DIRECTOR DIALOGUES | JUANITA MORT | MARCH 2020

What happened to March?

This post is my personal story.  I’m sharing it because I’m sure most of you asking yourself the same question that I find myself asking, what happened to March? Not because I really don’t know, but seriously….

My month started great!  I would be going to Las Vegas for the first time EVER for my IAAP board meeting and CAPStone. I was looking forward to the opportunity to continue the board work – in person, followed by great education and connecting with members. 

 

As an added bonus, I planned to leave the week before and spend some time with one of my best friends, Deb, catching up and sightseeing on a road trip from Phoenix to Las Vegas with stops at the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. If you are thinking Thelma and Louise, you’re not far off.   My trip started out as planned, with a little more caution because of this virus – but it hadn’t hit us – yet. I flew into Phoenix on March 8^th, got a tattoo on the 9^th (my first), met my friends family, visited the Grand Canyon, went on a great short hike at Toadstool Trailhead , visited Bryce and Zion National Parks, visited Lake Powell and the Hoover Dam before heading into Vegas.  Unfortunately, I was also having daily conversations with IAAP leadership on the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and what impact it would have on our events.  

On Thursday morning, while at Hoover Dam, we made the necessary and unfortunate decision to cancel CAPStone and our board meeting.  At that time, we had no idea the way the virus would impact Vegas during the time our conference was scheduled.  We only knew we needed to do what was right for our members/conference attendees, their safety and their piece of mind.   As your chair, I knew without a doubt that this was the right decision for everyone.    

Personally, my life got pretty interesting pretty quick.  With the help of IAAP staff I was able to get my flight changed to depart the next afternoon. Even though we knew we wouldn’t be there long, we continued on to Vegas and booked a room at the Bellagio for the night.  In a whirlwind, we had drinks at the pool, donated to the casino, had dinner with Barrett (Shaw) and watched the fountains at the Bellagio.   The next day before Deb dropped me at the airport and headed back to Arizona, we found Counts Kustoms (one of my hubby’s favorite shows) and took a tour of the show room.  We took a lot of pictures and found a souvenir or two to take home.   We found a Dunkin’ and headed to the airport.   I was thankful to be on the plane home and more than a little nervous about what was coming and the havoc it could potentially cause – I had no idea!

When I got home the month really went crazy.  I spent the Saturday and Sunday on the phone with my leadership team at work planning for the upcoming week and the shift to working remotely and deploying technology to staff and students to support remote teaching/working.  We held our IAAP board meeting via Zoom on Sunday.  That work week is a blur, I was on site all week, helping with planning and training staff on the technologies they’d need to work remote.   Thursday and Friday were very quiet on campus – way to quiet as there was only a very small group of staff onsite.   Friday, March 20^th was the last day I was physically at work.  The world and our work have changed.  I am confident we’ll weather the storm.

I’m still asking myself, what happened to March because most of it is a blur.  I’m sure most of you can relate.    

I look forward to the time we can connect in person.  Until then, be safe, practice social/safe distancing.  Please keep our essential employees in your hearts and thoughts/prayers as they are on the front lines fighting this virus head on. 

DIRECTOR DIALOGUES | ANN DAHLKE | JANUARY 2020

Happy New Year and welcome to 2020! The year is full of all kinds of possibilities for each of us. Typically, January is viewed as a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions to try something new or to embark on a journey of self-improvement. As you consider what new things you will try in 2020, I encourage you to keep the many opportunities IAAP offers for you to grow and learn at the forefront of your mind.

If you’ve not yet earned your Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) designation, maybe this is the year to begin your journey to certification. If you’re already certified, consider adding a specialty by taking the Organizational Management (OM) course or attending CAPstone in March. If those aren’t in your plans this year, you can still commit to earning the required recertification points to keep your designation active by attending our many branch and regional events listed in Eventbrite. Many of the events are virtual, making it easy for you to participate from the comfort of your own office or home, depending upon the time of the sessions you attend.

If improving your leadership skills is in your plan this year, you can apply to become a Branch Director, a Regional Director, or even for a position on the IAAP Board of Directors. IAAP needs strong leaders at every level. There are also many opportunities to serve locally or regionally as a Membership Chair, Social Media Chair, or Communications Chair. If you are interested in learning more about any of these positions, contact your local Branch Director or Regional Director. You can find the full list of current Branch and Regional leaders and their emails here.

There are also many opportunities to serve on various IAAP work groups and committees throughout the year. I encourage you to complete the Willingness to Serve application so when opportunities come up and positions need to be filled, the IAAP Headquarters staff is aware of your areas of interest.

