Like Playing Piano

When I was growing up I took piano lessons. Each week I would clutch my latest Bastien or Alfred's piano instruction book and march into my lesson while my mother met with her best friend over coffee. The ritual was soothing, mechanical, something I could rely on.

When I returned home, I'd go to the sunken living room with gold shag carpeting, and sit at the old antique upright piano and play. Rarely did I study the drills. Mostly I played the songs we were studying over and over and over. My goal was to get to the point where I could play the entire piece with my eyes closed, my hands automatic in their tempo and notes played.

Like the rocking of a rocking chair, playing the piano brought comfort in its regularity and fulfillment of expectations. It did what I expected it to do.

People like having some semblance of control in their lives.

What can you do to bring a sense of regularity to your own life? As we ease into the weekend, maybe you should try making a "to don't" list rather than a "to do" list. Can you stay away from social media for a day and spend more time with your family or a neighbor? Maybe you can add a walk to your day that is for pleasure and not fulfillment of your duty to exercise. Have you tried just sitting still long enough to listen to music and savor the sounds and process the way you react to those sounds?

My daughter has been practicing spelling her name. Over and over again she spells it on the backs of menus, on her drawings at school, and she takes pride in being able to spell it faster and faster and faster. Even with her eyes closed.

Don't forget to take the time to enjoy the feeling of cool air on your face as you fly to reach the stars. Have a great weekend!

Feed Your Head (Five For the Ladies)

Inspiration comes in many forms. In today's post I want to share some of the people, blogs, books, and music inspiring me lately. From PR to Pop!, this is what's feeding my head and what you just might want to feed yours.

I also wanted to target this post for women specifically because a lot of what I'm reading, learning, and investing time in happens to be female-focused right now. Once you take a look-see through my list, I think you'll figure out what I mean...

1. Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts - Look, I know it's a kinky name with all its implications, but after every woman seems to have read Fifty Shades this year, I feel I can share this book suggestion with you. Truth is, another inspiration on my list this week first told me about this book and as a result I have been embracing my pride and power as a woman more and more every day.

But Mama Gena is the focus here - not the book. The book is your primer to what Mama Gena is all about and a lesson in how to take back your power. It's an invigorating reminder to embrace life and bring everyone along with you as you live your life with passion!

Her blog is fun. There is a lot of talk about vulvas and vaginas (you'll adapt after blushing) and I signed up for her newsletter and daily messages she calls, "The Daily Fluff."

Fun. Positive. Powerful.

Check it out.

2. FitCyn - Cynthia D'Amour has been a longtime friend, mentor, and inspiration for me. She's creative and smart and driven and not a soul who knows her would dare disagree. I first met her when I joined the association community and became more involved with the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Over the past couple of years she's evolved from pursuing a healthier life for herself to sharing her weight loss journey with everyone online and people are eating it up! (Hey, no calories in brain food, right?) And her success is not only physically visible, but you can feel her positive energy radiating out...that's the kind of thing that just invites success to your life.

She's posting regular videos to her blog, many times without wearing a stitch of makeup after her workout (did I mention she's daring, too?), and she's developing a devoted community on her FitCyn Facebook Group. I watch her videos and love this woman for sharing so much of her life - struggles and success - and her willingness to reach down and pull the next person up the mountain with her.

3. Real Jazz station on Sirius XM - What does one listen to when she's busy being happy and making a purposeful decision to transform her life into what she wants it to be?

I was struggling with finding the right kind of music to allow for my happy thoughts and my creative thinking while writing and working throughout the day.

It needed to be upbeat. It needed to be mostly instrumental. It needed to inspire the kind of thoughts and activity that I was aiming for.

Enter: Real Jazz.

As a longtime lover of jazz, finding a place for jazz in my life on a regular basis shouldn't have been a surprise, but it was! I'd been listening to a lot of alternative and chill music...not so  much jazz.

Finding the right kind of soundtrack might just be what you need to do to put a little extra spring in your step!

4. Adele Cehrs - One of the most fun, authentic, beautiful people I've ever met; Adele is blessed with business acumen and a power in PR. In fact, she owns Epic PR and is regularly paid to speak on public relations topics with a natural talent for being in front of people.

She gave me invaluable business advice after starting my own company, Amplified Growth, and told me about the awesome show, The Pitch.

We are speaking together at the upcoming ASAE Great Ideas Conference next spring on the topic of big ideas and how to know if you've got a dud or a winner...yes, we are going to make this a really special session and I can't wait! You can follow Adele on Twitter @EpicPRGroupDC.

5. Sam Horn and Pop! - Strong women will introduce you to other strong women. After I missed the chance to see Sam Horn in person at ASAE Annual this year, Adele (see #4 above) suggested I pick up Sam's book, Pop. Adele and I now practically have our own little Sam Horn book club and I've purchased more of her titles.

