Inside ASI-AP

Okay, I'll admit it, I am not an expert. But I have to set the record straight, as I have participated in enough interviews from both sides to know that many interviewers/interviewees are spending too much time googling "interview questions"... Brian Birch

I can't believe Great Ideas is over already! But even though the physical conference is over, there's still a ton of good stuff to read on Twitter and elsewhere. There was a veritable flood of tweets yesterday during Dan Pink's... Lisa Junker

Allyson Kapin       Jocelyn HarmonYes, the iPad is small, lightweight and slim. But can you swim with it?

You remember the flap over the iPad, right? Most women certainly do. It's a clear reminder that technology is a man's world.

Of course, it shouldn't be, especially in the nonprofit sector. Our workplaces should reflect the values we're working for -- because it's the right thing to do. It's also the sensible thing to do. Diversity in your teams will ensure you're not alienating the very people you're trying to include.

What's the right way to approach diversity in our tech teams? Lucky for us, Allyson Kapin and Jocelyn Harmon put together a great session for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference: "Diversifying Your Tech and Online Communications Teams". I had a great chat with them where we covered everything from "the masses" to "quotas."

Take a listen:

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Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions.

Speaker: Gregory Heller, CivicActions

Session: Working with Open Source Software and Vendors

1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010?

Free and Open Source Software. Whether it is on the desktop like Firefox and Open Office or the Ubuntu Linux operating system, or on servers (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) and running CMSs and CRMs (like Drupal and CiviCRM). I think that many nonprofit organizations are looking at these open source tools as they have really matured and been adopted by government and big companies including many fortune 500s. The late 2009 release of the Open Government Directive is really exciting and I'd like to see an analog in the nonprofit community -- an Open Nonprofit Directive if you will, to encourage transparency, participation and collaboration. Of course Twitter and social media in general will continue to be big, and we may see advanced collaboration tools like Google's Wave gain adoption in 2010 as people figure out how to use it.

2. Why do you think your session topic is important for nonprofits to address?

We're in a deep recession. Nonprofit funding is not what it may have been 2 or 3 years ago. When you don't have to pay for proprietary software licenses, or work with only a small group of vendors providing proprietary tools, I think there are great values to be found. Last year's Keynote speaker Eben Moglin talked about the morality of free and open source software and what he really identified as a moral imperative for nonprofit organizations to spend their limited resources advancing FOSS rather than boosting profits at proprietary software companies. My session, "Working With Open Source Software and Vendors", will give non profit decisions makers an idea of how to identify and work with open source vendors and tools and provide an opportunity for them to ask questions of vendors, software project developers and people like them who have gone down this road already.

3. What's the one thing you want attendees to remember from your session?

Free and Open Source Software is mature, robust and enterprise ready. Choosing the right vendor for your organization is important as your vendor will, in a big way, define your experience of the tools. That's two things, and they should remember them both!

4. Which Muppet do you most identify with and why?

Gonzo. Gonzo is an entertainer, a showman, and a daredevil. I like to take the stage, show off new and exciting technologies, and every once in a while, get fired out of a cannon. Gonzo was also a traveling plumber, and that is something I can identify with. Over the last four years or so, I've traveled to work with many clients helping them unclog the the internet strategy "tubes" and get things flowing.

5. Where can people follow you online (twitter, blog, etc.)?

• Blog: http://www.CivicActions.com/blog
• Twitter: @gregoryheller
• Delicious: http://delicious.com/GregoryHeller

A phrase we've all definitely heard before, but it came up in two of my sessions today, and something that I think will continue to be top of mind as associations think more and more about how to manage their... Samantha Whitehorne

I had the chance to interview Dan Pink about a little more than a month ago to talk about his new book and a few other things. He gave me so much great stuff, but unfortunately all of it couldn't... Samantha Whitehorne

During the "How Emotionally Intelligent is Your Association" session this afternoon, Sally Baker from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) explained her organization's journey to improving their emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the degree to which you understand your... Summer Faust

In today's closing general session, Dan Pink told us to take back the performance review. He says that the once-yearly review with your boss just isn't enough to improve your performance, and I have to agree. Especially when you're new... Summer Faust

Attending Great Ideas virtually? The Socialfish blog has arranged a chat today at 1:15 ET so those who can't be at Great Ideas in person can share what they're learning. Lynn Morton shares her notes from Guy Kawasaki's and Dan... Lisa Junker

Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions.

Speaker: Sarah DiJulio, M+R Strategic Services

Session: Superheroes of Online Fundraising: Become a Data-Driven Strategist

1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010?

