When I started my first association job way back when, I had no idea I'd still be working in the association industry more than 10 years later. Part of what kept me in this association realm is my intense nerd-love for all things associations. After gathering with a group of fellow association nerds last weekend, I thought it might be cool to try to pull together a list of common traits for those who love association-land.
Here is my checklist for how to know if you're an association nerd
1. You know how the end of this phrase goes, "We've always done it ____ ___."
2. You fantasize about your picture being on the cover of Associations Now
3. You've participated in at least one Association Chat (online chat that takes place on Twitter every Tuesday at 2pm ET using the hashtag: #assnchat)
4. You can guess within 60 seconds of meeting someone whether they work for an association that is a 501(c)3 or a 501(c)6
5. You have your CAE and can tell the tale of studying for it
6. You can rattle off the name, "John Graham" like you do George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.
7. You could make a drinking game using any of the following words: Engagement, value, relevance, or membership model.
8. You have multiple products with acronyms on them in your home, including t-shirts, coffee mugs, pens, and post-it notes.
9. You have volunteered with the meta-realization of understanding that your experience is similar to how your own volunteers must feel
10. You still haven't managed to explain to your family what you do for a living
What else would you add to this list?
with the exception of #3, I scored 100%! Great list - thanks....Gary LaBranche
ReplyDeleteHi Gary - Thanks for checking out the checklist. I feel like we Association Nerds need a T-Shirt or something. Maybe just another ribbon to stick on our conference badges? :)
ReplyDeleteAnother one that came to mind:
ReplyDeleteYou plan your schedule in "pre" and "post" conference blocks ("this needs to get done before annual -- I'll do that after I get back from annual")
You stand up at your home owner association annual meeting and pronounce that we'd all be better off with an improved governance model. You volunteer to lead that task force.
ReplyDeleteCecilia and Dave - good ones!
ReplyDeleteCecilia, I still think of things as pre- or -post Annual. :)
You take pride in looking at the Associations archives.
ReplyDeleteYou are completely helpless at a dinner party where people aren't wearing nametags.
ReplyDelete