This is the final post in a series exploring 10 critical skills that association leaders need to possess or develop in the next 10 years. Read about the first post and second post for six more skills you’ll need to have. These are taken from a recent report, “Future Work Skills 2020,” produced by the Institute for the Future and the University of Phoenix Research Institute.

Association leaders are faced with a continually changing environment and rapid changes in the workplace. As the next decade unfolds, there are a number of critical skills that need conscious attention and development. This is the last in a series of posts on leadership skills every staff member and volunteer should begin to develop.

Transdisciplinarity: Literacy in and ability to understand concepts across multiple disciplines.

Associations have a deep competency in understanding their members’ industries and professions, and many have direct experience with challenges related to specialization. Many new associations have been born out of a desire on the part of a specialized group to find their own identity in a new collaborative setting. However, increased specialization also makes it less likely that any one association can deal with complex problems on its own. Developing a keen sense of when and how to bring disparate groups together to solve problems is a key competency association leaders must develop.

Design mindset: Ability to represent and develop tasks and work processes for desired outcomes.

As associations become less about “producing things” and more about “leveraging ideas,” staff and volunteer leaders will need to look at all of their internal processes with a critical eye. If an increase in creativity is desired, shoving employees into cubicles will not help. If an increase in technological competency is desired, appropriate investment is required. Everything from the physical environment to work processes and tools will need to be elegant and well-designed to achieve optimal outcomes.

Cognitive load management: Ability to discriminate and filter information for importance and to understand how to maximize cognitive functioning using a variety of tools and techniques.

Many association executives have been complaining for some time about the feeling of “overload.” Unfortunately, the rate of information expansion is only accelerating this situation. Association leaders will need to develop competency in dealing with a “permanent” situation of overload, not just short-term strategies meant to help cope at the moment or to “get us through until vacation.”

Virtual collaboration: Ability to work productively, drive engagement and demonstrate presence as a member of a virtual team.

The increase and rapid proliferation of “work anywhere” technology is making the debate about whether a person should come in at 8:00 or 8:30 anachronistic at best. Association leaders are in a great position to capitalize on these technologies both with office staff and with volunteer leaders. Using virtual workspaces to encourage cooperation and increased social cohesion with chapters and various volunteer components will only serve to increase the association’s relevance.

Related Posts:

• Spotlight on Association Leadership: 3 invaluable skills to learn by 2020
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: Critical skills you’ll need to prepare for 2020
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: What does the perfect leader look like?

One of the keys to getting ahead is to create a positive perception of yourself in the eyes of your superiors, your peers and everyone else with whom you come into contact at work. This means making sure people know your strengths and skills so they view you as an important asset to the company. However, you can’t influence the way others see you if your own vision is skewed.

For example, a client once told me, “I’ve met people who think that because they can design a deck to their house, they’re capable of leading a design team to build a 15,000-square-foot addition to a shopping mall.”

Having confidence in yourself and your abilities is essential to getting ahead. It helps to establish trust, respect and confidence from others. But first, you must be realistic and honest with yourself.

Before you try to convince others of your awesomeness, take some time to evaluate your skills and determine whether you truly are ready to move up to the next level in your career. Asking yourself the following questions is a good way to start.

1. What is the next step in my career path?
You must know where you are going if you ever expect to get there. What is your next career goal? Decide what job title fits the position you’d like to advance to next.

2. What qualifications do I need?
It’s time to do a little research. Go to a popular job-search website and search for openings. What type of education is typically required for this position? Do you need to go back to school for another degree or take some continuing education courses? Are there certifications required that you do not possess? Take steps to obtain the training you need to be qualified for the position.

3. Do I have enough experience?
Sometimes, you need two or three years of experience in one position before you can advance to the next level. But while you are waiting, you can improve the way you are perceived in the organization so you are already positioned to get the job when the time is right.

4. Am I performing at the next level?
Ask your boss for opportunities to work on projects that will stretch your abilities and help you grow. Demonstrate that you are ready to take on more responsibility by taking the initiative without being asked.

Once you have a realistic picture of your strengths and skills, you will be able to determine whether others in your organization view them accurately. If you have the skills you need to move up to the next step in your career and others don’t realize it, then you need to work on the way you are perceived. But if you don’t have the right skills and qualifications, be sure to work on that first.

Related Posts:

• 5 keys to advancing your career during difficult economic times
• 6 ways to create a credit-sharing company culture
• This week’s most clicked

The business community is due for a change in the way it values families and work-life balance, Koehn says. She addresses this in three parts.

