Convening

Technology cannot carry all of our conversations. Communities must convene and meet face to face. Sometimes in large groups, sometimes in small groups, sometimes on a single topic, and sometimes with no topic at all. One of the greatest opportunities today is the ability for people to convene outside of their physical communities. In 2009, ABWA connected thousands of women from across the nation by hosting multiple online learning events and conferencing.

Achievement

Achievement is the multivitamin for the human psyche, and a nourishing community like ABWA will help us make sure we're getting our daily dose. In ABWA, we celebrate both the big and small stuff like a new grandchild, a first business plan, or the opening of a member's business.

In 2010, we will continue to develop new tools and training to support teams in achieving Best Practices-and see more of our members dressed in their finest for our red-carpet event at the National Women's Leadership Conference in Chattanooga, Tenn.

This year, 49 ABWA teams qualified for Best Practices. These members will tell you that it wasn't easy, but they felt a sense of accomplishment. These are big achievements in ABWA that will lead to legions of small achievements for members in their personal and professional growth. Often times, it's the other way around. Just showing up and being receptive to learning one concept prepares you for the big break.

I love the story about a member who, while waiting for an interview, reviewed the notes she had taken from a program delivered at an ABWA chapter meeting titled, "How to Deal with Difficult Employees." During the course of the interview, the recruiter asked her to how she would manage an antagonistic employee encounter. She could not believe her luck. She responded with confidence using the information she had recently learned in ABWA! The employer was so impressed that she was hired on the spot!