Jeff De Cagna

AUTHOR’S ATTESTATION: This article was written entirely by Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, a human author, without using generative AI. In Part I of this series, I explained the fundamental dilemma around the use of technology that association boards must…

With the first third of The Turbulent Twenties behind them, boards and CEOs need to focus on understanding the “polycrisis” and begin setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing, and foresight to navigate the rest of this decade and beyond.…

AUTHOR’S ATTESTATION: This article was written entirely by Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, a human author, without the use of generative AI. In my November 2022 The Duty of Foresight column, “The Six Toughest Decisions Association Boards Must Make,” I…

In Part I of this series, I challenged the association community to examine its orthodox beliefs around board/staff partnership, rethink the deeper meaning of the underlying relationships, and imagine new possibilities for this collaboration to serve…

Association board service demands genuine seriousness of purpose, demonstrable capabilities, and an unwavering commitment to accept the burdens of stewardship, governing, and foresight (SGF) from every director and officer.

Ten days ago, we observed the third anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO). These last 36 months have been a time of great anxiety and sorrow for the world, including association boards and their staff…

As association decision-makers continue to navigate this decade’s next 1,000 days and seek the opportunity for their organizations to thrive, they will need to make a series of six tough decisions to anticipate and adapt to the unforgiving conditions…

Note from Jeff: After taking an unexpectedly long hiatus from The Duty of Foresight column, it is a great pleasure to resume my writing here with a new article to challenge your thinking! My thanks to everyone at Association Adviser for this…

The uncertainty, volatility, and risk that associations have experienced over the past two-plus years make clear that boards must elevate their performance. Here’s how to create a board capable of setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing,…

Last month, I posted the backcasting prompt pictured above to LinkedIn following my late June session at the Virginia Society of Association Executives Annual Conference in Virginia Beach. My sincere thanks to everyone who liked the original post.…

Today is Day 500 of The Turbulent Twenties. To shape the more than 3,100 days remaining in this decade for the better, it is crucial for everyone who cares about the future of associations to reflect on what we have learned so far. Here are three…

In this episode of Deep Dive, we talk to new AMI columnist Jeff De Cagna about how contrarian thinking can help reinvigorate associations with added purpose, why associations have a tendency to think conservatively (small ‘c’), why membership is one…

In preparation for a presentation in February, I posted a short article on LinkedIn in which I shared ten purposeful provocations for association boards in 2021. This is Part II of a two-part series of columns in which I am expanding on the original…

Last month, in preparation for a presentation, I posted a short article on LinkedIn in which I shared ten purposeful provocations for association boards in 2021. In this two-part series of columns, I want to expand on the original article and include…

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 global pandemic. This date is not an anniversary to commemorate, but a key signpost to acknowledge as we strive to navigate an irrevocably-altered…

The COVID-19 pandemic is an inflection point for the entire world and a wake-up call for every association: there will be no going back to the pre-pandemic normal and there will be no business-as-usual going forward. Instead, we are already adapting…

“In 2014, association boards, working in partnership with their CEOs and senior executives, have a ‘duty of foresight’ every bit as critical as their recognized legal duties of care, loyalty, and obedience.”Five years ago, in the July/August 2014…

For boards of directors and their associations, the benefits of embracing diversity and inclusion encompass both high levels of organizational performance and the rewards that come with professional and personal growth.

This is the third in a three-part series exploring the burdens that are (and are not) integral to board high performance. (Please read Part 1 and Part 2.) In this final part of the series, I will examine how today’s association boards continue to…

This is the second in a three-part series I will post in the coming months exploring the burdens that are (and are not) integral to board high performance. (Please read Part 1.) In Part 2, I will explore the essential burdens of board service and…