The Story of Hector: Or How We Manage Associations

One of my early jobs after finishing my bachelor’s degree was working at a commercial studio in Chicago. It had no direct ties to association management or consulting (my undergraduate degree is in Film production). I was a Studio Manager, which essentially meant the staff production assistant to the various departments such as props, special effects, and so forth. I worked alongside another staff member, we’ll call him Hector, who was the Building Supervisor.

Hector was a jovial sort who, due to our age difference, relished showing me how much more he knew about life, nevermind work, than I did. He would do it with a smile, of course, and despite my letting him know that indeed he knows more than me. Hector enjoyed taking naps during his lunch hour on non-production days. We worked inside of a converted warehouse, and my office was on the main floor of this vast building. The first time I heard the snoring was when I had to question my disbelief of dragons. He was quiet and unassuming to the people who’d come and go on production days, generally keeping to his particular duties but always ready to help if called upon. Since we filmed food we had professional-grade kitchens, I’d arrive to work seeing him cook fried egg sandwiches with hot sauce, making a production of his breakfast project.

Hector was a hard worker, though looks were deceiving to those who saw what they wanted to see. I worked with him each day over the course of a year. Have you ever been in an old, dusty brick warehouse with one of those elevators with the gates in it to travel between floors? Manually operated, the elevator probably still works even though it is 100 years old. During a slow production stretch and because we could open and close the doors, we were able to see underneath the elevator well (we were quite the curious pair). We had noticed that it was flooded, but not so much that it would affect things. Still, we had resolved to get this cleaned up sometime. The next day, I arrived at work to an open package of coveralls next to the elevator doors, and Hector in its basin having already removed the water. He was shoveling up what I’m calling living death (thanks JK Rowling) and completed the project before lunch. I do not even know if the owners knew what he was up to: he saw the project for what it was and just did it.

That initiative and understated approach is rounded out by his backstory: moving to the US so that he could make a better life for his family. We did not keep in touch, but I am reminded of him from time to time and I hope he is doing well. I learned a lot from him, about work ethic, balance, and just getting things done; and I have learned to try teaming up with people like Hector when I see similar qualities.

HOW WE MANAGE ASSOCIATIONS

Those qualities are what I consider to be essential in a well-run, effective management company for associations. While the labor is not (usually) manual, it is the sort that requires us to be willing to do what it takes, and have particular skills in what is required for the project of the particular association. This situational awareness is not an exact science, but it is a challenge I enjoy taking on:

• Some projects require strategic thinking, and others are prioritized around administrative needs.
• Growth oriented organizations need people who are adept at change and its consequences, while organizations in crisis may require strong, decisive operations and emotion work.
• Sometimes we may need to convince an association of what we think it needs (hopefully with that disarming smile).
• Coming in with subject matter expertise might matter, or perhaps the best approach is for us to do everything else so that the subject matter experts have the capacity to advance the mission efficiently.

I started UpSign because we are malleable and do what needs doing, in the right ways at the right amounts; and our purpose is to make a positive difference to organizations who help people.