Critical Issues and Questions for Associations AENC TECH 20.11 April 15, 2011 Susan Robertson CAE
Dec 09, 2014
Critical Issues and Questions for Associations
AENC TECH 20.11April 15, 2011Susan Robertson CAE
The New Normal
What has become clear:
1.We simply will not snap back to pre-recession levels or practices.2.We really can survive with less.
But can we do what is required today with those same resource levels?
The Agenda
èEconomic Impact StudyWhat Association CEOs Told Us, and What Their Members Really Think
èOur Evolving LandscapeKey Trends with Significant Impact
èManaging the TensionBetween What is and What Could Be
Biggest impact of the economic downturn felt in late 2008 until 2010.
Outlook for 2011-12 is more optimistic.
CEO Outlook
Association CEOs: Anticipated Change in Overall Revenue
63.9
24.5
11.6
38.1
23.5 23.526.8
36.5 36.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Decrease Stay the Same Increase
Summer 2009Winter 2010Winter 2011
Average projected
2011 increase:
9%
Whew! Glad that’s over!
(Maybe it’s just me but…)
With all of this optimism, why is it still so difficult?
A deeper dive shows what is keeping these same CEOS awake at night.
What impact do you think the current economy will have on your membership revenue in the coming years?
Top five issues CEOs are more concerned about now than they were last year
What Members Tell Us: My Likely Action on Next Renewal
Do you expect any of the following to occur in the upcoming year in or to your organization as a result of economic conditions?
Some Trends are Up
Meetings & Education: Members’ reported attendance last year
Meetings & Education
Meetings & Education
Our challenges are not brought about by the economy alone.
Demographic Shifts
Sector Blurring
Technology Advances
Volunteerism
Networks Organize/ Enable
*Adapted from Convergence: How five trends will reshape the social sector, The James Irvine Foundation and La Piana Consulting, November 2009
Evolving Nonprofit Landscape*
Typical age distribution
of a professional
society
…todayMcKinley Marketing Member Research
Demographic Shifts
Typical age distribution
of a professional
society
…in 10 years
McKinley Marketing Member Research
Demographic Shifts
Demographic Shifts Multiple generations working
side-by-side Learn to share leadership
across generations and cultures.
Next generation of leaders less driven by ideology, more interested in Problem Solving and Work/Life Balance.
Sectors are Blurring
More for-profit organizations see the value of “doing well by doing good”
Challenge to associations is to thrive in a blended economy
Technology Advances Us
Associations have been quick to adopt social media§ Now need to improve ability to
effectively choose among the channels
§ No single organization-wide identity
Mobile is it
Networks Organize/Enable Us
Applying the new ways of networking to the traditional model. Allows for deeper, more meaningful
collaboration Opens and encourages a global and diverse
community of thought and practice. Associations may no longer be
“institutions.” Less focused on the organization as a central
unit Find ways to have impact across networks and
programs. Forge new and/or collaborative partnerships.
Volunteerism Under Pressure
Economic & time pressures make Virtual Volunteering and Micro Volunteering more attractive.
Challenged to align volunteer opportunities with an increasingly diverse pool of volunteers.
Engage in meaningful work.
Demographic shifts
Sector blurring
Technology advances
Volunteerism
Networks for organizing
When Five Trends Converge
It is the convergence of trends in motion and the accelerated speed of change that can distract us from creating and delivering on real value.
The Tension Between WHAT IS and WHAT COULD BE
Living with a Mature Model
We try to build our customer value proposition around our existing processes and resources…
…this has acute impact on the unrealized potential of our
membership value proposition.
Operating Philosophy #1Risk
Associations likely to be risk avoiders.§ Relative security in the
slow & proven path – no failure, no criticism.
Managing risk is essential§ Failure to take risks is the
biggest risk of all.
Operating Philosophy #2
Balance Challenge is to appeal to your
leading members as well as the core. § Earn the right to lead by
delivering on the core.§ Delivering well on today’s
issues allows permission to drive change.
You can’t afford to invest in perfection.
Operating Philosophy #3
Communications is a Core Competency.
It must evolve. Make information overload
less burdensome – a new value proposition for us.
Part of why associations were formed.§ Now make it part of why we
thrive.
Questions?
Contact Information