Setting up a Covid-19 Task Force is a Proactive Strategy

How do we anticipate and adapt to the current Covid-19 situation? Roy McGrath, IOM and Michael Gellman, CPA conducted a webinar on creating task forces as a proactive strategy.

A place to start is to manage your focus, expertise and deliverables on a specific task.  If you do, that will lead to your outcomes.

 

Public health vs economics are the two key areas most chambers are focusing on right now for their small business members and the community at large.

 

They went on to talk about the different uses of task forces in these Covid-19 times:

 

Task Forces can be set-up to:

• Help give advice on internal changes at your organization (strategic planning, etc.)
• Reopening guidance for your small business members.
• How you will conduct future events for your chamber members based on the latest information from the local and state health care professionals.
• Safe work environment for chamber staff when they re-engage back in the office.

They gave some best practices advice you should think about when forming a task force:

• The task force should be expert-driven, and it should have external partners.
• It’s key to set expectations for the task force with clear roles and duties of its members (3-5 task force members).
• Task forces give advice and information and have no direct authority or approval functions, that’s the role of your board.
• Keep each task force focused on their specific issue and not stray from that task.
• Task forces should report to CEO and then secondarily the executive committee.
• Communications should be clear both ways.
• Weekly meetings might be a place to start.  You can adjust as you move forward.
• Set a 90-day task force period with the option to extend if needed.
• Transparency and messaging is key from senior management of the chamber.  It’s about telling your story!

They ended with reminding those participating that the four key points of a task force:

1. Resource to your chamber;
2. Can be nimble;
3. A team of specialists; and
4. It’s your consulting team to provide solutions.

A task force can help you manage through these unprecedented times.  Set-up your task force/s today!

Golden Handcuff: Do You Have One?

If you’re not familiar with the term, a “Golden Handcuff” is essentially a program, product or service that your member can’t do without.

It compels them to send in their dues check year after year after year.

If you are familiar with the term, the attached list is nothing new.

What program, product or service are you providing that is your golden handcuff?

• Insurance Programs (Workman’s Comp, D&O, etc)
• Credit Cards
• Certification
• Affinity deals with office supply stores
• Etc.

Let me give you one that you’ve probably never thought of – “Your Board of Directors.”

By show of hands, how many of your board members are non-dues paying members. That’s right, they’re all dues paying members. That goes for all your volunteers – committees, task forces, etc.

So the next time you’re asked if you have a "Golden Handcuff" – you can proudly say, YES, we have one, it’s my board.

Governance: Owners, Managers, and Customers

What a unique business we are in. Our members are our owners, our managers and our customers.

• Owners: That’s right, members own the organization. It belongs to the members, not the staff. That’s why they’re called membership organizations. Sometimes we forget that.

• Managers: Your volunteer structure ensures that the members are involved in managing the organization. Task Forces, Committees and ultimately the Board of Directors. The Board has fiduciary responsibility for the organization in setting policy and making sure the organization is financially stable.

• Customers: That’s right again! Who buys the Chamber’s products? Membership, monthly luncheon registrations, after hours networking events, sponsorships, annual meeting registrations, and the list goes on.

The key to successful organizations, in my opinion, is to have a strong working relationship with your Board of Directors. A level of trust must always be present. If you don’t have it, you have nothing.

As CEO, you were hired by the Board to implement the policies that were decided by the Board. Take that charge seriously.

That’s your responsibility!