• Large companies are struggling to retain top talent, half of whom or more are women, Koehn said. Improvement is needed in enabling a woman to maintain her career and have a life outside of work — including having and raising a child — that goes beyond “a kind of toggle switch” in which a woman leaves and then “tries to get back in.”
• Corporations need to have open discussions about work-life balance, including what it means to have a family. It’s not enough to discuss “work-life balance” or “work-family,” Koehn said. What is needed is “a more nuanced dialogue that’s in keeping with the … difficulty and messiness of trying to work well and live well as a family member, a parent and a citizen,” she said.
• Businesses don’t foster values that include men and women as units of a family, particularly among large corporations, Koehn said. Few include family as a core part of their mission or values, and “yet everyone has a family, and everyone is very much affected in terms of the possibilities and their paths by what that family is and what it becomes.”

Big Think is a forum in which top experts explore big ideas and core skills defining the 21st century. Learn more from its editors, fellows and guest speakers.

• Achieving Sustainable Development for the Global Economy
• Who’s More Creative? Introverts or Extroverts?
• Prime Innovation Years? Middle Age, Not Youth.

Related Posts:

• How good of an example of living a balanced life are you for your team?
• VIP Corner: Brian Henson on the reason mistakes can be good for business
• VIP Corner: Marc Cenedella on the difference between leaders and managers

Last week, we asked: How good of an example of living a balanced life are you for your team?

• I’m a perfect example. My life is very much in balance: 13.61%
• I’m a good example. I’m mostly in balance but sometimes work too hard: 37.58%
• I’m a fair example. Sometimes I’m in balance but not as often as I’d like: 29.48%
• I’m a weak example. I’m out of balance most of the time: 12.53%
• I’m a terrible example. I’m never in balance and work consumes me: 6.80%

Half in balance. Living a balanced life is important both for you and for your team. For you, managing stress and balance in a fast-paced global economy is tough, but if you don’t, you’ll burn out and be worthless. More importantly, your team takes their cues from you on how hard they should be working. It’s hard for them to reconcile you telling them to leave by 6 p.m. when they’re still getting e-mails from you at midnight. Sometimes you have to set a pointed example of what balance is because you might find, as I did in this particular scenario, taking time out for yourself sends a strong signal to your team as well.

Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS and author of “One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership.”

Related Posts:

• How well do leaders in your organization compromise with each other to achieve the best result?
• As a leader, how much of a project’s success or failure can you influence?
• Have you resolved to lead differently in 2012?

To get on the inside track to unadvertised jobs, executives should focus their networking to develop relationships purposefully before they need a new job. One of the best strategies for career success is to network purposefully on a continuous basis in order to be known, liked and trusted by those who have direct hiring authority and can open doors to new career opportunities.

Networking, which is the exchange of information among contacts, produces the best job search results. About 80% of jobs never are advertised. The new hire hears about a position through connections and may not officially apply until the recruiting process is underway. Being one of the first candidates is usually an advantage.

Because networking accelerates access to early leads, it is a better (more effective) job searching method than answering classifieds, contacting recruiters, submitting applications, posting resumes, using online job boards, etc. In society, we trust friends and are wary of strangers. Those who come recommended have a competitive edge over unknown individuals with similar credentials.

By definition, networking is a supportive system (not a single, one-way transaction expecting help) of sharing information and services among individuals having a common interest. Not all networking is equally valuable. The key differentiation is “common interest.” For example, when seeking advice about vacation plans, you ask someone with relevant knowledge and personal experience, not just anyone. Confidence in an advice-giver varies with their authority and knowledge.

Similarly, job search networking is more productive when the networking contact either has hiring power or can make introductions to the appropriate authorities. If a candidate and the hiring decision maker both know and trust a mutual contact, then there is a connection.

Networking with purpose increases job search-related networking efficiency and effectiveness and produces better results faster. Job searchers who network purposefully select contacts who can hire them or help them access desirable leads through more connections. The most sophisticated networkers focus their networking activities to achieve a specific purpose. Their job search campaigns are swifter and smoother because they target their networking to get in front of decision makers and make a positive impression.

Many job seekers do not know where or how to start networking purposefully, especially if they don’t already have appropriate connections or if their contacts are not helpful. A job search may start with existing connections, and then use these contacts to source job leads. Or a campaign may start by first identifying the target employers and then networking purposefully into these organizations.

The right connections are individuals who have the authority to hire or people who can make introductions to these decision makers.

The most productive contacts are employees, former employees and retirees of target companies and individuals who are trusted and have internal connections and can get the hiring authority’s attention. Vendors, suppliers, partners, consultants, bankers, auditors, customers, investors, advertisers, marketing and PR agencies, authors, board members, neighbors of employees, employees at competitors are good networking contacts.

