Tuesday-Thursday, July 16-18
Minneapolis, Minn.
Crowne Plaza Hotel & Suites
Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport
Which Chapters are Represented?
Travel Reimbursements Available
That's right! This summer GEAPS is heading out on the highway in pursuit of a higher functioning chapter network. GEAPS members and leaders, are you looking for personal and professional development adventure? You'll find it in Bloomington, Minn. That's where the 2013 GEAPS Leadership Conference sets its stage, and, you guessed it, this year it's all about chapters—or more specifically, how to ensure chapters achieve their full potential as a knowledge resource for GEAPS members.
Chapters are the lifeblood of our organization and oftentimes are the first (and sometimes the only!) way members experience GEAPS. It is through the work of our chapters that GEAPS has the greatest potential for member recruitment and retention and, arguably, chapters are GEAPS' greatest opportunity for reinforcing the GEAPS brand.
Wait...GEAPS has a brand? Like, say...Harley Davidson has a brand?
Just like Harley Davidson enjoys today a global reputation for great motorcycles, GEAPS is proud of its brand as an association that provides high quality professional development, continuing education and valuable networking opportunities across all sectors of the global grain handling industry. Harley fanatics also have a strong brand loyalty—commitment and dedication to and pride in the brand (Once you drive a Harley, you always drive a Harley, right?). It is possible that GEAPS can have a similar loyalty with its members—that a quality experience with GEAPS creates the desire for more quality experiences, more top notch education, more... GEAPS.
Chapters play an important role in contributing to the relevance and value of the GEAPS brand or conversely, detracting from the brand when a chapter doesn't perform well. GEAPS want to make sure each chapter is uniquely positioned and fully capable to represent the relevance and value of GEAPS at the local level. To do this, GEAPS is reevaluating our definition of a "high functioning chapter" to ensure the GEAPS brand is being upheld wherever the GEAPS name is used. At the same time, GEAPS needs to reassess what the "minimum" chapter performance should be to make certain the GEAPS brand is upheld across the network and at every chapter meeting.
Grab your bike, your leather jacket, your dew rag, and your ideas on how GEAPS can raise the bar for chapter performance and guarantee a consistent, quality experience—at any chapter. The 2013 GEAPS Leadership Conference aims to find solutions to these challenging issues and GEAPS needs your help to get it done.
The GEAPS Leadership Conference isn't just for current GEAPS leaders—it's for all GEAPS members! Chapter leaders, you've got a huge stake in the conversation about the future of chapters and you've got insights. Bring them! And if you've ever attended even one chapter meeting, you've got a stake in this too. What is it that chapters need to do more of to keep you coming back for more? What is it that would really impress you? This is your forum to share it.
That's ok. The Leadership Conference features a leadership training workshop that will teach you how to lead and how to build effective teams that lead—skills that can be used at work, at home or in a GEAPS volunteer position. GEAPS wants to give you a personal and professional takeaway from your attendance this summer—tangible skills beneficial to both members and their employers
July 16 morning: Leadership Workshop
If you can lead in a volunteer environment—inspire people who aren't motivated by a paycheck and are likely giving up personal time to do so—think of how you could lead and motivate in a professional work environment. Are you leading at your personal best? This half-day workshop will teach you the skills you need to make you an effective leader.
July 16 afternoon: Get your chapter runnin'
Following the Workshop is a Forum where we'll explore the relevance and value of our chapter network as a component of the GEAPS brand and a driving force behind GEAPS becoming THE knowledge resource for the world of grain industry operations. Bring your "Born to be Wild" attitude and we'll work to define optimal chapter performance. We'll also take a closer look at our minimum chapter requirements—should those minimum requirements be higher?
July 17 morning: Get your chapter runnin' (continued)
This portion of the Leadership Conference asks "how do we do it?" Participants will brainstorm tangible, doable and achievable ways to elevate chapter performance and strengthen the GEAPS brand.
July 17 afternoon and July 18 morning: International Board of Directors Meeting
Think the GEAPS strategy session ends with the Leadership Forum? Think again. This Board meeting launches the new fiscal year by defining goals and objectives as well as resource allocations for GEAPS' 2013-14 work plan. This meeting will also advance three other strategic initiatives: improving the GEAPS Expo as a knowledge resource; enhancing the value of membership through increased member engagement; and enhancing GEAPS professional development programs by integrating them at the Intl and chapter levels.
So head out on the highway—whichever one it is that will bring you to Bloomington, Minn—and together we'll work to get your chapter runnin'.
Bud Crouch is a Principal Partner with Tecker Consultants, LLC, and has worked with hundreds of national and international groups. He focuses on providing customized management consulting services to not-for-profit, corporate, charitable and public organizations. Bud has a twenty year track record of successfully helping organizations to identify issues of strategic importance and assisting them to confidently prepare for the future.
Drawing from substantial experience with a variety of organizations including GEAPS, Bud has utilized the most successful approaches to assist clients in solving their challenges by developing successful strategies that achieve their desired outcome, change their culture and increase their success.