Name: Michael A Butera

Title: CEO

Organisation: Association Activision LLC

Michael Butera founded Association Activision, LLC, to inspire associations to think with the future in mind and avoid becoming the dinosaurs of the 21st century. ActiVision is a boutique consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, keynotes, board revitalization and development, executive and team coaching, and data-driven organizational transformation.

His public speaking centers on inspiring associations to recognize the impact of short-term thinking against long-term gain, thinking with the future in mind, and avoiding becoming the dinosaurs of the 21st century.

He served as Executive Director/CEO of the National Association for Music Education, the Give a Note Foundation, and three NEA state affiliates. He was President of the National Council of State Education Associations, chaired NEA's Technology Compact Committee, the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice Treasurer, and the NEA Member Benefits Corporation board member. He was an executive editor of the Arts Education Policy Review and is on the County and State NAACP's executive committee as their Technology Taskforce Chair. Butera chaired the Howard County Compensation Review Commission.

Butera has served on the Economic Development Transition Team of two Governors, Maryland and Wisconsin, as an appointee to the Maryland Task Force on School Funding, Accountability, & Partnerships and the Advisory Committee of the Maryland Health Care Cost Containment Commission. He has served as the Treasurer of the Maryland Children's Initiative, an organization devoted to smoke causation and children's health.

Michael is a member of the Rogue Tulips Network, a facilitator for Boomerworks.com, and President of Toastmasters, Elkridge Speakers Club #5902

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Michael's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Long-term strategic thinking

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

worked my way up through several organizations and always be learning

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Food - calming exercise

online group collaborative

emails

tasks

reading

marketing

networking

confirm calendar

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Listen - Listen - Listen

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Decisive - by Chip and Dan Heath

It outlines a way to think and resolve important issues

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Always be learning

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

Lossing a job