Winning the race for relevance
Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report February 2012
Why our future depends on your success.
Associations must deliver. Fewer than 25% of doctors belong to the AMA today, compared to 75% in 1965.
A FRIEND AND PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUE, Harrison Coerver, is the co-author of a new book that’s getting rave reviews from many association executives. One CEO of a major association serving the finance and investments industry called it, “The most provocative and compelling book on association governance and management in a quarter century.”
This much-acclaimed book, titled
Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations, does make a powerful case for why and how associations need to adjust their operations. While the details of Harrison’s 168-page message are targeted to association executives and volunteer leaders, there is an overall theme that makes a meaningful statement to STLE members and TLT readers.
The point concerns the fundamental change in the relationship between organizations and members. In the recent past, Harrison writes, “Professionals naturally joined their professional societies, paid their dues, attended meetings and volunteered on boards and committees.” Now, however, “Professionals expect value, and companies demand return for their investment. Members are extremely busy, constraining their ability to participate and be involved.”
Harrison cites the American Medical Association (AMA) as a prime example of this trend. In 1965 75% of all physicians belonged to the AMA. Today fewer than 25% do. Many other professional organizations have encountered the same combination of declining membership and tepid interest in association products and services.
So how does an organization like STLE win the race for relevance? Harrison’s advice is concise but not simple to achieve: “Associations… are challenged with clearly identifying how to help members be more successful and determining how to deliver this value in a way that’s both convenient and accessible. M
ore than ever, the way associations become more successful is to help their members do the same.”
An important corollary to this principle is to not measure success in terms of the number of programs and services an association creates and markets. “Most associations complicate this challenge by trying to communicate too much,” says Harrison, “resulting in lower, not higher, awareness.”
During the past two years, STLE’s thinking has been very much in line with this approach. Independent market research studies have enabled us to sharpen our focus based on a better understanding of member needs. The resulting response is a future direction that is focused on three primary areas of member value.
1. Access to experts and expert content on demand. Finding trustworthy technical information with a minimum amount of difficulty is a key to success for businesses and individuals. STLE is taking this traditional organizational strength and extending it through programs like the STLE University series of Webinars and online education. Immediate and low-cost digital access to journal papers, TLT articles and even book chapters gives you the opportunity to have the answers when a new project presents an unfamiliar challenge or a customer looks to you to solve a thorny technical problem.
2. Networking–live and virtual. Association involvement has always been linked to business opportunity. Familiar venues such as the annual meeting are being supplemented and expanded through activities like the STLE LinkedIn group, which now includes more than 1,000 participants worldwide. Similarly, outreach efforts to related lubricants and tribology organizations in Asia and Europe are creating a worldwide community of some 15,000 professionals who share common needs and have the potential to become a colleague or a business partner.
3. Credentials provide differentiation in a competitive marketplace. STLE provides people with the path to earn those credentials. Certification is the society’s fastest-growing program, with more than 1,000 people worldwide holding one or more of the credentials. Similarly, new options for Corporate Membership are providing ways in which entire organizations can leverage the power of STLE to both train their people and then emphasize this commitment to excellence with customers and business partners.
STLE is using this approach to sustain our position as an association with vitality and energy. We invite you to allow our success to be your success as we move through 2012.
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.