By Dara Rudick, CAE, MHQ CEO
It was my most dreaded task.
Every association we serve draws on a shared team of MHQ specialists. Every quarter, I had to figure out how to allocate and track that team’s time, so each client received the expertise and attention it needed to thrive.
It sounds simple. It never was. For more than a decade, it was one of the thorniest problems at MHQ, and every quarter it was my problem alone to solve.
So, about a year ago, I enlisted our management team for help. I’ve worked alongside them long enough to trust that they will make decisions aligned with our values, and that they have the clients’ and team’s best interests at heart. I explained what we needed to accomplish, asked them to find a better way, and let them manage it.
It was hard to let go. Under the weight of this quarterly task, it was even harder to see that I could let go.
They solved what I had struggled with for years. The new system they devised and implemented helps ensure that our clients are well served, while giving our team greater clarity about where their time and talents are needed.
Looking back, I was the only one holding the task. The other leaders on our team brought fresh eyes and a closer view of the daily work. They saw options I couldn’t.
I’ve seen this same pattern in boardrooms throughout my 25 years of board work. A treasurer rebuilds the same report by hand every quarter. A chair drafts every agenda alone because she always has. Some of those tasks belong with staff, a committee, or the next generation of leaders, and they stay stuck until someone lets go.
Dread can be a useful signal. When a task drains you every single time, it’s worth asking whether you’re still the right person to carry it.
This month, MHQ earned its AMCI accreditation for the third time.
It’s a rigorous professional standard, and it asks tough questions about how an association management company runs. Earning it again is a reminder that the team and systems around me can hold real weight. I’m still learning to hand them more of it.
That’s what we work to build with the associations we serve: a team that leaders can trust with the hard things.
What task are you dreading this fall, and who is ready to take it off your hands?
About MHQ
Driven by the vision of a thriving, vibrant community, MHQ is a woman-owned, world-class management company that delivers customized services. Founded in 2013, MHQ has provided association management services since its inception, as well as infrastructure to organizations in a range of industries. We serve professional and trade associations, as well as government and public sector entities. For more about MHQ, visit https://www.management-hq.com/.
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