Sam's advice stands out because she makes it actionable. Super actionable. It's almost as good as if she did it all for you.


There you go! I have more stuff that's lighting my fire lately, but those are the top five for this week. What about you? What's working for you? Got any suggestions for me to check out? Let me know in the comments!

What's Holding You Back?

If you are reading this, you are lucky.

How do I know that? You have access to a computer. You are educated enough to use it. You are literate. 

According to the demographics of my blog's readers, you are most likely employed and have a relatively comfortable income. 

But I bet you're looking for more in your life.

I'm lucky. I'm surrounded by amazing, talented people I can call friends. Individually they are each strong, inspiring, and powerful. They make me stronger by association.

I'm educated. I'm making money. I'm a wife. I'm a mom. 

I've got what a lot of people want. 

But I want more. 

I want accomplishment. I want recognition. I want to achieve greatness doing something I am passionate about. 

This week's Association Chat prompt was, "What's Holding You Back?" The discussion fired up a lot of internal questions for me and seemed to do the same for other participants. 

I asked participants to focus on their own goals and skills for the chat and to consider their desires. Moving in the direction of one's desires, intentions has been a focus for me lately and people who want to move ahead should probably make it their focus, as well. Examine that life! Challenge your comfort zone! Get real with yourself!

Please check out the entire discussion we had on Association Chat and post your comments here on what you are doing to achieve your goals in your career. Do you have tips? Have you figured out a process for creating abundance in your life that works for you? Please share! It's good karma and besides, it could bring you closer to your own goals without you knowing why or how. 

Ain't life grand?

Embrace the Unorthodox! KiKi's Interview with Jeff De Cagna, Author of Associations Unorthodox

Last week I sat down with the always provocative Jeff De Cagna about his new book, Associations Unorthodox: Six Really Radical Shifts Toward the Future.

What I love about Jeff is his candor and clarity. The guy just knows how to take ideas apart and play with them like no one else! I'm envious at how well he does this and every time I talk with him I come away a little wiser. You'll be wiser, too, for watching this interview!

I ask Jeff five questions about his e-book and if the association world listens to his answers, we'll see a pretty radical shift in the association landscape, indeed. Watch on!

  By the way, I just love this guy! Please be sure to check out his book and let me know what you think about the ideas we discuss in this interview. 

Head's Up! The Awesome Is Back.

Many of you may be asking yourselves about this blog.

What's happening with it? 

Where are the regular updates? 

What's shaking in KiKi's world? 

Where is the blog bliss we long for?

I know, I know. You can dry your tears because change is a comin'. 

This week's blog will feature:

• An awesome video interview with the always thought-provoking and unequaled Jeff De Cagna about his noteworthy e-book, Associations Unorthodox: Six Really Radical Shifts Toward the Future

• Words of wisdom from Association Chat, just in case you haven't attended any of these chats lately, I'll give you the skinny on what you've been missing!

• Blogs that are rocking my world lately: 6 Blogs That Are Changing My Life (for real - no joke)

• My Methods for Fighting Past Fear of the Ridiculous (and how that's made me who I am)

• My Upcoming Speaking Engagements and What I'm Changing About My Speaking Style to Make the Message Stick

How's that for awesome? 

You'll notice some trends, too. I'm in the midst of a deep dive investigation of what it is that truly lights my fire. My passion. My moxie. 

I didn't plan on this quest. It just sorta happened right after I went through a mid-life crisis/question of what I'm doing in this world.

But far be it from me to ever hold back on sharing what I'm learning from my own experience on this glorious spinning blue and white thing we call Earth. I've been quiet for a few months, but the time has come to move forward and bring you with me.

I'm ba-ack. And I'm ready for action.

I look forward to sharing this week's posts with you along with tales from my own mixed up, crazy, fun, and occasionally gut-wrenching journey. 

Have a great week and see you soon!

Conversations That Matter: Post ASAE Annual Summary

In my life I have one association I belong to that continues to serve as my professional home - the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Every year when I leave ASAE's Annual Meeting, like I am today, I feel a combination of excitement and sadness. Excitement because I have new ideas and follow-up activities that will change my career for the better. Sadness because I have to leave all my good friends from all over the globe, whom I am not able to see very often face-to-face. It is like the end of summer camp, when we all go home from our friends to a world that seems a little different than it was before.