You must have appropriate contacts to be on hiring decsion makers’ radar or be recommended for suitable career opportunities that fit your needs and the employer’s requirements. It is not just what you know or who you know, but who knows you, remembers you, likes you and has the authority to hire you.

By keeping in touch, you build trust, know when to offer help before you are asked, will stay top of mind and maintain vital relationships. You may never have to look for a new job again because your advice will be requested by your network. You can also volunteer for attractive new career opportunities before a position is officially available. You are more likely to be in the right place at the right time if you are always on the radar of hiring authorities.

Networking is not just for job searching; it’s an invaluable and irreplaceable career strategy that ensures smoother transitions and access to new challenges along with the competitive advantage conferred by a personal recommendation.

In fact, your network of contacts is like “career insurance” because contacts will mentor you, recommend you, recruit you, refer you, guide you, support you and keep you up to date on industry trends and informed about opportunities among their connections. Your connections know you and are aware of your capabilities and career goals. Among the best timing to volunteer assistance is when companies restructure, change, grow, merge or move in new directions that are apt to require more or different staff resources that are not officially announced. Here is a pipeline into the hidden or unadvertised job market.

Here is how to start to network purposefully to develop inside contacts who will not only connect you with your next job, but who also will become a database for future referrals, recommendations and leads — even when you have not declared that you are actively ready and looking for a new position.

• Develop a short list of target employers. Discuss selections with people familiar with the industry, employer, and you. Factor this advice into your research findings. Refine the list by learning more about each company and comparing these facts to selection criteria. This is a critical step — success hinges on targeting the right employers that match your requirements and where you can also meet their needs. Research the companies to identify challenges that you can address. Select companies where you can make a positive contribution and where your potential contribution can be appreciated because you have relevant background, skills, knowledge that is obvious to the employer. (If switching fields or changing roles, show how your past achievements make you qualified for the position you want next.) Ascertain the corporate culture and determine if you fit.
• Determine the individual with hiring authority (or one level above this person) for the role you want. Some of your contacts may be able to guide you in the right direction. Reference librarians can access databases with some of this information. Monitoring blogs, industry publications, annual reports, press releases and other announcements, checking professional association memberships, alumni listings, etc. are good sources.
• Research and learn about the company and industry. Focus on current trends, local and global challenges, key players, etc., so that you are familiar with the landscape and can talk knowledgeably about this sector.
• Prepare a customized presentation/resume. Document your unique ability to solve company challenges and demonstrate your contribution to increased profits, reduced costs or improved process.
• Contact a company insider. Offer to help them first before asking them to assist you or mentioning your interest in finding a new job.
• Send a thank you note and follow up as suggested. Organizations change and needs for new talent are unpredictable. Stay on the employer’s radar by periodically sharing ideas and arranging shared experiences.
• Be patient. Be persistent. Be active. Be visible and credible: read, discuss, study, research, comment on blogs, write to editors, go to meetings, make presentations, volunteer at events, etc.
• Continue to promote your strengths and maintain networking activities after you start a new job. Connections are long term “career insurance.”

Networking purposefully always works. It is reliable and produces results. Remember the bonus: In addition to identifying your next position in the hidden job market, if you network purposefully you also create lifetime career insurance. Connections keep you on the inside track. You will be among the first made aware of potential openings. Future transitions will be easier because of your existing connections.

Eighty percent of positions are unadvertised; this is the hidden job market. Having and maintaining the right network is a competitive advantage providing early access to unadvertised opportunities.

Related Posts:

• VIP Corner: Linda Hill on why your network matters as a leader
• Q&A with Devora Zack: The networking perks of being an introvert
• 10 ways social media can help “flip” your network

Larry Graham, president of the National Confectioners Association since 1992, provides leadership for members, including U.S. and international confectionery manufacturers and suppliers, to meet complex challenges and problems that have confronted the industry. Graham founded the World Cocoa Foundation, a nonprofit farmer-outreach organization, in 2000. Before joining the candy industry, Graham served in executive posts at the Uniform and Textile Services Association, the National Food Processors Association and the American Hotel and Motel Association.

What is your leadership philosophy?

Leadership in a nonprofit has to be different from if I were an entrepreneur or even a CEO of a small business, although I realize there are some skills that apply to both. The first and, to me, the most important thing is that I have to be an example. If employees realize that I take the job seriously, that this is not some career stopover for me, that I am dedicated to and part of the industry we represent, that I am passionate about our successes, that I don’t ask them to do anything I don’t do myself, then this sets the tone. I once worked for a guy who ran down the hall and high-fived anybody he ran into when we got a new member. That’s great because it was sincere and it was infectious. I work as many hours as anyone, if not more. Other than salary and one or two perks, I try to spread the wealth and as many perks as possible. If I have a nice office and get parking, so should everyone (as much as possible). Employees need to see a sense of fairness and proportion.

