Smooth The Path

Member Informed Strategy, Innovation & Marketing

March 28, 2019 By Amanda Kaiser

Are Associations Positioned Too Narrowly?

The world of work is challenging associations to expand our thinking about what an association does. We have been narrowly confining our thoughts about what an association is, until now…

Some say an association’s job is to provide networking and professional development. But we can offer networking opportunities that are not well attended and professional development that leaves members feeling bored and uninspired.

So what is really the job of the association?

It is to advance the profession and industry and,

Help each member become a better version of themselves, and you can try to

Shine a light on workplace discrimination of all types, and

Improve the managerial skills of your members (there sure are a lot of bad bosses out there), and

Boost their communication skills, and what about

Helping members to solve those big, complex, ambiguous, hair-ball problems that have been plaguing your industry or profession? Or

Teach members to make kind, thoughtful, generous, smart decisions under pressure.

There is so much more we can be doing outside of the confines of what associations usually do. The world needs saving, and associations are in the perfect place to do just that.

Related:

  • Improve the member experience with curated networking
  • Improve association value with soft skill training
  • What are associations really selling?

Filed Under: Association Strategy Tagged With: communication, decisions, leadership, networking, problem solving, professional development, soft skills

Follow

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Sign up for member insights & association inspiration.

Work With Me

Recent Posts

Association Strategy
Association Marketing
Association Innovation
Association Leadership
Association Value
Member Experience

Member Engagement
Member Research
Member Insights
Conference
Membership

Copyright © 2023 Amanda Kaiser