Latest Association News at a Glance
Communication #2, 9-4-08
I was watching when 61 year old Ian Millar from Canada earned his first medal—after nine Olympic tries—in the Nation's Cup, an equestrian event at the Beijing Olympics. You don't need to wait that long to be a winner and a member of excellence! Check it out at www.iaap-hq.org and get your action plan in place.
Things are happening! The work required (www.iaap-hq.org) to turn IAAP into a Remarkable Association by 2010 has begun. Currently there are four Sub-Committees and seven Action Teams focused on moving specific initiatives forward. That's 11 groups who have logged over 20 hours (or another way over 110 people-hours) since Convention. Here are a few updates so you know where we are at:
Redefining IAAP's mission statement is almost complete. It's taken longer than we anticipated because the member feedback did not provide a clear leader. Next week a final survey will be sent to a selection of members across the Association and the results will be announced shortly after. We can hardly wait. An action team is also hard at work on refining the Value Statements… those should be available within the next month. Completing the commitment forms for Pathways to Excellence has been delayed until the mission statement is finalized. It's coming soon. Determining what to measure is critical and we want to get it right the first time. Development of the baseline membership questionnaire is in the research stage. Processing of feedback received through the "suggestion box" at www.iaap-hq.org is ongoing. We've received lots of submissions in just the first three weeks. Keep it coming—we look forward to hearing more from you. Evaluating the website for redesign has begun. This is a formidable and exciting endeavor.
Thank you to the members of the Board of Directors and Headquarters staff who make up the Sub-Committees and Action Teams. Past International President Sandy Chandler CPS, Past International President Jo Peay, and Past District Director Teresa Bennett CPS/CAP are each involved in an Action Team. We appreciate your time very much.
As well, chapter renumbering continues to prepare the platform to offer chapter online membership applications. Each chapter number needs to align with their respective district number and requires a labour-intensive membership transfer for each chapter involved. Once complete, the renumbering will allow the proper "search" functions to operate.
Have you logged on to members place yet? The forum for discussion has been revised, with some great new features you want to test out—like the long-awaited search function, which lets you find topics fast and easy.
I've been hearing great things about the fall leadership workshops taking place across the association. Excellent things! What does it take to grow an association? Start with the leaders. They will move us towards Excellence in Action. What is leadership? Leadership is influence. Nothing more and nothing less. Excellence in influence. Excellence in leadership. Excellence in Action.
Barb Horton CAP
2008-2009 International President
International Association of Administrative Professionals
Excellence in Action
Communication #1, 8-8-08
Welcome to the 2008-2009 year of Excellence in Action!
Today is the present and the present is a gift. The gift of opportunity and time. It is also a time of transition as we make continual adjustments to the influences around us. And IAAP is no exception.
After careful evaluation of the unique challenges and opportunities for IAAP, the Board began down the path to turn IAAP into a remarkable Association by 2010. As members you can track if the Board has fulfilled its mandate by staying aware of what direction the Association is headed. You can find the project plan at: www.iaap-hq.org. The first phase includes:
Redefining the mission and value statements Evaluating existing and future programs Aligning the association resources Developing a customer service culture Training members, chapters and divisions to create a customer service culture Creating a baseline membership survey Developing and maintain data-driven strategies And more
And we want to hear from you. If you have an idea, compliment or complaint, you can send it to us at www.iaap-hq.org. All submissions will be reviewed and recorded within 5 business days. An Action Team will be forwarding items requiring action to the Board of Directors. In his book Becoming a Person of Influence, author John C. Maxwell states "Fresh, innovative ideas help us to find new ways to solve old problems, to generate new products and processes to keep our organizations growing, and to continue growing and improving personally." Tell us what you think. We look forward to hearing from you.
The new recognition program Pathways to Excellence creates a consistent level of measurement across each level of the organization. Members, chapters and divisions can attain excellence in ten specific and aligned areas. Check out the Q&A and the tools that will assist you to become excellent at www.iaap-hq.org. Plan your own personal and professional growth for the next year.
The monthly book club selection will be sent out to all members the middle of each month. Stay tuned!
The revised and updated policies are available at www.iaap-hq.org.
At the Post-Convention Board meeting, sub-committees were appointed to deal with the following initiatives:
Code of Ethics review Division Annual Meeting attendance by Board members Board Orientation Manual review Monitoring and assessing Pathways to Excellence
In addition we'll be redesigning the website, reviewing membership resources and developing a marketing plan.
Work has already begun on the motion from the floor at Convention that all chapters of IAAP be given online membership registration capability with the implementation no later than January 1, 2009. The second motion to define misconduct as applied to any IAAP officer at any level of the Association will begin soon.
For more details you can read my incoming President's speech in the IAAP members' Place at www.iaap-hq.org (video coming soon!) and check out the photos from the New Orleans Convention.
Tomorrow is the place where our dreams and hope lie—it's the future—the still unknown. As we use our gift of time to create our future I want you to know that to serve as your International President is a privilege that I do not take lightly. It is an honour to know you and serve you as together we create Excellence in Action.
Sincerely,
Barb Horton CAP
2008-2009 International President
International Association of Administrative Professionals
Excellence in Action
Barb Horton CAP
2008-2009 International President of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)
Barb Horton CAP of Surrey, BC was installed as International President of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) at the association's 63rd Annual International Convention and Education Forum, July 27-July 30 in New Orleans, LA. IAAP is the world's largest association for administrative support staff, providing education, training, and networking opportunities for more than 40,000 members and affiliates worldwide.
Horton is Customer Care Coordinator with Terasen Gas Inc. and has been with Terasen Gas for 15 years. She is currently a member of the Vancouver Chapter. She has also served in numerous leadership roles for IAAP's Prince George Chapter, Western Canada Division and Canada District, including Canada District Director. Horton has attained the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) rating. Among her IAAP awards and recognitions are Outstanding Director in New Chapter Development, 2004-2005 and Outstanding Director in Membership, 2003-04. She has also chaired numerous chapter and division committees.
Among President Horton's non-IAAP certifications are: Personality Dimensions Certification, True Colors Certification, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, What Matters Most, Principle Centered Leadership, Canadian Management Association & Process Improvement Through Redesign & Simplification.
Barb has also chaired the Insight Institute's Western Canada Executive Assistant's Forum (2004, 2005& 2006), chaired the Terasen Gas Employee United Way Campaign (2004 & 2005) and has been a longtime member of Toastmasters.
Barb can be reached via e-mail at bhorton@iaap-hq.org.
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