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Change agents in action !

 1. Why AIESEC Romania? If I would have the taken the decision of becoming part of an MC last year I cannot
guaranteed Romania would have been my first choice. Still, functioning as a
Romania Brand Ambassador for 2 months during my Exchange Internship in Prague was quite of a revelation to me. It
came as a revelation of how connected I am to my country, and of how much I would like to hear more good than bad
things about us. There is no sense in being ashamed (I admit, there were moments when I did feel that in my internship),
but there is sense in striving for better. And yes, I do consider that more good things are happening in Romania because
of us, because of AIESEC, and even more can be happening when people put all their sole in something they truly believe
in.

Talking from the point of view of AIESEC Romania: Because no child

1. Why Alumni Relations Manager? has made great without the help of parents. Connected to what I said
previously, Romania stands the chance of becoming even better because
of us, but this us is not only the 1000 and something member that we are counting in our 15LCs for the term 2010-2011,
but the 20 generations of leaders that have been developed inside AIESEC and that can have a great contribution in
developing a new generation of leaders. From personal point of view I stand for this position because it implies
performing actions that I tremendously enjoyed also during my VP COMM. term in AIESEC Cluj: team management,
communication management, event development and event management, etc. What is the challenge brought by this
position is the change in the target addressed. While as a VP COMM. you deliver mainly for students, as an ARM you
deliver mainly for Alumni. And, although I acknowledge that they are, by far, a more demanding category to deal with, I
am at the same time confident in the personal and professional gain such a position can bring to me. It is indeed a
challenge but I am willing to take it!

2a.Strenghts: Weakness:

 AIESEC XP Packaging;  weak realizations on X+L→AIESEC XP

 exchange growth ( approx. 50% for OGX and ICX); packaging still in process of implementation;
 change in the way we communicate AIESEC ( e.g.  lack of long-term planning;
Autumn Recruitment);  sustainability problems: low corporate
 good positioning in the international network; realizations, low ER incomes, weak
 good leadership pipeline; achievements on grants;
 AIESEC Romania expansion: Arad, Ireland, Suceava.  alumni engagement and support;
 few international partnerships;
 external positioning (lack of strategic/key role
supporters: Government, Universities, etc)
Opportunities: Threats:
 the reform of the Romanian Education system→
(transdisciplinary learning)→AIESEC has the knowledge  international perception about Romania;
and the know-how of supporting this reform ( ex: Scoala  decreasing trend of the Romanian economy + the
de Valori, Scoala pentru viață, Proiect România 2020 new retirement law + a market of unqualified
with the involvement of Ropot and Scoala de Valori, jobs→ young people have less chances in getting
Viitorul in mainile mele, etc) hired, moreover in getting hired on desirable
 Social Entrepreneurship: a new trend to be followed positions→ brain drain→ few valuable people
→AIESEC has the chance to attract more supporters/ to who can support the development of Romania;
be contacted as supporter ( Alumni should be the ones to  entrepreneurship→ not supported by the
start with, e.g. Ropot); Romanian system of taxes and duties→ our
 expansion of the multinational companies on the country neighbours become a more desirable
Romanian market and vice-versa→ support for OGX and location for business opening; again, no valuable
ICX; people to support our development as a country;
 decreasing trend of the Romanian economy + the new  the strong disagreement of Germany and France
retirement law + a market of unqualified jobs→ young on our adhesion to the Schengen
people have less chances in getting hired, moreover in space→limitated collaboration with the 25
getting hired on desirable positions→ opportunity to member states;
increase X+L through our recent generations of Alumni;
 the donation/sponsorships frames created by 2% and 3‰;
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Change agents in action !

2b. One message, 3 directions: Change agents in action! through 1.Communication; 2. Reconnection; 3.Involvement

Strategy: Results:

√develop and implement an Alumni Communication √separate site section on www.aiesec.ro and on
Plan; local sites ( see suggested site sections at q.2/
√functional and updated CRM; specific qs.);

a.about our Alumni √monthly newsletter for Alumni ( min. 8 sent

√communicate: during the term 2011-2012, see suggested topics
Communication

b.with our Alumni at q.2 specific qs, promotion on Facebook,

a.about our Alumni to members:
(cultivate role
models)
to the external
environment ( business
parteners, NGOes,
media): create value for
AIESEC through our
Alumni
b. with our Alumni: incite Alumni to act accordingly
through change agents role models promotion;
LinkedIn, myaiesec.net, aiesec sites);
√Alumni monthly article in the national
newsletter under the umbrela Change Agents in
Action ( min. 10 articles during the term 2011-
2012);
√media coverage in business publications (e.g.
Money Channel, Business Magazine,
Financiarul; Cariere, HR Manager, Biz,
Esquire, min. 1 article monthly);

