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Last year, I led a book group discussion of Seth Godin's All Marketers are Liars for ASAE's Emerging Leaders online group. I sent an e-mail to Seth telling him that I recommended his book to the group and asking him to answer a few questions for the group so I could relate the basic concept directly to associations. I, of course, never expected to hear back from the popular Mr. Godin. I was shocked when I received a reply back within 30 minutes.

The point of my questions to Mr. Godin was to get the group to realize that some of the things that associations have historically prided themselves on doing well - advocacy, grassroots mobilization, education, information - are threatened and can now be done by a small group of people with a lot of time on their hands. (Similar to David's take-away lesson from ASAE's Boston meeting.)

Have you ever joined an association? once or twice

Professional, personal or trade? professional

If so, what stirred you to join? fear of being left out, desire to be part of the in crowd

Do you feel that the rise of self-made online communities and networks is a threat to the traditional association model? totally. I belong to hundreds of online interactions and zero associations

If small is the new big, what can associations do to make their big feel small? make promises and keep them, figure out how to create value outside of the traditional association promise, take intellectual risks, don't follow