I think the most important trend this year is multi-channel convergence: using mobile, email, web, broadcast, print, twitter, etc. to maximize your impact. Email alone isn't as effective as it used to be, and given the media clutter these days, the only way to stand out is to get your message out via multiple channels, so that your constituents are hearing from you from all angles. Some initial testing of mobile text has shown that, while direct response is relatively low (unless you are the Red Cross!), complementary text messages can significantly improve email response rates. While it's harder to conduct a scientific A/B test, the same appears to be true for channels like Facebook and Twitter.

2. Why do you think your session topic is important for nonprofits to address?

My session topic -- Becoming a Data-Driven Superhero -- provides insight into one of the most cost-effective ways to grow your online program. What if you could increase your response rates by 20%? Or your average gift by $15? Or convert twice as many web site visitors to subscriber? All without a significant new marketing initiative? Using data and testing to optimize your program is an essential strategy that all nonprofits should have in their toolkit!

3. What's the one thing you want attendees to remember from your session?

Test! Analyze! Test some more!

4. Which Muppet do you most identify with and why?

Kermit the frog.

5. Where can people follow you online (twitter, blog, etc.)?

• Website: www.mrss.com, www.e-benchmarksstudy.com
• Twitter: @dijulio

The daily photo roundup...... Scott Briscoe

Keeping up with the #ideas10 tweets yesterday was a fun challenge! But picking just one Tweet of the Day was even more challenging. Here are three that really stood out for me: "Tweet I should really put into practice" award:... Lisa Junker

More than you may think, according to the facilitators and participants in today's "Leadership Through Golf" program. Here are a few leadership lessons the participants took from the game. [Editor's note: Two golf-related factoids I learned today were that it... Samantha Whitehorne

In today's session "Memory Power for Executives," presenter Scott Bornstein led the audience in some exercises to improve their ability to remember names and important details. For the rest of Great Ideas 2010, take a few of Bornstein's tips with... Summer Faust

"Maybe we should start a book club." Have you found yourself saying this, or hearing it? Just recently I heard these words in a meeting, met with a positive response by all in the room. Today in the session "Using... Summer Faust

What does cooking have to do with running an association? As it turns out, quite a lot. In today's session "Cookin' Up Leadership," Rhea Blanken gathered a mixed group of association professionals, from CEOs to entry-level to mid management,... Summer Faust

In this morning's session "It's All in the Mix: Determining the Right Communications Lineup," presenter Monica Joda Baruth from the American Water Works Association said something that really stuck for me (and that may be because it's my day job):... Samantha Whitehorne

...that could perhaps turn into Great Ideas--heard in Idea Labs this morning: Establish a rewards program that offers rewards (meaningful rewards) to members for being highly engaged with your organization. Foundation fundraising idea -- Have a consultant, staff person, other... Scott Briscoe

Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions.

Speaker: Jenn Sramek, CivicActions

Session: Are you for real?! Working with a virtual team

1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010?

Openness and FOSS (free and open source software) are really perfect fits for nonprofits who share the values of collaboration, community, empowerment, and sharing. We are seeing significant numbers of nonprofits gravitate to open source tools such as CiviCRM and Drupal as more attention is paid to usability and support for the non-technical user.

2. Why do you think your session topic is important for nonprofits to address?

Working with virtual teams is an important topic for nonprofits to address because more and more, they are working with staff members or contractors who do not share an office with them. The field of virtual work and virtual workforce management is growing, and increasingly, program directors and organizational directors are finding themselves in the position of having to use more technical tools to keep a far-flung team in close communication. Working with people from afar is not the same as being in-person, so developing practices that are effective in team management is a must.

3. What's the one thing you want attendees to remember from your session?

That virtual work could save the planet! And contributes to productive, healthy, and balanced work lives when it is managed properly.

4. Which Muppet do you most identify with and why?

Oh, that would have to be Scooter. He was the blond muppet who played stage manager and stayed behind the curtain and helped herd people on stage while also helping Miss Piggy and Kermit work out their latest relationship crisis. He did all of this while also having Gonzo around his neck and Animal swinging on a chain from the ceiling trying to bite him. I have been known to provide a lot of invisible support under some interesting conditions so that the show goes on. Because it must!

5. Where can people follow you online (twitter, blog, etc.)?

CivicActions blog: http://civicactions.com/blog/jennsramek

• CivicActions blog: http://civicactions.com/blog/jennsramek
• Twitter: @ideaseed
• LinkedIn

As a manager, own the communication you have with your staff. This was my main takeaway from Thrival System's Paul O. Radde session, "Build a Resilient Team at Your Organization," at the Great Ideas Conference. The story he told... Scott Briscoe