March 2025 Board Member Newsletter Article

Spring Cleaning for Chamber Execs: Streamline & Prioritize

Jennifer Harmening
President
Burnsville Chamber of Commerce

Selfishly I’m using this article to meet one of my own goals this Spring. As Chamber leaders we face the daily challenge of managing a wide range of responsibilities—operations, events, communications, membership, advocacy & more. This often drives us to work long hours and miss out on critical personal time. Researching this topic it seems that the key to success is not just putting in more hours, but using strategies that help prioritize tasks, optimize workflows, and ensure a balanced approach to every aspect of Chamber operations.

So, this year, my “Spring Cleaning” is geared toward streamlining my workload, will you join me? In my research I found the following strategies – I hope you find one that helps you this spring to streamline your workload, stay focused on what matters and ensure quality time for you, your family and recharging your batteries!

1. Prioritize Tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix
One of the most effective ways to manage the many responsibilities you have is by prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance. The Eisenhower Matrix divides tasks into four categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. By focusing on high-impact, high-priority tasks first, you ensure that critical Chamber operations and member needs are addressed without getting lost in less important details.

Strategy Tip: Regularly assess your to-do list using this matrix and delegate or postpone less important tasks.

2. Delegate and Empower Your Team
Chamber leaders often try to manage everything themselves, but effective delegation is key to maintaining a manageable workload. Identify tasks that can be delegated to staff or volunteers, especially routine or administrative tasks. Empower your team members by providing clear instructions and expectations, while giving them the autonomy to make decisions within their scope.

Strategy Tip: Hold regular check-ins with your team to ensure that everyone is aligned on priorities and that tasks are progressing smoothly!

3. Focus on High-Value Activities
Your time is limited, so it’s essential to focus on activities that drive the greatest value for the Chamber and your members. For example, prioritizing member engagement, networking opportunities, and advocacy efforts can have a long-term impact on the Chamber’s success. While event planning and communications are important, always align your activities with the larger strategic goals of your Chamber.

Strategy Tip: Review your calendar every month to ensure you’re dedicating time to high-impact activities that directly support the Chamber’s mission.

4. Set Clear, Measurable Goals
Setting clear goals helps provide direction and purpose in your daily tasks. Break larger, long-term goals into smaller, measurable objectives. Whether it’s increasing membership renewals, improving event attendance, or enhancing your advocacy efforts, having specific targets allows you to track progress and maintain focus.

Strategy Tip: Use a goal-tracking framework, such as SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), to keep your objectives clear and attainable.

5. Leverage Time-Blocking for Focused Work
Time-blocking is a powerful technique that allows you to dedicate specific chunks of time to different tasks, minimizing distractions and multitasking. By creating blocks of time for operational duties, member outreach, and event preparation, you ensure that each responsibility gets your full attention.

Strategy Tip: Set aside blocks of uninterrupted time each week to focus solely on high-priority tasks. For example, dedicate Mondays to reviewing membership reports and Thursdays to event planning.

6. Create a Member-Centric Culture
Ultimately, the Chamber’s success hinges on meeting the needs of its members. By staying closely connected with your members and prioritizing their concerns, you can better shape your Chamber’s operations and programs. Use regular surveys or informal feedback to understand their needs and adjust your approach accordingly.

Strategy Tip: Set aside time each month to engage with members directly, whether through one-on-one conversations or group meetings, to stay in tune with their evolving priorities.

Final Thoughts
While the demands on Chamber leaders can be overwhelming, I hope we can all strive to streamline our workload and ensure we’re making the most of our time. The first one I am going to work on this Spring is Time Blocking – how about you?