Here are multiple ways to assess the state of the association industry for 2022.
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Hello and welcome to JP Moery’s Association Hustle Podcast. Founder of The Moery Company, JP’s mission is to arm today’s associations with insight and strategy to thrive and a progressively complex and competitive business landscape. 21st century associations must move forward with a little bit of hustle and revenue development at their core.
Here’s JP.
A prelude to the state of the industry.
First, attention to association work is going to increase over the next several years.
There is a lot of attention on the stories of organizations, what they do, and how they lead people, but sometimes we only get half the story. There’s a lot of coverage of stories with members leaving trade associations. The attention is always on the folks that don’t renew or quit.
If a large company chooses to leave, it’s news. It’s a reflection on the association’s CEO’s leadership and the direction of the association, but my point is, where is the reflection on the corporate CEOs leadership and the company’s direction? They’re the ones choosing to leave that great organization.
Let’s keep our eye on the ball on who we should be asking the questions. Not only the association but more so on the company that’s leaving.
Next, entrenched issues are now being addressed, that can’t be avoided or ignored any longer.
Unprecedented adjustment in our governance models, to diversify our leadership, to address the market realities of better company representation, but most importantly finding the skills that our associations need within the executives to lead the board and manage the governance of that association. Too many times we are focused on the company and the executives within the company, and not the skills that we need to take the organization forward.
Membership growth and proactive membership development programs are being assessed by CEOs. Languishing membership programs drag down supplier relationships and partnerships, which is important to our top-line revenue, and our event and program attendance because we don’t have engaged members.
Workforce. I see this oddly in our motor racing sponsorships that I’m working on. These companies are using the sport to engage employees, recruit new ones, be a part of the team, and showcase that company for people that may want to work for it. They’re doing it at the track, they’re doing it through social media, and they’re even taking the car and the driver to plants to engage with employees.
Finally, a new leadership paradigm is emerging.
CEOs are going to be assessed in a lot of different ways. Do they have diversification on their staff? Do they have diversified views on that team? It’s the end of looking over your shoulder leadership, in place we have remote teams. How are remote teams managed and led? The more flexible you can be, the more likely you’re going to keep your best people.
Overall associations have been slow to change, but we have been through so much unprecedented change our staff and members don’t seem like it’s a big deal. They’re going to apply that to their association relationship. Adapt, be self-aware and watch the market. It’s your choice, you can decide whether to do that or continue to operate the way you used to.
I’m pulling for you! I can’t wait to chat next week on the Association Hustle.
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