Issue No. 167

February 2025

How did you ring in the new year? I did it quietly. In fact, no one I spoke to got very wild. What's changed? Economy, age? We all have our reasons, and I am glad I opted for a gentle entry. In the quiet days I did a little clearing, culling, and rearranging as well as a whole lot of thinking. There's more to do (of everything), but it's a start.

I received some great feedback about last month's 10 Reasons I Love Boards. Thank you. I also got many thumbs up for the mixed metaphors, and some new ones! A friend shared her mom's: "I have a beef to pick." I'm still smiling. Check the links for some fun malaphores ("You miss 100% of the candy you don't take from a baby").

After a series of term extensions, I finally received a thank you letter from The Honourable Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education for my service as a public member on the board of an Alberta professional association. I have now served in that capacity on three boards/councils and will do so again, after a break. We all need to monitor the number of boards we are on, right?

In late 2024 I was one of 39 participants in an international research project on developing competency standards and frameworks for governance professionals (entry-level and experienced). The work was done by Dr. Jenny Rees in the UK on behalf of the global Chartered Governance Institute. Dr. Rees divided us into Expert Groups from around the world to do the interviews. It was a rich experience. From there, her work was reviewed by a Stakeholder Panel of 24. One thing common to all participants was the need for the governance professional to recognize and deal with governance failure and governance dilemmas. It is noted that many of the high profile governance failures were "not a failure of the governance framework but a failure to work within it." This rather sounds like me harping on the need for boards to follow and enforce their own rules! As Canada's Chief Examiner for Corporate Governance (international qualifying scheme), and as an exam marker for CGIC Canada and Singapore, I very much look forward to seeing, using, and sharing the new competency frameworks.

The new CFL schedule was released and all the dates are in my calendar. The Turf District Podcast started its new season and I am thrilled to have a regular (beer) segment during episodes before Elks games. Watch for "First Down...This Beer." I continue in my beer studies and even found a new credential to pursue. I had a great trip to Calgary and discovered a new brewery, while an old favourite celebrated 6 years. As we enter February I am very much looking forward to doing a beer tasting and pairing for friends.

What's in store for February? I don't know, but if I shut off the news, I can believe it will all be just fine. I hope it is for you!



/lmwe

WE WANT YOU (AND WE MISS YOU WHEN YOU'RE NOT THERE)

Empty seats at an event can be such a drag. They make you question where everyone else is and why you're where you are. It's a lousy feeling, so I thought it was a good time to share this about the Etiquette of Attendance.

Associations are traditionally challenged to provide final registration numbers to venues 3-7 days in advance of a scheduled event. These days, providing that count is a much bigger problem. Remember when it was bad manners to no-show once you've confirmed? It still is, but now event planners and venues are saying it's epidemic.

Event/meeting hosts expend energy and money to put together something that is worthwhile. Being a no-show impacts budgets, business relationships, and opinions of you (and none of these in a good way). No-shows disrespect that effort and "leave both hosts and guests feeling unfulfilled and undervalued." (Jan Zandboer, Ignite Magazine, Summer 2024). Collecting the registration fee up front solves the budget piece, but not the empty seat piece.

At one event last year the association was hosting a dinner for honoured guests (no registration fee) with a host bar and all the minimum buys that go along with that. Twenty-five confirmed, 13 showed up. We pushed a couple of tables together and made the best of it. Paying that invoice hurt -- we would have cancelled with only 13 and instead it cost thousands of dollars for an awkward and expensive event.

Of course, life happens and when it does, a simple call, text, or email goes a long way to mitigate the impact of an absence. With enough notice, adjustments can often be made. Zandboer concludes, "Attending events as promised is a demonstration of respect, accountability, and consideration for others."

Then there's the reverse problem: you leave it to the last minute to register (perhaps to avoid being one of the no-shows) or worse, you just show up. This is a different sort of problem for the meeting host. No organizer wants to turn away drop-ins, and so exceptions are made at the door.

At a holiday event last year, we had 25 registered. We were dangerously close to cancelling it but instead confirmed catering for 30, optimistically hoping for a few late-additions. At the door 60 showed up! We scrambled, the venue scrambled. Then, when the event evaluations came back we were hammered for not having enough food! Go figure.

Hey, we want you there! It would be an immense help if you followed the registration timelines to make that happen easily. Pretty please? So we'll see you at the next gig (and we won't be surprised because you already registered)!

Some Quotes I Like

# Some Things I Like (by-the-numbers) #

Linda Wood Edwards

P.O. Box 11021, Station Main

Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3K3

Linda@lue42.com

780-918-4200