Learn more, straight from the author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeMAqZSnX3g From the Introduction: Chapters are near and dear to my heart. I spent over 15 years as a chapter relations professional and I loved it. I worked in different models with different requirements so I got to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. I also saw a lot of the unnecessary actions that we like to think are guiding and supporting chapter leaders but is activity for the sake of looking like you are doing something. Much of what we “require” chapters to do today wastes their valuable volunteer time. Rather than filling out forms or writing reports, they should be creating valuable experiences locally. Chapter relations professionals should be supporting activity that supports a valuable member experience, not dinging chapters because their quarterly update is late. That is a waste of the Chapter Relations Professional’s time. Instead, the Chapter Relations Professional’s time should focus on relationship management, education of local leaders, and advocating on behalf of chapters to the broader association. Sadly, the focus is on bureaucracy rather than outcomes. I still hear many association professionals who work with chapters complain that they won’t do what they are told or that they can’t control them. You don’t win hearts and minds by beating people over the head, but you do create a negatively tense situation that leads to disruption and lackluster experiences. This is why chapter systems are frustrating instead of fruitful. We become more focused on the system rather than the people the system is meant to serve. Associations are, after all, the relationship industry. And relationships require a certain emotional investment that goes beyond the bureaucracy and feeds the soul of the members. It takes a different type of commitment to be a successful chapter advocate. You must manage multiple relationships, misunderstandings about your role in the organization, and find that balance between requirements and valuable experiences. Many people in our profession don’t understand this element of the chapter network experience – the Chapter Relations Professional brings together the members across regions and acts as their connection to the association’s world of ideas. My motivation to write this book is to bring my experiences and perspectives to those professionals managing chapter networks, especially those who are new to this position. I learned a great deal over the years about service, relationship management, and the role of chapters. There are not many books on this topic, and while there are many webinars and templates available from multiple sources, what I see missing is the heart – that certain “je ne sais quoi” as the French say. “That certain something” that is hard to define and is the difference between success and failure. Contrary to some opinions, chapters are not a drain; they are an asset. To be successful at chapter relations, we need to have a basic understanding of how they work and why we have them. This book includes practical aspects of management, useful tips on relationship management, and helpful explanations for things the chapter relations professional doesn’t think about every day, in addition to challenging the conventional wisdom with different thinking and suggestions. My goal is that this book will inspire you to look at things with a fresh perspective, to understand how most chapter networks run, to realize the importance of strong relationships, and to ultimately become a change agent in the profession.