When was the first time you were someone’s boss?

At a summer camp, I was in charge of 50 6-year-old boys and had four assistants, but I won’t count that. In Vietnam, during the war, I worked in a refugee camp, and I was partly in charge of distributing money, rice, etc. But in terms of an actual office job, I went from being a lawyer representing the hotel industry in Washington to becoming, almost overnight, executive vice president of the National Food Processors Association and having 40 or 50 people reporting to me. It was a little tough at first, but using the above philosophy and working closely with the president, it worked out.

How do you decide whether someone is right for your team?

By the time we narrow down the list of people to interview, their backgrounds and qualifications are pretty similar, so I look for personality, creativity, some sign of risk taking or adventure in their backgrounds (harder for kids to do this today). I ask about family and hobbies and interests. All of these things are usually a good road map for how they will approach their job. I try to read between the lines about how they approached their previous jobs. For me, it’s more intuitive than scientific (I know some companies have personality tests), and you get better at it over time.

What is the biggest challenge your industry is facing this year?

The confectionery industry has many challenges. The U.S. congressionally mandated Sugar Program really hurts our industry, and changing that is a major uphill battle, but we’re giving it our all. Also, how candy and chocolate and snacks in general fit into a good diet is a long-term issue. Consumers receive an enormous amount of nutrition information, and we want to be sure that good science rules the day. There is a place for a little sweetness in one’s diet, and it is NCA’s role to be sure that consumers, nutritionists and opinion leaders have accurate information.

What is the biggest challenge your association is facing?

Providing value to all 700 members is always a challenge. We have big companies and small companies, we have suppliers, brokers and international members, and keeping focused on the big things facing us while not ignoring some specific needs of some of our specific member categories is a full-time job. Also, like most associations, sometimes, as a staff, we’re ahead of our members and sometimes we’re behind, so hitting that partnership sweet spot is always hard work. Our membership is growing, our trade show is growing, political involvement by our members is growing, so that is all good.

Looking outside Washington, whose work do you admire most?

While we have some excellent large players in our industry, I have lately visited many small candy companies, and I admire those CEOs and their staffs for how hard they work every day. They are dealing with retailers, volatile commodity prices, training and maintaining their workforce, fierce competition and more. They need to constantly innovate and creatively market and be ahead of trends and changing tastes. While there is fun and pride in being a candy manufacturer, it’s not an easy job to keep the company going from generation to generation, as many have done.

If a recent college grad came to you and said they one day wanted your job, what advice would you give the person?

First of all, you have to like candy, chocolate and gum! Few people have a straight line to a specific job, so I would advise to have an advanced degree (you learn a little, and it impresses those who do the hiring) but, more importantly, get some good work experience — and don’t stay too long in the first jobs you have (harder to do today). Oscar Wilde said that experience is the sum total of all of the mistakes you have made, so the more experience you have, the better you should be. Every job should be treated seriously, and nothing should ever be beneath you.

Related Posts:

• Spotlight on Association Leadership: American Beverage Association’s CEO
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: 4 critical skills to develop before 2020
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: 3 invaluable skills to learn by 2020

It’s all in this week’s top five most-clicked links in SmartBrief on Leadership:

• Are you being a good manager or just a pain?
• Build a team of “go-to” workers, and then trust them
• Jim Henson’s legacy lives on in collaboration, experimentation
• Teens send Lego man into space
• How The Oatmeal became the Web’s favorite treat

Image credit: narvikk, via iStockphoto

Related Posts:

• This week’s most clicked
• VIP Corner: Brian Henson on the reason mistakes can be good for business
• This week’s most clicked

That may be OK for the short term, but what happens when one or two of those stars move on?

In this video, I offer suggestions on how to encourage the entire team to rise to the challenge.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Related Posts:

• Executive Time Management: 3 questions for evaluating people
• Visiting the troops: Why good managers spend time outside their offices
• 3 questions to create powerful engagement

Lucie, the daughter of an old friend of mine, wrote this list of “things I whant to do when I get older” [sic]. At age 8, she knows the first and most important rule about goal achievement: to accomplish your goals, first you have to set goals.

This picture captures the first of several pages of goals Lucie set for herself.

I imagine that Lucie sharpened her pencil, gathered supplies and sat down at her desk. She might have kept her list in a secret place, returning throughout the day or week to add items as she thought of them.

I picture her playing with her brother, suddenly running upstairs, closing her door tightly, and sitting down at desk again, bending over her paper to record a new goal idea.