Strategy: Results:

√Alumni product/event development for national and √ 1 national brand event implemented quarterly
Reconnection

local level; at local level ( e.g. Alumni Talks/Pecha Kutcha

√strong collaboration with AIESEC Bucharest for
facilitating the connection between the MC and the
Alumni from Bucharest;
√ development and implementation of an Alumni
event plan, national and local;
concept event);
√ profitable AIESEC 21+ Ela:
√ min. 2 summer social activities for AIESEC
Romania Alumni, both on national and local
level ( e.g. collaborations with Habitat for
Humanity, etc).

Strategy: Results:

√Communicate and Reconnect in order to be able to a.national level:

involve! √functional BoA Alumni/ functional BoA
√develop and implement Alumni Organizational subcommitees;
Development Plan ( see AIESECSs’ Spain example: √lead generator for ICX C and Sales;
Involvement

http://www.myaiesec.net/content/viewfile.do?open= √profitable AIESEC 21 + ELA;

next&contentid=10117227#) √good number of Alumni involved in: LOT,
National Sales School, National Finance School;
√2 collaborations with Alumni NGOes ( e.g.
Erudio, Ropot);

b.local level: 20%- 30% increase in the current

status of Alumni implication in the LCs ( see
AIESEC Alumni SWOT/ specific questions/1)

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Change agents in action !

 2c. See Opportunities at point a.

4. If we are talking about core AIESEC Experience then we are most definitely refering to either X+L or L+X. Here are
a few specific ways of assuring the right implementation of them:

: a.continue on the path of X+L experience packaging

increase the capacity of the organization by implementing a higher number of long term recruitments annualy;
b. focus on internal recruitment:
we all acknowledge the fact that for our core product there is need for market education.Well, that cannot be done only
through Communication campaigns and sporadic actions towards „external EPs”. More realisations can come from inside
if we redirect our effort towards our own members;
c. vivid/ visible Exchange Culture
supported both at formal level ( strategies, departments’ structures, etc) and informal level;
d. reintegration of returnees
the best promoters of the Exchange Program.

3.What is the role of the MC? What should be the role of Actions to fill in the gap:
the MC?

 transmit the AI direction to the LCs √connect a Romania as a  function as a connector among
 support local growth through truly functional network; LCs: share local GCPs, use
national innnitiatives; conferences as networking
 develop tools/processes; points, think and create specific
 function as a consultative board, frameworks for
offer coaching: MCP-LCPS,MCVPS-VPs; interraction,support LCs
 tracking organizational objectives, collaborations,
 implement the R&R system;  functional GNs, SOLs actions,
 Brand Ambassadors of AIESEC etc;
Romania at international level and
in the external environment;  adapt national/local strategy
accordingly;
√assure the implementation of  develop support processes, tools,
the 2015 midterm ambition  activities;
 constant communication and
 tracking ( MCP-LCPs, MCVPs-
 VPs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fMcDZNnDhk&feature=player_profilepage

5.

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Change agents in action !

