Clint Skutchan, recovering association CEO, consultant, and podcast show host, digs deep into the struggles of association life, including having to deal with people who seem to just be “riding it out.” Whether it be unmotivated volunteer leaders or members that fear change and use their power for the not-so-good, Clint seems to have dealt with it all. Tune in to hear what it takes to create real change and shift the minds of the people who have the power to make it. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting The Leigh Brown Experience. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:15 – Clint’s background 01:20 – He was an association CEO for 10 years, spent 10 years in talk radio, and he now consults 01:45 – He combines his association and media skills to nationally consult and speak 02:11 – Why should people be interested in association life? 02:19 – If you aren’t paying attention, others can take advantage of leadership roles and relationships 02:52 – Local, state, and national associations leadership tips; a woman called Leigh to ask for advice on her incoming local presidential role 03:50 – Leadership is all about what you can do for the association and its members; it is about serving and understanding your role and process 04:45 – Leigh asked the woman how the CEO/association executive is, because that’ll give insight into what advice to give 05:22 – Leigh asked why the woman labeled the person as “bad to medium;” they don’t communicate, value the members, or have a clear and positive view of the future 05:58 – What would Clint tell an incoming leader who’s dealing with a staff person who isn’t energetic or shoulder-to-shoulder with their volunteer leaders? 06:07 – Asking the question: “Why are you here?” 06:20 – What is their motivation? Are they just riding it out? 06:45 – Figure out how to manage that or how to move away from that kind of executive 07:00 – If you are an executive that has lost your motivation, you should change personnel or change your perspective 07:21 – “My Year:” One person’s legacy that may not encompass the whole 07:52 – Ask the staff what they need; sometimes it’s the volunteer’s problem 08:09 – Some volunteers are used to running their own business; an association is very different because it is a collective experience 08:43 – There isn’t any real formal training in most cases for association leadership 09:02 – When you rise to leadership you are no longer just focusing on one thing; you must oversee it all and the whole team 09:20 – Are volunteer leaders provided the correct education to succeed and understand what they’ve said “yes” to, since the role is entirely different than their day-to-day life? Does Clint think that realtors are responding to threats in a personal way because they must move fast in their business life and associations typically move slowly? Have associations failed to respond because they don’t educate their volunteer leaders correctly? 10:18 – The good organizations are doing it right; there is a big difference between those and the ones just finding their way through 10:33 – The ones geared towards flexibility and change work in a change-based world; the ones stuck on status quo get stuck 11:02 – How can volunteer leaders push their associations to have a mindset that embraces change rather than resists it? 11:28 – It comes down to the association’s culture which consists of strategic focus, repeatable processes, consistent outcomes, and mutual passion 12:15 – With those things, you’ll identify the self as an entity; it starts with a good staff and good leadership 12:47 – If you have a forward-thinking leader in an association but the volunteer leaders fear change, resist listening, and eliminate staff, how do you get past that? 14:00 – When you are an executive you hire and fire volunteers that make decisions based on whims, are too comfortable, don’t want to follow proce