Frenquently Asked Questions
WOMMA Groups are led by member Co-Chairs and supported by the staff, but their ultimate value is derived from the ideas and energy contributed by the participating members.
To get the most out of your WOMMA membership, please volunteer to participate in a Group.
Q1. When do Groups meet?
We recognize that all of our members are very busy and are dispersed geographically. To make it as easy as possible to participate, Groups meet primarily by phone. When we need to meet in person, we'll try to meet at major conferences that members are already likely to attend.
Also, we'll be setting up private message boards, email lists, and other online collaboration tools soon.
Q2. Who can participate?
All WOMMA members in good standing are eligible to participate in Groups.
Small business members may only participate in two Groups.
Some Groups have eligibility requirements. For example:
- Research Group members must have research expertise.
- Ethics Task Force member must have public policy expertise.
- Brand Group members must be marketers (no agencies) with advertising budgets greater than $10 million.
Q3. How much time is involved?
It's different for each Group, and for each volunteer. Most participants just call in and join the conversation when they have time. Core members that are very involved in big projects may spend two-three hours per month. Co-chairs may spend up to 1-2 hours per week leading the group.
If your company has interest in multiple Groups, we recommend appointing different representatives to each one.
Many people find that it is too time-consuming to get involved in more than one Group. (Note to busy CEOs: We'd appreciate it if you would invite a co-worker to represent you when you are too busy to participate in Group activities.)
Q4. Who leads the Groups?
Each group has three or three co-chairs who steer the activities of the Group, with support from WOMMA staff. We find that having multiple co-chairs keeps the workload reasonable for busy executives. Co-chairs are appointed by WOMMA staff based on active participation and strong leadership.
Q5. How are Groups formed?
We are constantly forming new Groups to address current issues and to involve more members. New Groups are usually created when we have a core of members interested in a specific topic who pull together to address the issue. Additionally, some Groups will split when they get too large, or a particular issue or opportunity grows to the point where it justifies more attention.
Q6. What are typical Group activities
Each Group has different deliverables and activities based on its focus. Some are very casual discussion groups, while other are intense task forces that produce high-profile deliverables. At a minimum, each Group offers:
- Networking: Email, phone, and web-based discussions with pre-screened peers.
- Core Project: Each Group chooses a major deliverable each year that contributes to the greater good of the organization and the industry, such as white papers, research, standards, or events.
- Speaking: Group members present on panels and teleconferences about their topic.
- Knowledge-Sharing: Discuss and learn about issues most important to you.
- Leadership Opportunities: Group members have a platform to demonstrate their standing in the industry.
- Promotional Opportunities: Active participants share exposure when the Group releases its work product and hosts events.