 1.Strenghts:
1.wide Alumni network ( national database = approx.
1000 contacts);
2.excellent pool for X+L realization (Q2+Q3+Q4: 83 X+L,
out of these, 34 (40%) were Alumni);
3. direct TN takers/ entrance to potential TN
takers (Q2+Q3+Q4: 10 TNs corporate signed; out of these 5 were
raised through Alumni support;)
4. functional BOA alumni at national level;
5. AIESEC 20: » good promotion strategy: 200 Alumni
as guests; » well built agenda: high satisfaction of the Alumni with
the event;
6. good national number of events addressed to
Alumni (Q2+Q3+Q4:47; Q2: 14, Q3: 7, Q4: 22);
7. good national overall involvement of Alumni in supporting
organizational development ( charring, training, facilitating,
participation in learning circles, EB elections, etc);
Opportunities:
see opportunities at answer 2a/ General questions
+the world is a “tribe society” ( Seth Godin): shared ideas and
values give ordinary people the power to lead an make big
changes; people start understanding the importance of the network,
they come back to their roots; ( possibility for more inniatives such
as Ropot, Scoala pentru Viata, ascendis, AAAI, Scoala de Valori,
etc)
Change agents in action !
Weakneses:
:
1. we poses complete information only about 30% of our Alumni;
2.the Alumni EPs came mostly from Cluj (38%) and CT (18% );
the rest are more or less devided among the other LCs; (BV:2; IS:2;
GL:5; TGM:1; PT:1; SB:2, BU:1; CR:1;)
3.yet, few LCs actually use Alumni support for TN raising: only
Cluj ( 3 TNs) and Bucharest ( 2 TNs) used their help in this regard;
4. unfunctional BoA in more than 70% of the LCs; ( LCs with
functional BoA: Constanta, Galati, Sibiu, Timisoara).
5. AIESEC 20: » overwhelming workload for the national ARM (
no OC); »poor media coverage; »no sales: only 2000 € generated;
6. however they are not naturally divided among the LCs: BV: 7,
TGM: 6; CR: 5, OR: 5; BU:4; GL: 5, CJ: 3, IS: 3, PL: 3, SB: 3;
CT: 2, PI: 1.
7.out of 7.147 € colected through 2% and 3‰ during Q2, Q3 and
Q4 only approx. 1000 € came from Alumni;
8. Q2, Q3, Q4: money received from Alumni: 2.382 € ( main
money receivers: GL:850 €, IS: 870 €; BV:430 €);
9.lack of focus on the ARM area ( 2010-2011: 8 out of 13 locals
had an ARM);
10. lack of strategy, processes, procedures, (e.g. no Alumni Event
plan, no Alumni Communication plan, no Alumni Involvement
plan etc);
Threats:
1.large number of organizations, associations that can be seen as
substitutes: (collaborations, donations/sponsorship, etc);
2.entrepreneurship→ not supported by the Romanian system of
taxes and duties→ our country neighbours become a more desirable
location for business openings; again, no valuable people to support
our development as a country;
3.the strong disagreement ofGermany and France on our adhesion
to the Schengenspace→limitated collaboration with the 25 member
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*As shown by the statistics previously presented, the ARM position is still not strategically used and therefore doesn’t
manage to bring a great contribution to the organizational objectives, although, it has great resorts of increasing (directly
and indirectly) both the X numbers and the Leadership positions, and also the financial resources of the organization!

2.In order to build a healthy relation with our Alumni network I will propose working on the 3 steps suggested already by
the AI: Communication, Reconnection and Involvement. I see them as being the natural cycle of creating strong,
confidence based relations capable of generating relevant benefits for both sides (AIESEC and Alumni). As any strategy
serves the purpose of reaching clear, well-defined objectives the ideas expressed below are just orientative for the
moment. Depending on the direction embraced by the country for the next year we can focus more on certain actions and
less on others. For the time given, my suggestions are based mainly on what the ARM role should mean for the term
2011-2012 according to its JD. See also q. 2a/ General questions

Communication: Reconnnection: Involvement:

Communication Reconnection Involvement
Communication Communication Communication

a.with the Alumni, about the
Alumni; (cultivate role models)
b.manage national Alumni
database (national CRM/ SPSS/
Excel/ myaiesec.net);
c.manage online
communication channels: (
yahoogroups, Facebook,
LinkedIn, myaiesec.net for
Alumni, Flickr, Plaxo, etc);
d.manage the Alumni section
on the national website:
suggested sections: latest
newsletter as home page, acces
to national Alumni database,
Alumni event plan, links to
online alumni communities,
AIESEC Alumni network in
numbers, etc)
e.monthlynewsletter:
suggestions:sent montlyno more
than 5 articles: summary of
AIESEC activities/ link to
national newsletter, article
about upcoming events for
Alumni/article following up the
most recent Alumni event,
Change Agents in action:
aritcles cultivating change
agents role models, national and
international, press articles on
issues of interest for AIESEC,
etc.
-mainly through events;
-we can assure the relevance of
the event by analyzing
elements such as:
a. profile and background of
Alumni; (»AIESEC Business
Event/ Alumni & Parteners
Night/ PAN: preferred
especially by younger
generations in search of
building professional networks;
» informal, semi-informal
events preferred both by older
and younger Alumni
generations; main
interest/need: reconnecting
with their generation: e.g.
Alumni Talks/Pecha Kutcha,
AIESEC Annniversaries, etc);
b. capacity of the LC/MC;
c. year plan/direction of the
LC/MC;
-the events should facilitate the
interraction between:
»Alumni- Alumni;
»Alumni – membersAlumni
(e.g. Coffee with your
Alumni)
»Alumni- other AIESEC
stakeholders (companies,
NGOs: e.g. AIESEC
Anniversaries, AIESEC
Business Events)
a. organizational Development
through Alumni support:
mentorship, coaching, training,
charring, etc:
- possibility of developing an Alumni mentorship
program; ( AIESEC Bucharest already in process of
implementation);
-possibility of developing an Alumni Involvement
plan; ( see AIESECSs’ Spain example:
http://www.myaiesec.net/content/viewfile.do?open=
next&contentid=10117227#)
b.raisingexchanges/revenues/inkind:
- opportunities to raise TNs in Alumni companies,
with Alumni support, opportunity to generate
income ( 2 %, 3‰, opportunity to have Alumni as
Eps);
c.Alumni in BoA:
- alumni: perfect link between AIESEC and the
external environment; the best support in adressing
recurring issues ( strategic planning, membership
criteria, financial problems, continuity);
d. H4TF: carrer development, Alumni as support
in following the change agent path ( e.g. LOT);

