Seeing the Edge with NW Marketing Guy - Rod Brooks

Seeing the edge can be a team sport

Innovation:

1. origination: the act or process of inventing or introducing something new

2. new idea or method: a new invention or way of doing something

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Something new is underway at WOMMA that I expect to result in the opportunity for our members to engage in the growth and well-being of our association. Last November I attended an exploratory meeting that was held at our annual summit in Las Vegas. We brought together a dozen of our governing members; brands and service providers alike. And we talked. We had a conversation about where WOMMA was heading, what the WOMMA experience was feeling like, and how our vision, direction, and delivery could be improved. The hour we scheduled for that conversation was over before we knew it. Those who were there said that the conversations were a good beginning, and that they would like to be involved in more of them.

One of my personal objectives as WOMMA President, is to get closer to the voices of our members… to have more conversations, and to hear what members have to say about our association. To that end, we’ve created the WOMMA Innovation Task Force – a type of president’s advisory panel for 2011. The purpose, simply put, is to help us see the edge. To bring forward new ideas or methods that will enable, empower, and provide engaging opportunities for our members to create a groundswell of interest in the WOMMA movement.

We held our first call of the year last week and the conversation was filled with passion and purpose. The agenda was structured so that there were opportunities to influence, design and support. We discussed strategic considerations like enhancing value for our members, and the importance of effective metrics and measurement in our industry. Participants with a special interest in the growth movement of our association stepped up to form an advisory group to recommend some specific actions.

Seeing the edge can be a team sport. With our common vision, shared goals, and no rules to limit creative thinking, I can’t wait to hear what our members come up with. That’s how meaningful transformation and movements begin… by inspiring those with ideas and passion to make a difference by revealing an edge that others haven’t yet discovered.