Take a look at Lucie’s list, especially the structure of the list and the nature of her goals. I think Lucie can teach us some important lessons about how to set and achieve goals:

Write down your goals! Lucie wrote down all the goals — the lofty ones, the far-fetched ones, the simple ones.

Be clear about what you want. At age 8, Lucie is stating an intention to eat a cookie for breakfast. She may need to convince her parents, but I think she is likely to get what she wants — some day. I bet when her parents saw the list, they made a mental note to suggest cookies as a breakfast treat on her next birthday.

Include goals that are easily within reach. Lucie created many goals that she could reach. When she reaches those, she will have confidence to attempt some of the more difficult ones.

Dream big. Don’t be afraid to reach for goals that seem unreachable. Lucie wants to go to the North Pole. What would you like to do that seems impossible? What steps could you take toward that goal?

Record your progress. As you’ll notice, Lucie already marked one goal off her list. When you accomplish one goal, you will feel energized to move on to the next one. Putting a check in the box, literally or figuratively, will propel you to success with other goals.

Take a look at your past goals. As a young girl, I made lists like Lucie’s. They are long gone. Wouldn’t it be great if I could look back at them now? We can all get insight from looking at how our goals, both personal and professional, have shifted over time. Even if you can’t retrieve your long-lost lists, it may be helpful to remember goals you’ve set in the past. What worked for you in achieving past goals?

Refer to your list regularly. Don’t write down your list and set it aside. Print it out and post it beside your desk or somewhere else where you will see it every day. If you look at your list regularly, you will stay focused on achieving your goals. You could even ask yourself each day, “What can I do today to move closer to that desired outcome?”

As you look to a new year and new goals, sharpen your pencil, get a clean sheet of paper, and revisit your childhood for a fresh perspective on setting — and achieving — your goals.

Related Posts:

• 3 key concepts for successful goal setting as a leader
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: 4 critical skills to develop before 2020
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: 3 invaluable skills to learn by 2020

This is the second in a series of three posts exploring critical skills that association leaders need to possess or develop in the next 10 years. Read about the first three skills. These are taken from a recent report, “Future Work Skills 2020,” produced by the Institute for the Future and the University of Phoenix Research Institute.

Association executives are faced with a number of challenges, not the least of which is staying abreast of critical trends and the development of appropriate skill sets to handle them. Here are the next three of 10 areas to consider actively exploring when allocating available professional development dollars.

Cross-cultural competency: Ability to operate in different cultural settings.

Association leaders have been grappling with issues of diversity and inclusion for a number of years with varying levels of success. Some groups have done well with integrating a changing American demographic landscape into membership, and some have not.

Those still struggling with inclusion issues in the U.S. are woefully unprepared to effectively deal with an emerging global marketplace. Associations do pride themselves on their ability to work in groups, and this may provide an excellent starting point to begin to develop cross-cultural sensibilities. By highlighting points of difference as strengths, learning to leverage those connections and embracing the challenges globalization represents, they will be able to effectively function in this changing landscape.

Computational thinking: Ability to translate vast amounts of data into abstract concepts and to understand data-based reasoning.

Big data has arrived. Just as staff and volunteers got comfortable with Excel spreadsheets and with slicing and dicing data in endless permutations, we are now presented with the need to move beyond this current vision of data. Association leaders must become more sophisticated in their understanding of what data does or does not represent.

The ability to see bigger trends revealed by the data they have and to use it intelligently is the next frontier in data management. It is time to move beyond SurveyMonkey, to stop arguing over whether the difference between 38.2% or 39% is really statistically significant, and to see the bigger messages members are sending.

New-media literacy: Ability to critically assess and develop content that uses new-media forms and to leverage these media for persuasive communication.

Association leaders have been aware for some time that the days of the printed newsletter are rapidly coming to a close. What must be developed in place of what has been traditionally thought of as “communications” includes a full-scale immersion in the rapid, disruptive evolution in digital, user-generated content.

Association leaders who are still debating the merits of blogging or wondering if they should engage in social media will find their ability to function in the video-driven new media landscape severely compromised. As the publishers and “keepers of the keys” to vast amounts of information about industries and professions, association leaders have a responsibility to actively engage in exploration and experimentation with all new forms of media lest they find themselves increasingly irrelevant in the publications landscape.

Next week, we’ll discuss the last four skills that association leaders need to succeed in the next 10 years.

Related Posts:

• Spotlight on Association Leadership: 4 critical skills to develop before 2020
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: Critical skills you’ll need to prepare for 2020
• Spotlight on Association Leadership: What does the perfect leader look like?