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Change agents in action !

 3.I would not necessarily mention here only brand new products, but also products that we already poses as an
organization but we are not fully taking advantage of. ( e.g. the exchange program). I would also mention products
already existing on the external market that can bring a great plus for AIESEC Alumni Management. ( e.g. Pecha Kutcha/
Alumni Talks concept event ). I will add to these 2 the Alumni Card, a product which might be well received by AIESEC
parteners as part of their Sales Promotion Strategy.

1.Pecha Kutcha/ Alumni Talks concept event
(quarterly in every local)
http://www.pechakucha.org/what;
2. Alumni Card:
see examples of Alumni Cards for
Unniversitieshttps://www.alumnet.nus.edu.sg/InnerPage.as
px?menuid=86
orhttp://www.alumni.ox.ac.uk/benefits/oxford_alumni_car
d/index.html
1.Benefits:
 Alumni have the change of talking about proffesional
achievements, hobbies, ideas, in an informal manner,
the 20X20 concept; ( it can be an event pleasing both
younger and older generations);
 reconnecting with AIESEC friends;
 connecting with the current generation of AIESEC;
 smart learning method;
 the chance of positioning themselves in the Alumni
network: strengthen their networks for business
and/or social purposes;
2.Benefits:
 10- 20% discounts for LGPs and NGPs;
 official recognition as part of AIESEC Alumni
Network

3.Benefits:
 personal and proffesional development;
 internationalandcross-cultural understanding;
3.Packaging X+L for the last 3, 4 generations of  global network of contacts;
Alumni + H4TF  discounts ( depending on the LCs);

-check the need/interest;

-develop a national promotion campaign;
-ongoing promotion of MTs, ETs, TTs; ( GEPs and not only,
create weekly booklets, promote TNs individually on Alumni
yahoo groups, personal e-mails,etc);

4.An Alumni database represents a controlled register of all your Alumni which allows you to smartly use your Alumni
Network in order to increase the organizational performance. E.g.: identifying the Alumni pool for X, mapping Alumni
that can take an intern or can facilitate the raising process, mapping suitable Alumni for BoA, coaching, functional area
trainings, etc. In a more elaborate way, my answer to this questions comes as it follows:

1.Alumni: an excellent pool for X+L realizations:
2. Entity relationship management:
Q2+Q3+Q4: 83 X+L, out of this, 34 (40%) were Alumni.
(CJ:13, CT:6, BV:2; IS:2; GL:5; TGM:1; PT:1; SB:2, BU:1;
CR:1;
 direct TN takers, financial, development, media partners;
 links to influential entities ( corporate, non-corporate
sector, government, ANOFM, etc)e.g. Media Fax, Ziarul
Financiar: Funeriu Andreea ( Brand Manager &
Redactor); Guvern: Alina Manea (Government)

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Change agents in action !


