The Q4 to Q1 slowdown isn’t a crisis — it’s a gift. Use the time to upskill your team, strengthen your systems, and clear the runway for 2026. Future you will thank present you for thinking ahead with these new year planning tips. Let’s finish strong and start 2026 on a strong foot!
1. Set Strategic Priorities (with Guidance)
Don’t just ask “What will we do in 2026?” Ask: “What will we NOT do?” This is the filter that shapes everything else. Every priority you add weakens the ones that actually matter. And yes, this is where you reassess whether your AMS is serving your strategy or just… hanging out. Having an objective external partner weigh in can make all the difference.
2. Audit Your Meetings & Communication Rhythms
Cut the ones that “could’ve been an email.” Then look hard at the meetings that actually matter: Are they happening with the right people, at the right cadence? The associations thriving right now are ruthless about this. We’ll be sharing a revamped Meeting Flowchart, so stay tuned…
3. Review Your Tech Stack
Be brutally honest. What’s helping? What’s holding you back? Imagine having an experienced technology leader and strategist on your team. Someone who bridges the gap between leadership and operations. Someone who ties together strategy, people, and technology. Now, imagine getting all this expertise and commitment in the right amount for your organization’s needs and budget – whether that’s one day or 20 hours a week. Enter the fractional CIO, a game-changer when you don’t have internal bandwidth or expertise.
4. Audit Your Data Hygiene
Clean data = better decisions, happier staff, smoother adoption. January is prime time to fix duplicates, incomplete fields, and stale records. Get your house in order now, and you’ll thank yourself when 2026 reporting and campaigns run smoothly. Start with this data governance checklist.
5. Plan for AI Integration — Thoughtfully
Don’t do it because it’s trendy. Do it because it’s useful. Where can AI genuinely save your team time? More importantly: What guardrails and which policies and privacy measures need to exist before to help you experiment? Get ahead of this in Q1, and you’ll lead the pack. ICYMI: Our free and on-demand AI video series is built to be digestible even post-holidays.
6. Shore Up Your Cybersecurity
Your systems — and your members — are only as safe as your practices. Use the end-of-year quiet time and early Q1 to tighten access, refresh training, and patch the gaps that most associations don’t notice until something breaks. Review our cybersecurity best practices to get started.
7. Prioritize Process Adoption
AMS adoption is the journey, and change management is the map. Start with the workflows that drain the most staff time. Clear SOPs = shared ownership, smoother onboarding, and fewer “only one person knows how to do this” emergencies. Even better, a fully adopted AMS frees up brain space for actual strategic work. Think about your AMS like a training puppy…
8. Invest in Your Team’s Development
Your people are your biggest asset. What certifications, training, or skill-building would make them more effective? What would make them want to stay? Training needs differ across generations — tailor opportunities accordingly. Consider tools like CliftonStrengths to help your team understand their strengths and work better together.
9. Budget for the (Realistic) Extras
Of course you’ll include the technology cost, but the “extras” can make or break a budget. Build in training hours. Build in learning time. Build in the wiggle room you know you’re going to need. It’s not “scope creep” — it’s responsible planning. Check out these key steps for association budgets.
10. Actually Unplug
To start 2026 strong, rest is strategy. Set a realistic OOO message (link to resources instead of “I’ll get back to you later”). Establish backups. Give yourself permission to disconnect. Success means you protect your break – prioritize it. (Is it cheesy? Maybe. Is it also true? Yes.)
Not sure where to start?
That’s what we’re here for. Whether you’re evaluating a new AMS, optimizing what you already have, or trying to figure out if your systems actually support your strategy — we can help. We’ve guided associations through this for a decade. We’ve seen it all.
We help associations get unstuck. From selection to implementation to adoption and beyond, we make sure your technology works for you, not the other way around.
Schedule a call if you want to talk through what a more efficient 2026 could look like.