Do Associations Fear Failure?

Conor McNulty asked on Acronynm:

• Are we conditioned to fear failure, rather than embrace it in the assocation landscape?

• Even if we operate with an acceptable amount of risk, do we truly have the ability to respond with agility, given the approval process and volunteer oversight?

Here’s what I said:   DEFINITELY! Association professionals are often scared and have a mindset of doom and gloom for a number of very good reasons. First, we call the majority of staffers “association executives”, but few have had executive-level training. One reason I think there is such a mindset of fear is because associations offer very little in the way of training budgets/professional development for most of their staff. The mindset is fear of the unknown because there is no framework in place for how things can/do work. We are saying marketing, but I see few associations that actually run marketing programs–they run campaigns, little stints, special discounts, standing discounts and offers, but everything is a one-off effort. Few have marketing programs in place that are designed to introduce a product or service, grow a product/service or eliminate (sunset) a product/service which are the 3 basic elements to a product marketing framework. There are a million books and templates and best practices on introducing a product to a market, but few associations follow this type of model. Instead, everything is treated as if it is a shot in the dark and no formal processes or best practices are followed. If this is the case then sure! that’s scary!!! My point is that there is a lot of fear because associations are experts at execution–moving in a lot of directions and just doing tasks, but few are really proficient in allocating resources to clearly defined objectives and goals. There are high level strategies and the mission, but they are too amorphous to lead to directed activity. There is lots of detailed activity (newsletter, social media, member campaign, etc) but there is a gap in between. I think that gap in knowledge leads to the fear. If associations realized that there were more models, frameworks and disciplines out in the greater world, then everything would not need to be a one-off and you wouldn’t have to rely on just what another association tried. I agree with the other writer that there is also not a culture of try it-test it-try it and this fear of making a move paralyzes organizations. Last point, most people –without training–have an internal voice or idea of “Them”. People are petrified to send an email because it might have a typo in it so 8 hours is spent sending test emails to ensure that “They” don’t see a mistake. There is fear of trying a new program because what would “They” say. Associations tend to feed the “Them” because they focus on the tiny number of people that actually are complaining instead of the vast majority that say nothing or are satisfied. Associations are horrible at weeding out and evaluating members based on their worth to the organization. For-profit companies typically have to weed out customers in the base that are costing the company money due to bad fit, too needy, too unhappy, etc. It happens, it’s part of business. Associations, however, come from a mindset that they are beholden to each individual member. Associations are beholden to the membership, but all members are not created equal. My last point on the fear and what’s-holding-associations-back is on that point: associations have held an “all members need to be treated equally” for a very long time. This worked in the mass market/industrial time (perhaps), but it does not fly now because it is entirely too costly for the association to do and is untrue–all members do not bring the same value back to the association. Why have the same benefits for all? Why focus on the members who aren’t participating? Why spend all your effort and pain trying to get to a majority? Rethink and resegment. Base your programs on value in–value out. Rethink your membership not in terms of “serving members”, but as “partnering”. Being a partner is empowering, serving is not. Serving brings fear of reprimand and not performing to a certain level. Serving is an imbalance of power. Partnering empowers association staffers, provides a new mental mindset, allows for more open communication and the ability to ask a member “what do YOU think about OUR idea?” instead of just “what do you want us to do for you?”.  Associations, in my opinion, need to be market makers—drive your industry, push and push and push innovation and forward thinking, be a beacon. Fear comes with lack of knowledge, lack of power, and (false) belief that you can control the environment. Instead, create the environment so that you are set up to succeed and you’ll notice that fear falls away and everyone is uplifted.