Stacey Black, Chartered Marketer, BBA, CIM’s Post

Happy #IVMDay24! On this 25th anniversary, the hard hitting question was posed: ‘What’s our future normal?’ While I have yet to meet a #LoVols with a crystal ball, taking 5 minutes to review the thoughts of fellow leaders on this platform alone identifies that there are critical themes to consider as we move forward as a profession. (See posts by Tracey O'Neill, CVA and Stuart Garland.) While my hope is that we collaboratively approach change and evolution on big themes together, as individual leaders I hope that our future normal is to strive for personal and professional growth. Often times, growth can offer challenge and discomfort, but it can be followed up with insight, perspective and opportunities. Growth will look different for each of us, and might include outreach and conversation with a new international colleague through the Advanced Volunteer Management Symposium; or new or different involvement with your national association like VMPC-Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada; or setting new goals like obtaining your CVA designation from the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration. Whatever it is, I encourage you to be intentional. Those three examples were goals I set out to do at the start of this year and each has brought me incredible opportunities for reflection and has positioned me for ongoing experiences of learning. Don’t stay stagnant. Set goals, make change and make ongoing growth within this incredible profession of ours, your future normal!

As I reflect on 2024, there is much to celebrate both personally and professionally, and I'm filled with excitement and hope for what lies ahead. Each year represents a new beginning, a chance to refocus, and an opportunity to take on new challenges with renewed energy and enthusiasm.  I've realized that I'm more likely to achieve my goals when I know exactly what I want to accomplish. I'll be identifying challenges, figuring out how to measure success, and setting clear steps to get there. Here are three areas I’ll be focusing on when setting my goals for the year: ➡️ Learn from experience: Reflecting on my accomplishments and the lessons I've learned, both big and small, will guide me as I move forward.   ➡️ Lead with a growth mindset: As the healthcare industry evolves, I am committed to pushing myself and our team to continue reimagining how we drive innovation and deliver best-in-class and inclusive experiences. ➡️ Prioritize my health: Over the holidays, I was reminded of the importance of good health. This year, I am refocusing on my health to develop and maintain healthy routines that support my overall well-being.     "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today."  -Franklin D. Roosevelt    Here's to making this year our best one yet! I'm excited to support each other in our journeys, share our goals, and celebrate our progress together.     #Leadership #NewYearGoals #TeamHumana 

Meeting modern member expectations has been a theme for association leaders over the last several years, and they have worked hard to increase engagement and improve the overall member experience. Forj recently surveyed thousands of association members to assess the loyalty of their members by looking at Net Promoter Score (NPS). The overall NPS scores have improved YoY for associations, with an average NPS of 40 in 2024, compared to just 14 in 2023. However, even with this overall rise, the survey shows that NPS is highest among late-career members and problematically low among early-career members. Delighting younger members by building environments where they can connect with peers and mentors, learn together, and feel a sense of belonging will be essential for the future health and sustainability of associations. ** In our survey, early career members identified as having less than 5 years of experience, mid-career members as having 6-25 years of experience, and late-career members as having more than 25 years of experience. #Community #Learning #MemberExperience #Research #Trends #Associations

Feeling so incredibly inspired after a few days with my industry peers has me reflecting on what I won’t back down from. “In a world that will push you around, I’m gonna stand my ground.” I won’t back down from integrity and trust—the foundation of all meaningful relationships. I’ll continue to lead with honesty and transparency because that’s what builds lasting connections. I won’t back down from mentorship and leadership, knowing it’s my responsibility to guide the next generation of leaders and foster conversations around equality, diversity, and continual improvement. I won’t back down from serving and making an impact, especially in the senior care space. Helping others is more than a career—it’s my calling. I won’t back down from family and balance. My personal health and the support of my family allow me to keep pushing forward, even when things get tough. I won’t back down from resilience and adaptability. Life is unpredictable, but I’ve learned that I can control my reactions and use every challenge as a stepping stone for growth. And finally, I won’t back down from excellence and innovation. Whether it’s growing businesses or navigating uncharted waters, I believe in setting high standards and embracing change to drive success. I’m left feeling excited for the future. Did you attend? How are you left feeling? National Association for Home Care & Hospice 👏 #careathome #Leadership #Integrity #Mentorship #SeniorCare #Excellence #Resilience

ENERGY. It’s one of my gifts. It’s what my team at Change Enthusiasm Global enables our Certified Change Enthusiasts ™ around the world to harness as fuel toward growth. It’s something I’ve struggled to maintain recently… The month of June has been a roller coaster of energetic highs and lows: Started with a cold —> Feeling mostly recovered, off to Boston to lose my voice nearly completely after a 3hr facilitated session in partnership with Entrepreneurs' Organization’s Masters Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology —> 1 day and 1 forgotten passport later (big shoutout to my wife, my ride or die, who was on the first plane to Boston to deliver my passport to me so I could make my flight) off to Toronto —> Struggled to deliver an executive session for JLL’s Global CEO Christian Ulbrich and 130 of his top execs around the world —> 1 day later struggled to deliver a keynote to leaders of IPG Mediabrands while still managing to impact and inspire —> Slowly regaining my voice after what seemed like hundreds of hot teas, steam showers, and Canadian lozengers, off to Seattle from Toronto to deliver a keynote to over 2,000 of today’s brightest minds as part of Microsoft’s ASPIRE conference centered on empowering their new hires from around the world —> After so many memorable encounters with these incredible humans, I find renewed hope and excitement for the future —> Back home only to test positive for COVID —> Spent 5 days in recovery —> Celebrated my 43rd birthday finally feeling on the mend —> Back on the road to engage with a client in the retail industry and watch my team light up the stage —> Then today engaged with over 1,000 rock stars of Astellas Pharma feeling vibrant, refreshed, and LIT UP for this work of mine The month hasn’t gone as planned. But it was riddled with opportunity: To NEVER take my voice for granted again To reflect in gratitude knowing the strength and determination that flows through me I’m forever grateful to all my clients for their grace these past few weeks Whew. Am I on vacation yet?!! #ChooseYourBetter #WorthyOpportunity #ChangeManagement

