Radio Free 501c is the audio version of the Rogue Speak message published weekly by Rogue Tulips Consulting.

ASAE has Standards of Conduct for members, and at the August 2022 ASAE Board meeting, the organization even added a new one. These are not aspirational, meaning they are not something you “try to do.” These are the Standards of Conduct we should use and model in our daily lives and so we should use these to the best of our ability. It demonstrates to the world that we are a profession that should be taken seriously because we take ourselves and our work seriously.

Like the saying “there’s an association for everything,” there is also a specially designated day for everyone! I often talk about how December is a month-long holiday including everything from religious observances to solstices to “national” days of all kinds. Most of us don’t get to take an entire month off but it is a month of special days that we can learn about and celebrate.

In the dystopian 1970s film, “Soylent Green,” [spoiler alert] soylent green is a food product that is distributed by the evil corporation that runs the United States. Charlton Heston plays a detective who learns the truth about the food product: It’s made of people! That’s right: The only food product left on a dying planet is people.

In online communities for our nonprofit management profession, I often see our colleagues request samples of other people’s work, from member surveys to HR policies to travel processes. There are many reasons people request “other people’s work” such as seeking varied approaches and data, validating a proposed approach, or showing volunteer leadership that something is a common approach or best practice.

One of the things that bothers me about the Khardashianization of society (whew – try saying THAT 3 times fast) is that it overlooks how many people are part of the success of an individual. While so many are distracted by the celebrity of one person, no one accomplishes anything by themselves.

I’ve had a Twitter account for years, but I don’t use it to get news – or any other social media platform as a news source. If I want to get the news, I check out 3 or 4 news platforms to get the full story. But sadly, there are too many people who think that Twitter is an important news and information source when it really is not. It’s like watching “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central to get the news. It’s probably not your best source.

Today we are about one month away from the start of the December 2022 CAE Exam period, which runs December 1 – 14. If you are taking the exam next month, you have already prepared by joining a study group, working with a study buddy, or taking a course. Heck, you may have done all these things!

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: the obsession with hiring “the young” continues to get in the way of building generationally diverse teams in nonprofit organizations. Dear reader, you may think “obsession” is a bit strong for this topic, but I use it because I believe there are misconceptions about the abilities of “older people” when it comes to technology expertise, keeping up with trends, and being able to “relate to” younger people.

It’s a bit early for Halloween but when the news headlines are filled with horror, it’s a motivator to revisit the stories of this scary season and how they still apply today. The news this week has the scariest headline I’ve seen all year: Boston University researchers develop a deadlier version of the COVID virus by combining two strains. Headlines and stories noted that this combined strain has an 80% mortality rate in mice.

We hear many voices in our lives and the ones that shake our worldview are the ones we tend to dismiss first. If a voice doesn’t fit with the story we have designed for ourselves or our organization, we decide it must be of little or no consequence. If I had a wrong answer buzzer, I would be pressing it now.

We’ve all heard of déjà vu, that feeling of “haven’t I been here before? Heard that before? Done this before?” When it comes to the conversations people have with each other, we tend to talk about the same things over and over. I was reminded of this yesterday when I participated in a networking group discussion that turned to the “world of telework.”

Association management is a vocation; it is a profession; and for an increasing number of people, it is a career choice. It is a craft which requires a complex mix of skills, knowledge, and experience, dexterously combining knowledge of association culture, structure, and politics, with a whole spectrum of professional expertise, ranging from strategy and advocacy to marketing and event management, and everything in between.

The nonprofit profession is supposed to have a higher calling. It’s why many of us chose this profession for our career, and why others move into this profession later in life when they realize they want to do something good for society and the world.

One of the most entertaining films of the 1950s is a Cecil B. DeMille production: “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Starring Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, Jimmy Stewart, and acts from the Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Baily Circus, it is a melodramatic tale of a season in the circus’ life.

Association Chat host and association thought leader, KiKi L’Italien, invited me on her podcast to discuss the CAE designation, my personal journey with the CAE, and what makes the League stand out.

Like the line in the movie “Jaws” says: “Just when you think it’s safe to go back in the water . . .”

The 21st century is a wondrous age unlike any before. We can travel the globe in a matter of hours. We can talk to and see each other in real time using handheld devices. Individuals are realizing and exercising their power to create their own lives. We have embraced the power of choice and we are redefining what success means.

As I write this, I’m heading back from ASAE22 in Nashville, TN. It’s a great town with friendly people. Some of them are a little too friendly (I’m talking about YOU girl twerking on the party bus). Things have changed in Nashville as it grows and continues to add interesting and fun things to do while serving conferences and conventions with increased services.

This year, there is a lot of disappointment (to say the least) for new CAEs because they do not get to walk the stage. I must say I am disappointed too because I know how hard it is to earn the CAE, and I see in our courses and study groups dedicated professionals learning the content and the importance of the CAE. It’s a very emotional time – you work hard for a long time to study and prepare to take the CAE Exam. One of the things that you daydream about is your time to walk across the stage.

Years ago, I realized I was a grown up and had reached a certain level of emotional maturity when I could objectively judge a situation involving a person I do not like. I learned to set aside emotion and evaluate the situation; personal opinions did not apply. It took me years to become a disciplined and objective thinker, and it’s something that we all need to constantly work on and hone.