same chapter officer.

· Only use speakers that a reliable source has personally heard.

· Use the series approach, i.e. four consecutive months on Artificial Intelligence (each month a different phase).

· Recap previous month's meetings in newsletter (make members wish they had attended).

· Use known successful speakers, Speaker Resource Bureau.

· Optional vendor presentation to complement formal program.

· Use AITP provided audio visuals to complement program.

· Vary topics/thesis (technical/management).

· If topic is specific in nature or trendy/state of the art - explain impact or why important to member/company.

· Promote all educational offerings in chapter areas - keep members informed on available educational offerings AITP/non-AITP.

· Publish book review/product reviews by members on DP topics.

· Joint meetings with other professional groups to attract big name speakers/members.

· Determine chapter membership base.

· Investigate speaker choices.

· Utilize Region and Association contacts for speaker resources.

· Handout flyers at computer stores.

· Have suggestion box for type of programs.

· Don't have same agenda over and over.

· Organize a Speakers' Bureau.

· Announce meeting and speaker in local chapter.

· Have a good meeting place and reasonable price.

· Members should be asked about what type of speaker they want to hear.

· Use tours to provide some variety in the meeting format.

· Contact the local universities and colleges.

· Use Region resources when available.

· Have SIGs sponsor a meeting (ask SIGs to furnish the speakers).

Miscellaneous Chapter Items

Emergencies

The ability to handle crisis and emergencies is only one of the most important skills a meeting planner can develop. Site officials, such as hotel, restaurant and convention center personnel, can be expected to provide assistance and measures to guard against unforeseen circumstances but the meeting planner must share a leadership role in implementing emergency action. Therefore, in your meeting preparations, you need to formulate a comprehensive emergency action-plan that outlines procedures to follow in any number of emergency situations. Do not trust your luck! Prepare for the unexpected.

Medical Emergencies

Medical emergencies can occur at any time or place, but some groups are more vulnerable than others. It is your job to analyze the makeup of your group, noting such factors as average age, usual activity levels and past experiences to determine particular areas of vulnerability. Most medical emergencies involve accidental injuries, but the likelihood of heart attack, stroke, seizure, or other life-threatening crisis occurring during your convention deserves serious consideration and planning. Meeting-goers often experience a change in diet, liquor consumption and hours of sleep, as well as stress. These factors could exacerbate any medical condition an attendee may have.

Establish contact with a hospital, ambulance service, or appropriate medical specialist, who can be available during the meeting.

If the meeting involves a convention hall, the facility may have a first-aid station and staff that you can use. You may decide that this service provides adequate coverage for this aspect of your emergency plan. Review any service that you or the facility provides and understand the extent of it.

Most hotels have a house physician, but this person usually does not live on site and may not be available at the time you need him or her. Each hotel should have a system for providing emergency service and you must determine, during preliminary planning the nature and extent of that service. For instance, it is important to learn how the hotel initiates emergency care. In some properties, the hotel switchboard operator initiates this process. In others, it is the security office or convention/meeting services staff. Avoid having contradictory messages conveyed in the midst of a crisis by understanding the hotel's emergency system. If several hotels are used, you must identify the emergency "authority" at each site and convey to him or her your plan for emergency coverage.

It is extremely helpful to know Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). As a meeting planner in charge of many individuals, the chances that such training could prove useful are very high. CPR techniques have saved many lives and it is a good idea to provide CPR training for your board as well. Many hotel restaurants and convention centers have mandatory CPR training for some of their employees.

Other Contingencies

There are certain things that are really beyond the control of a meeting planner, weather happens to be one of them. There are insurance policies available. Always consider potential weather problems. For instance, a snowstorm in New York could interfere with travel. When this occurs, the meeting planner can only modify the meeting arrangements to accommodate a smaller registration and wait for the next meeting to balance the budget.

It is also wise to investigate the current and projected labor situations. If a major union contract is to be negotiated, it could seriously affect your decision and the agreements you make with suppliers. Wildcat strikes and stoppages may not be anticipated, but timing for renewal of union contracts is known by the suppliers involved. You will probably not be provided with this information unless you ask.

Labor shortages are more difficult to predict in advance, although if a problem exists during your site inspection, it will usually exist later, too.

If an unanticipated labor-crisis occurs during the meeting, the first thing to consider is what functions of your meeting will be most affected.

Your own board will probably find that some of their assignments have changed. Some of your members may be pleased to be asked to help too.

See the checklist entitled "Emergencies/Safety" in Section 8.

Fire Safety

Every participant at your meeting should be aware of fire-survival techniques. Panic and smoke are almost always the cause of deaths in fires, rather than the actual fire itself. Many hotels and restaurants have assumed responsibility for informing their guests of steps to take in such an emergency but the meeting planner has a significant role to play in assuring that participants are protected and have received adequate information.

During your inspection of a facility, become familiar with the safety features available. The following checklist covers safety features that are easily observable, even to an unpracticed eye:

· Is there an automatic fire-extinguishing system?.

· Where are they located: corridors, meeting rooms, public areas, kitchens?.

· Are there smoke detectors throughout the building?.

· Are there two remote fire exits on every floor of the building?.

· Do fire exits lead directly to the outside of the building?.

· Are fire exits signs visible and well illuminated?.

· Are directional signs to fire exits visible from every corridor?.

· Are there signs at the elevator directing guests to use the stairways in case of fire?.

· Look at the tags on fire extinguishers. Have they been checked on a regular monthly basis?.

· Are there manual fire alarms in reasonable locations on every floor?.

· Do fire alarms signal the fire department directly?.

Taking the time and trouble to prepare for an unlikely emergency may seem tedious and perhaps unnecessary. But remember that saving even one life or avoiding one calamity will make your efforts worthwhile.

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