Association Management: Lessons in the Seaweed

It's a gorgeous weekend in Maine and my little terrier Baxter decided to spend quality time in the seaweed on the beach. He was adorable rolling around in it (including on his back), digging his head in and genuinely enthusiastic - only for us to find, when he strutted in the house, that he smelled like a gigantic dead fish. Because there was a dead fish in the seaweed. Of course he loved it.

Just like association management ...

1. The ugliest parts of the job sometimes make it possible to enjoy the good.
2. Don't judge the beach by the seaweed. Sometimes there's something rotten underneath.
3. When everyone declares the dog stinks it's time to clean it up. If members are responding badly to a program or direction, clean it up. And if one shampoo doesn't work, try another one.
4. The behavior will repeat itself. A dog is going to roll in something disgusting given the chance. There's always going to be that "one member" who is going to do that too.

Do you have any lessons from the seaweed?