3.Organizational Development Support:
 BoA
 mentorship program implementation ( mentorship
platform-already developed by AIESEC Bucharest)
 Alumni involvement calendar ( training, charring,
Learning Circles, EB elections, coaching, etc)

5.
a.Contact management:

(both databases generating results on specific criterias: National CRM/SPSS/Excel, and online communities:
myaiesec.net, LinkedIn, Facebook, Yahoo Groups, gmail, plaxo, xing)

 indentifying potential project/ conference parteners/TN takers;

 identifying sales leads generators who can offer valuable endorsement; brand ambassadorship
during the negociation process, etc;

b. ER Team Development:
 provide expertize, knowledge, advice connected to the field (BOA Alumni, Sales Schools delivered
by Alumni, local trainings, to coaching one on one, etc.);

c. Income generator:
 through events addresed directly to Alumni (e.g.: AIESEC 21+ ELA);
 through consultative sale, testing ER, ICX C products among Alumni,
 through 2% campaign, 3 ‰ campaign targetting Alumni;
 through the development of new Alumni products ( ex: Alumni Card);

d. Positioning in the Business Environment:

 increase our Business community by following their networking actions & by asking support in
facilitating our acces to different events: (e.g): Conferinta Nationala JCI Romania, TEDex,
GOmentorship; BNI, bizzclub ( coaching4you), Romanian Managers Business Networking,
Romania Business and Professional Network ( romania.org); Romanian Entrepreneurs, etc.

 reinforce AIESEC Brand into the business sector (Ziarul Financiar, Business Magazine, Media Fax)
by promoting our change agents ( e.g. RYLF, Entrepreneurial Innitiatives, AIESEC
Anniversaries,etc).

6.
ARM strategic role ( impact on Exchange, impact
on the learning environment, impact on
positioning, on financial sustainability), Alumni
1.Traininig Plan engagement cycle, managing contacts,
networking building, event management, etc).
The sessions can be delivered in conferences (
NC, Rock Me, webinars, LC visits;
 year plan/ quarterly plan;
2.Planning and Tracking Tools ( e.g.  Alumni Event plan;
Google spreadsheet)  Alumni Communication plan;
 Alumni organizational development plan;
√See AIESEC Spains’ example:

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Change agents in action !

 2.Planning and Tracking Tools ( e.g.
Google spreadsheet)
3.Quarterly tracking tool ( SONA)
http://www.myaiesec.net/content/viewfile
.do?opern=next&contentid=10117227#
introduce new MoS ( e.g. number of Alumni
mapped, existence of an Alumni Involvement
Plan, existence of an Alumni event plan, etc);

4.Knowledge Management Tools (e.g. -store training materials, internal and external
myaiesec.net, Drop Box documents;

7.“Un-important” (not necessarily strategic), “Undefined”, “Unpopular” these seem to be the words
describing the Romanian ARM position at the time given. In this context, the role of the next national
ARM appears to be not only extremely challenging but also extremely complex.

1.REINFORCE THE POSITIONs’ STRATEGIC ROLE: educate and engage people related to the
value it can bring to the organization;
2.Go from UNDEFINED TO DEFINED: develop processes ( Alumni communication and event plan,
Alumni organizational development plan, etc) and procedures ( event management, newsletter
implementation, creation and implementation of communication campaigns, etc), redefine Alumni naming
criterias, update MoS.
3.GO from UNPOPULAR TO POPULAR: make ARM a desirable position for the next generations:
act accordingly to the strategy, generate visibility through remarkable results.

Personal and Professional contribution:

1. 1.REINFORCE THE POSITIONs’ STRATEGIC ROLE: The main personal characteristic that
would support me in this direction is what we call in AIESEC, inclusiveness. I value others opinion and I
am fully aware that only by engaging and giving ownership you can also reach implementation. I have
learnt this lesson mostly as a Vice-President of the Communication Department in AIESEC Cluj where I
have coordinated a team of approx. 10 people. I have developed a prepared and motivated Communication
team capable of implementing from 2 to 4 communication campaigns simultaneously and always achieve up
to 80 % to100% of its objectives. Our tireless work brought the LC the The Media Award for Excellence/
NGO category. To this comes my training experience ( ITtT Basic and Advanced) which makes me not only
a good speaker but maybe even a better listener.
2. 2. GO from UNDEFINED to DEFINED: If I were to choose here one of the competencies I would
say: personal effectiveness. This characteristic was developed again as a Vice-President of the
Communication Department when I played a double role: VP and member of the EB. Both of them implied
strategic thinking and planning ( I have restructured the Communication Department, developed and
implemented a new AIESEC event: AIESEC Fair, contributed to the re-orientation of our exchange
strategy, etc).
3. 3. GO from UNPOPULAR to POPULAR: I would mention here 2 characteristics: commitment to
results and creativity; gain visibility mainly through our actions. Among the professional achievements
proving these features I would mention again The Media Award for Excellence as a sign of constant,
supported work, and my experience as a Soft Skills trainer, both nationally and internationally, which
allowed me to explore my creative nature in working with people.

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Change agents in action !