The Often Overlooked Importance of a First Impression. Today marked the beginning of my journey as a Technical Accountant with the Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, it’s given me pause for thought and some things to reflect on. Having been in this field for a while, I’ve walked into many different work environments, but today felt different in a way I wasn’t expecting. Whenever we hear the term "induction" we collectively groan; there's always the cringey ice-breaker exercise (today was no different) but then came the welcome from Karen Dunderdale (the group CEO) which stood out—her words weren’t just routine or scripted, they carried a genuine sense of purpose and a realistic vision which wasn't riddled with flowery language; this is what we want to do and this is how we are going to do it. That mentality resonated with me. It’s not often you walk away from an induction these days feeling inspired, and yet that’s exactly what happened today. Equally, being welcomed by three team members who took the time to sit with me over lunch made the day feel more personal, more human. It’s those small acts of inclusion that remind you how important team culture is in any organisation. I’m looking forward to seeing how this role unfolds and contributing to the work ahead in a place that already feels supportive. #NewChapter #ProfessionalGrowth #TeamCulture #ThoughtfulLeadership #LCHS

Do you think that Inclusion drives innovation and better business results? I do. In my experience, when everyone feels valued, people are more empowered, and teams thrive. If this is a topic you’re interested in, join me at the event below. 👇

As I wrap up the final day at Ascend Las Vegas , I’m taking away more than just knowledge and insights; I’ve gained new friendships! #Community means different things to different people—whether it’s leveraging it for job opportunities, hanging out with friends, or expanding your network. For me, it serves as a reminder that there was someone for me to help me get where I’m ; and it’s my responsibility to #PayItForward - to #mentor the next generation navigating careers in the US, sharing both the opportunities and challenges I’ve faced. There was a lot of emphasis on the term “diveristy” and the importance of overcoming the checklist bias sometimes that can be associated to it. It’s so important to zoom out and focus on it as bringing together people with unique experiences, ideas, perspectives, cultures, and values. This approach helps eliminate potential biases associated to it. However, it all starts with building competence at its core A developing skills and knowledge is essential to fully benefit from diverse communities. This has been my understanding based on my experiences :) would love to get some other perspective from the #LinkedInCommunity Picture below: Ascend NorCal - was a pleasure meeting Katsuhiro Furuyama, SPHR and the team for the very first time! #Community #Diversity #Competence #CareerGrowth #AscendLeadership #AscendCon2024 #WeLeadTogether Ascend Leadership #DEI #MEI

 “New Year, Same Mirror—But a Different Reflection” As we head toward the new year, many of us look in the mirror and think of what we want to change. This year, instead of fixing flaws, let’s focus on building a version of yourself you can celebrate every single day. Confidence isn’t about waiting for the perfect time—it’s about creating it, one small action at a time. Imagine waking up on January 1st, not with a list of resolutions, but with gratitude for the progress you’ve already made. The new year doesn’t have to be about starting over—it can be about celebrating how far you’ve come. 📨 DM me “NEWYEAR” If you’re ready to transform how you see yourself, starting today. Together, we’ll create a plan that helps you step into the new year feeling confident, strong, and unstoppable. #NewYearNewYou #HealthyLivingJourney #EmpoweredWomen

How this Director got invited to the board meeting just 3 months into a new job One of the most effective ways to believe that something is possible for us is to hear a relatable story from someone who has been where we are, overcome the obstacles we're facing, and made it to where we're hoping to go. So today, I'm super honored and excited to share my amazing client Christina's story about how she nailed her first 90 days in a new role: Christina is a Director of Customer Success, and she signed up for my EPP program just as she was about to start her new job. She knew her old way of working (working hard, saying yes, getting things done and hoping people would notice) was holding her back from living up to her full potential, so she wanted to leverage starting a new job to practice a new way of working that would position her as a more senior leader with executive presence. She spent the next three months implementing new tools, habits, and skills while developing an executive mindset to enable this change. I as an executive coach and the other women in the EPP community, I supported her through accountability, feedback, and expertise. Last week, we wrapped up her 90 days in the program, and Christina shared how much more confident and calm she felt in her role. She said she had received glowing feedback from her stakeholders since starting the role and felt excited and confident about her abilities to advance without sacrificing the things that matter. A few days ago, she sent me an update that she had been invited to the board meeting, which is the ultimate validation that she is being perceived as an expert and leader with the potential to deliver more impact. They want to bring her into more senior rooms because they see the value she can provide there. If you’re a female Director about to start a new role (or just did) and want to position herself as a senior leader from the start, I hope you found this inspiring! Starting a new job is an excellent opportunity for reinvention and upleveling, and the first 90 days in a new role are a unique opportunity and critical time to create a platform for success. #careeradvancement #first90days #womeninleadership