Let’s say you’ve lost your voice—literally. What you thought was a cold was actually something much more. You can’t speak at your next conference, let alone interact with members and attendees. What can you do? You can share your story and let others know how they can help—as one prominent CEO did this week.

That, and more, in today’s Lunchtime Links:

Sharing your story: Larry Page, the cofounder and CEO of Google, recently opened up about taking an active role in vocal-nerve research. Page has undergone several studies after being diagnosed with a rare condition affecting his vocal cords. In a public letter, Page asked for funding aid by sharing his story and even adding a little humor to it. Despite his health problems, “my friends still think I have way more stamina than them when we go kitesurfing! And Sergey [Brin] says I’m probably a better CEO because I choose my words more carefully,” he wrote. “So surprisingly, overall I am feeling very lucky.”

Provoke knowledge: Sir Ken Robinson, a British author and speaker recognized for his advocacy on education policy, has a challenge for educators in the United States. He wants them to provoke students and spark curiosity through creative practices. “Teaching, properly conceived, is not a delivery system. You’re not there to pass on information. Great teachers stimulate, promote, engage,” he said in a recent TED talk. He may be specifically referring to K-12 education, but his thoughts on teaching can be applied to continuing education as well. How do you provoke members to garner knowledge that will push their careers forward?

Rethinking the association model: Could it be that the traditional membership model is broken? Or is it undergoing an era of transformation? Andrea Pellegrino, principal at the Maia Marketing Group, believes it depends on the association and its members. Her suggestion: Associations should rethink their membership models and go further than the one-size-fits-all approach. “If your association is struggling to add members, going farther and farther afield from your core to find ‘members’ … wondering why so few of your members want to engage with your organization … holding your breath until those last-minute conference registrations come in to be sure you have operating funds for this year, then it’s probably time to consider whether you need to start looking at new models for engaging people around your mission.”

What interesting reads have you found today? Let us know in your comments below.

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