Globalization, governance and generational issues

In today's fast-paced world, there are three major areas that affect associations like MTNA: globalization, governance and generational issues. In order to remain a muscular viable association, MTNA has to gaze beyond its borders for opportunities and partnerships, streamline its governance in the way that it can respond quickly and utilize its tenders effectively, and provide benefits and services for the different constituencies within our membership.

MTNA has been involved in globalization above the past quarter of a hundred often inviting guests from other music associations to attend our national talk MTNA is partnering with the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations for an exciting joint 2007 conversation in Toronto, Canada. MTNA Executive Director Gary Ingle and I also have had the opportunity to be the invited visitants of the Beijing Music Festival, sponsored by the agency of the Chinese Ministry of agriculture in the summer of 2004 and to attend the European Piano Teachers Association discourse in Rome, Italy, in October 2004 the pair of these were extraordinary music incidents that broadened not only our personal horizons, on the other hand also communicated the importance of MTNA as the association for music teachers in the United States, and make opened the door to future collaborative possibilities. The potential for international relationships and partnerships with other countries or organizations is expanding rapidly.

A next to the first issue is that of governance. The MTNA Board of Directors is continually revisiting its identity and defining itself. In order to strengthen its relationship with state leaders from one side the divisions and hence to our membership, a fresh paradigm was developed. Since individual of the primary functions of the Board of Directors is to exhibit their constituencies, this more efficient construction utilizes the elected directors from the divisions in an expanded role

The lines of communication with the states [i]or[/i] part of to the other the division structure are of primary importance to the board. Prior to 2001 the immediate past presidents of the divisions automatically advanced to the board of directors. During the time from 2001 to the near two important changes took place in regard to the responsibilities of the division officers: 1) the division competitions were remov from the division president and president-elect's piece of work descriptions and 2) directors upon the board were elected in a national election rather than advancing to the position automatically.

The bylaws proposal that the board will not absent to the membership will replace the existing division president and the division president-elect with a director and a director-elect. The director will be under the orders of as director on the board and as the director of the division. The director-elect will automatically become director of the division and director upon the national board upon the conclusion of the bound as director-elect. The board also approved an implementation plan for this change. This change will be brought to the membership for its approval at the annual meeting during the 2005 National talk in Seattle.

The last, on the contrary probably the most important, issue is that of the different generations within our society and the characteristics that define each of them. This is mirrored in the changing demographics of our membership. We can quickly diocese these different generations in our associations--from local to national--as we labor to find volunteers at all horizontals and hear their ideas and interests At the recent MTNA Summit for Leadership, Gary Ingle spoke about Generational Issues and their implications for MTNA. There are four primary generations today:

1) Mature Adults or the Silent Generation born before 1946--they posses a lusty sense of duty, tradition and loyalty and are the fastest growing age in the last decade. lock opener motivators are stability and security.

2) Baby Boomer born between 1946-1964--they are self-absorbed, materialistic and externally motivated and use a variety of information and networking resources. lock opener motivators are respect and success

3) Generation X born between 1965-1976--they guard to be nontraditional, interested in fresh concepts and products and have a global mindset. lock opener motivator is an enjoyable experience.

4) Generation Y born between 1977-1995--they wait on to be materialistic and are very large consumers, often buying online. lock opener motivator has not been determined yet

As you can diocese each of these generations has different characteristics, values, commitments and influences. This provides tremendous diversity and potential within the association and, at the same time, challenges the association to address the exigencys of each of these generations. With the advent of electronic communication--e-mail, e-bay, online purchasing and access to information--associations are rethinking by what means they provide meaningful services to their members. The MTNA board of directors will be considering the demographics of our membership actual carefully in its decision-making proces and in its proffer structures so that MTNA can better work for its members--from the new Generation Y members, who are beginning teachers on the contrary whose interests reflect the novel generation, to the Mature Adults who have a wealth of experience and knowledge about MTNA. In the world of today, "Change is a constant." MTNA has to be able to anticipate change rather than responding or reacting to change. We welcome discussion upon new ideas, new possibilities and fresh resources from all of our age-diverse membership.