Working Together. Getting Things Done.

Collaboration. We hear this word all the time in our professional and personal lives. What exactly does it mean and how can we capitalize on it? My definition is strategically working together for something bigger than yourself or your organization. It’s a change movement. As we sat down in our SMPS strategic planning meeting several months ago, we discussed collaborating more with other industry-related organizations. Not only does this help our membership and the membership of the organization(s) we are partnering with, it helps the building and marketing industries. A proverb by John Heywood, “Two Heads Are Better Than One” couldn’t be more applicable to this strategy.

SMPS continues to reach out to building and marketing organizations to partner on lunch programs, seminars, and networking opportunities. Recently, we partnered with Go Wichita, Wichita American Marketing Association, Wichita Chamber, and Public Relations Society of American to bring in Jeff Sieh of Manly Pinterest Tips for a program to discuss Digital Marketing. Also, several weeks ago we promoted the Women In Commercial Real Estate networking event and had several members from SMPS attend their event. Other organizations we have partnered with on programs include the local chapters of American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Green Building Council. We are continually looking for ways to enhance our membership benefits, increase awareness to marketing in the AEC industry, and increase SMPS exposure.

We continue to reach out to other organizations to bring in dynamic speakers. If you are involved in a related organization, please have one of their board members reach out to talk to me. SMPS would enjoy the opportunity to partner with a speaker or networking event. With this said, please join SMPS for their third year as a represented organization of the Tacky Sweater Design Crawl that will take place on Friday, December 4 starting at 5:30 pm. Please save the date and look for additional information about the event.

Collaboration is key to the success of SMPS but also in your business. (More on collaboration in your workplace in a future President Note.)

Thanks. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.

Lindsay L. Young, CPSM

SMPS Wichita Chapter President