Recently, I had the chance to introduce the book, Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant to a colleague. The book, by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, describes the idea of discovering uncontested market space rather than continuing to fight in the “bloody red” markets saturated with competition. Instead of building a better mousetrap, the book, which is accompanied by a comprehensive website, encourages you to develop a new way to catch mice – and by doing so, render the other mousetraps meaningless. Its prime example is Cirque du Soleil, the cultural phenomenon that includes trapeze artists, clowns and other traditional “circus” entertainers, but is decidedly not a big-top act. I still remember years ago, before seeing one of the Cirque shows, a friend kept referring to the upcoming performance as “The Circus.” She was amazed at what she saw, and she was careful not to call it “The Circus” after the show.
At McKinley, we are consistently conducting market scans to help associations understand what competitors are doing, how they price their products or services, and what corners of the market are saturated. The research is meant to cover the red oceans in detail in hopes that we can identify some blue oceans to explore. Many associations have been successful in finding these blue oceans as well – and without requiring a seismic shift in thinking. While some examples in Blue Ocean Strategy are somewhat extreme, they don’t always have to be that dramatic. Even subtle offerings that build on a current platform, such as a segmented newsletter or a content track that focuses on cutting-edge technology, can have a dramatic impact on your members and solidify your brand. You need not travel across the continent to find your blue oceans – you may just need to think a little bit outside the boat.
~ Post by Mike Norbut, Managing Consultant
As I write this—my first and last blog post for 501(see)—I feel a mix of excitement and sadness. Shortly, I will leave McKinley to pursue my MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. I eagerly look forward to the two years ahead, but it will be difficult to leave McKinley after almost four incredible years. I have had the opportunity to work with amazing colleagues and clients, to do interesting and challenging work and to learn more than I ever imagined possible. With that in mind, I’d like to share the most valuable lessons I’ve learned during my time here:
- R-E-S-P-E-C-T: I feel very fortunate to have worked for a company where everyone feels mutual respect and I strongly believe this positive environment has contributed to McKinley’s growth. As we went through the process of re-branding our company, everyone not just had a voice, but an equal voice. All staff ideas and opinions were considered, creating a greater sense of community and a new identity that truly represented who we are. Additionally, the respect we have for each other enhances our ability to deliver excellent work. On any given day, I can pop into any office to ask for advice, bounce ideas off a colleague or seek feedback. We are all very busy but because we are committed to one another, we always make time to help each other do our jobs better. The culture of respect greatly contributed to my satisfaction as an employee and the quality of work I produced.
- No risk, no reward: An accomplished association executive once told me the secret to successful innovation – test many new ideas; some won’t work and if that’s the case you learn and move on; but some will work and these riskier ventures are the ones that bring organizations ahead of the curve. I know this is true from my personal experience as well. Working at McKinley, I had the opportunity to try many new and unfamiliar functions. These roles helped me strengthen my analytical abilities, communication skills, and professional competence. As I begin business school, I know I will be well-served by going outside of my comfort zone when I select classes, projects, and extracurricular activities.
- Embrace criticism: This may be the most important lesson. It’s great to have strengths validated, but true growth requires understanding your weaknesses. Thanks to candid feedback from my colleagues, I have been able to identify and tackle areas in need of improvement. As a result, I am a more capable and confident professional. I have seen the same results with associations. It’s not easy to seek out criticism, but many of our clients do precisely that when they engage us on research and consulting projects. These organizations who actively strive to understand their weaknesses see greater success over time.
Thanks to all who have shaped this wonderful experience for me. I know my time at McKinley has prepared me well for the challenges ahead and I look forward to reporting back from the Windy City!
~ Post by Beth McNamee, Research Manager
