Lunchtime Links: How to Avoid CEO Burnout

Taking one for the team has a whole new meaning when you’re an association CEO. How do you avoid burning out when you’ve got the weight of the entire organization on your shoulders?

That and more in today’s Lunchtime Links:

Following the leader: With the constant stress of day-to-day activities, being a CEO is bound to wear anyone out. But how can CEOs avoid burning out entirely? Virgil R. Carter of the Plexus Consulting Group answers the query  (opens in a new tab) in a recent blog post, “Wrestling with Burnout.” The answer, it seems, lies in the sharing the burden of an overbearing workload. “Burnout is often a function of not delegating and working through others effectively,” Carter summarizes from a LeaderPoint article. Another suggestion: help others achieve their tasks to set your mind at ease. How have you handled the role of CEO? What are your top tips for combating burnout?

An Apple a day: Are there any more lessons that the big Apple (the company, not the city) can teach us? Apparently so, according to Jeff Hurt of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting  (opens in a new tab). Hurt details his encounter with the newly expanded Apple store in Dallas during the iPhone 5’s release, and he gives examples of Apple’s knowledge of customer psychology (letting customers play with Apple products gives better results than an overzealous salesperson) and the importance of giving a history of past offerings. “Apple seems to know a lot more about people and how they tick than conference hosts do,” Hurt says. What are you doing to make your conference strategy align with technology stores? How has it worked for you?

By the numbers: It’s a question you might receive often: How much is your association worth? But one you might not get as often: How much is one member worth? Turns out, it’s imperative to know your RPM, or revenue per member.  (opens in a new tab) Rob Fowler, president and CEO of  the Small Business Association of Michigan, talks about why associations should know this key figure off the top of their head  (opens in a new tab), which SCD Group’s Steve Drake reiterates in his blog post. Are you calculating your RPM? How are you using this new number to help reach member goals?

What are you reading over lunch? Let us know in the comments.

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