How I spent my summer at ASAE Camp:

1. I learned game changing tips from the sessions I attended that will change the way I present information and saw some dynamic presentations done in inspiring new and creative formats. I saw lessons presented as a fashion show, heard about brain science that increases learning for attendees, and listened to challenging discussions pushing the envelope on the way we look at association management.
2. I spent more time networking on the Expo Hall than I have in previous years and as a result I discussed potential new projects with people and forged new friendships. This used to be one of my least favorite parts of attending a conference and now I see it for the opportunities it presents. We are always learning!
3. In the bookstore I picked up the book I contributed a chapter to, The Component Relations Handbook, and a little later that day discussed co-hosting a new podcast in the near future with a good friend of mine.
4. I co-hosted the daily "Live From ASAE" show with Jay Daughtry and John Chen, courtesy of TMA Resources and had a complete blast. We're discussing doing a recap of the conference, so be on the watch for that.
5. I attended a dinner, hosted by a dear friend, that included a diverse and good-to-know crowd. I have several lunch dates lined up as follow-up to that dinner.
6. I co-presented with Sandra Giarde and Renato Songueco on being a "Mobile Warrior" and we knocked it out of the park!

Sandra Giarde and me at Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Opening Night

There are so many more wonderful parts of the ASAE Annual experience, I can't share them all, but look for more outcomes and musings in the following days as I report out on what I learned and what I'm changing in my practice for associations as a result.

Thank you to ASAE for another great conference and many thanks to all of my friends and supporters who made the experience special!

The ASAE Games: Goal Hunting at ASAE Annual

I'm excited! My hunting party is gathering in Dallas. I've come fortified with business cards, business suits, and an insatiable hunger for the games to begin. My fellow adventurers have their own goals for these next few days. As for me, I already know the three things I'm tracking while I am in Texas.

I will be spending the next few days attending the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Conference, and my dance card is already full with so many things to do and people to talk to, that I am wondering how to do it all. But I have my mission - my list of goals I hope to achieve - and here they are in no particular order:

KiKi's ASAE Hunting List

1. Inspiration - What ideas will I hear discussed that will change the way I think or do business? What presenters will motivate me to be better, smarter, more creative? One of the things I love most about ASAE Annual is its ability to leave me with inspiration to grow on for months after the meeting has ended.

2. Community - Whom will I see from the Association Chat community? What kinds of conversations will I have with my longtime association friends? Where are the new faces from whom I'll get to know and learn?

3. The Big 3 - (I got this idea from Tom Morrison, a friend and fellow ASAE Member) Who are three people I'd like to develop stronger professional relationships with that I can continue working on after the meeting is over?

As a social media consultant, obviously finding business would be ideal, too, but at this point I believe that the business comes when I focus on the items on my hunting list first. How will things turn out? I'll post an update along the way, so you can share in my hunt! Please send me any tips or suggestions you have on ways to meet my goals.

Join Me in Louisville for #CESSE12!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 - 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
How do you serve your customers better in the digital age? This session will cover effective social media strategies customer service managers can use. There will also be time to help you develop action plans to implement when you get back to the office.




Session Chair:
Ashley Pruett, CAE, Manager of Membership & Member Contact Center, ASHRAE

Speaker:
KiKi L'Italian, President, Amplified Growth
Breathitt

Like Sands Through The Hourglass...Spilling Off Of My Desk

The sand broke free from my hourglass this morning ... it's a mess, but it reminds me that we only fool ourselves that we can control time.

Today, time has broken free and we have plenty! Have a great day, everyone!

Fierce Membership, Part II

Happy early Independence Day!

"Don't Tread On Me"(the words with the image of the coiled snake on the Gadsden Flag from the American Revolution) represented the desire for independence and controlled individualism back in the day.

Today, too, Fierce Members (FMs)* want to work and rework the system so that it runs better and provides the benefits FMs know the membership needs. Forget about the policies, what will it take to make an association meaningful (or relevant) - those are the issues the FMs worry about the most. And they want to be the ones to help solve that riddle.

Understand these fierce members and you'll have their loyalty to support your efforts.

In Part 1 of this blog post, I mentioned the importance of volunteering to the FM. Heaven forbid an association should squander the talents of an FM when they have volunteered and not appoint the member to a chance to be heard. Such an offense would equal betrayal in the FMs eyes when they know so much work that could and should be done!


"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." -Albert Schweitzer

How to Turn Fierce Members Into Your Best Volunteers

1. Find or create a place for them to do their work. Look for meaningful ways they can provide input and apply their unique skills to challenges and opportunities within your association.
2. Never, I repeat, never fail to communicate directly with them and work to find a place for their services. This is an almost unforgivable offense in the mind of the Fierce Member.
3.  Say thanks and provide recognition. Don't ask for them to use their skills in "one-off" opportunities and then forget to shine the spotlight on them. 

What are some other ways to turn FMs into your best volunteers? Please add your thoughts and have a great holiday!


*Fierce Members (FMs): A new breed of member who knowingly chooses to pay membership dues to belong to an association in spite fo the many free options available to them to network and build their careers without belonging to an association. These members are demanding because they want to get what they paid for and most often give something back to the organization for the people coming up behind them.