Don’t forget about IAAP’s Academy for Leadership Development. In the Foundations of Leadership course, you’ll discover your personal leadership identity and learn how to shift to a leadership mindset. Frontline Leadership is designed for those who serve in a supervisory role and Enterprise Leadership is designed exclusively for admins fully engaged at the executive level. Details about each of these leadership opportunities can be found here on the IAAP website.

Last of all don’t forget about IAAP’s signature event, Summit, taking place in Orlando, Florida in July. The early bird registration fee for IAAP Summit ends on January 31. Registration numbers for Summit 2020 are already running ahead of pace for this time of the year! Register early to save money and ensure your spot in the host hotel.

Whatever you choose to do, let 2020 be the year you step out of your comfort zone and make the most of your IAAP membership by taking on a more active role.

DIRECTOR DIALOGUES | BARRETT SHAW | JANUARY 2020

Happy New Year! Now that the craziness of the holidays has settled, it’s time to look ahead at what’s in store for 2020. I love this time of year because it is so full of possibilities. There is a sense of new beginnings and a belief that anything can happen. I have spent a great deal of time during the holidays reflecting on all aspects of my life. One of the areas I reflected on was my involvement with IAAP. 2020 marks my 12th year as a member of this association. It has been a humbling journey. I am so grateful every day to be able to give back to this association that has provided so much for me over the last decade. One of the best things about membership in IAAP is the wealth of volunteer opportunities available to each of us. There is something for every interest and level of experience.


Although not everyone is interested in serving on the board of directors, I’m often asked about what I think makes a good board member. I think it comes down to passion, commitment and a willingness to share your knowledge and experience. Like all of you, I am passionate about this association. Having seen the tremendous benefits I have gained, I feel absolutely compelled to give back. When you’re passionate about something, it comes through in everything you do and every choice you make. Working together with others who share that passion sets the stage for great things to happen. Commitment is also important because taking on a volunteer role is an investment – of time, of energy and of knowledge. We all have something unique to bring to this role. Don’t overthink it! Your perspective, your experience and your ideas are wanted and needed. The best thing you can do is trust what you have to offer and be willing to share it with others.


If you’re interested in any of the volunteer leadership positions, feel free to reach out to myself or any board member. We are willing to answer questions and share our experiences with you. This is our association and we’re all committed to keeping it the premiere resource for administrative professionals. In 2020, why not consider stepping into a volunteer role and taking an active part in shaping our future.

IAAP BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE | FALL BOARD MEETING | OCTOBER 2019

 IAAP BoD Fall Board Meeting Outcomes

1.    Completion of Leader Profiles

The board completed the work on the Leader Profiles.   What are the Leader Profiles? ·         Standards needed/desired for leadership within IAAP ·         (include) Leadership guides for those interested in leadership at the branch, region, international working groups, standing committees, board or staff level. Why do we need them? ·         To drive strategic alignment and shared accountability.    ·         They will help members along their career journeys.

2.    Strategic Plan Review/Updates

Goal | Leadership Objective – IAAP will create and leverage a culture of leadership who collectively share the responsibility of advancing our core purpose. Critical (completed in 12 months): Create an association specific leader profile Increase Leadership participation in IAAP’s Regions, Branches and governance. Immediate (in progress in 12 months):  Develop and implement an association leadership succession plan. Goal | Community Objective - IAAP will create a culture of inclusivity that promotes diversity, belonging, and engagement. Critical (completed in 12 months): Create and formalize a global entity for the World Administrator’s work Immediate (in progress in 12 months):  Assess, develop and implement a comprehensive engagement strategy to optimize member value. Establish a diverse and inclusive culture. Increase partnership and collaborative efforts. Intermediate (18-24 months): Establish an Executive Advisory Group Goal | Certification Objective – CAP will become the industry standard for evaluating administrative professional competency. Immediate (in progress in 12 months):  Establish the CAP in progress program Intermediate (18-24 months): Increase the number of certified admins Later:  Establish relationships with large employers to promote CAP as a hiring standard and incorporate CAP into professional development.

3.    Board/Staff Travel

The board and senior HQ staff members are happy to attend your regional events to present an educational session, provide an update and network. If you are interested in inviting someone to your meeting, please use the form provided from HQ.

4.    News/Announcements

New International Task Forces and Working Groups Branch/Region Coordinator Position Review Task Force – will be convened in early 2020 to review these roles and make recommendations for future of roles. Certification Advisory Committee (CAC) - the focus of the CAC shifted to governance and are now focusing on the review of policies and procedures.  Additionally, this committee will be seeking between 55-60 subject matter experts to assist with writing updated CAP exam questions. Partnerships          We are in discussions with several international associations to create partnerships to identify and document strategies to collaborate to move the profession forward together – instead of working against each other, or competing for the same audience.        HQ Staff updates          Danielle Scott has been promoted to the position of EA to Melissa Mahoney and the board liaison