Comments on: We Are Who We Pretend to Be, So Be Careful Who You Pretend to Be http://www.associationinc.com/308 The business of associations Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:16:53 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Ellen http://www.associationinc.com/308/comment-page-1#comment-289 Ellen Sun, 03 Feb 2008 22:04:55 +0000 http://www.associationinc.com/308#comment-289 Great post and comments! Our association is a small-staffed, national trade association, and we constantly battle the tendency to follow the "we always do it that way" (defaulting to "non-strategy") approach, with a legacy that's heavily silo-based. In other words, our current staff works hard to step out of our silos, to re-evaluate our services and programs (and drop or revise them as needed)... but limited time, resources, and budgets conspire against our best intentions. Kudos for elevating the issue -- one that affects not just the large associations, but those of us in smaller organizations as well. Great post and comments! Our association is a small-staffed, national trade association, and we constantly battle the tendency to follow the “we always do it that way” (defaulting to “non-strategy”) approach, with a legacy that’s heavily silo-based. In other words, our current staff works hard to step out of our silos, to re-evaluate our services and programs (and drop or revise them as needed)… but limited time, resources, and budgets conspire against our best intentions.

Kudos for elevating the issue — one that affects not just the large associations, but those of us in smaller organizations as well.

]]> By: Kevin Holland http://www.associationinc.com/308/comment-page-1#comment-290 Kevin Holland Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:11:43 +0000 http://www.associationinc.com/308#comment-290 Jamie, that is an excellent point. It seems to me the only way to ensure such a "strategic clarity" is top-level commitment to it -- from the CEO to senior management, and down through the ranks. It also seems to me that smaller organizations are better at this -- usually. I once saw some state associations in the early 1990s get so wrapped up in big revenues they were getting from a specific kind of program that they began to treat it like something they were entitled to. When that product dried up and blew away, they suddenly found themselves with Titanic-sized holes in their budgets and forced to reevaluate their entire operations. It was that experience that first taught me to always assume that everything is liable to "go away" and that associations should be spending their time constantly creating new products (most importantly, new "revenue sources") in order to succeed over the longer term. Since then, though, I've seen large national associations fall prey to the same seduction (and have to deal with the same difficult aftermath). It is human nature to feel that what we have now will be here next year; thinking with more "strategic clarity" takes a lot more effort. Jamie, that is an excellent point. It seems to me the only way to ensure such a “strategic clarity” is top-level commitment to it — from the CEO to senior management, and down through the ranks. It also seems to me that smaller organizations are better at this — usually. I once saw some state associations in the early 1990s get so wrapped up in big revenues they were getting from a specific kind of program that they began to treat it like something they were entitled to. When that product dried up and blew away, they suddenly found themselves with Titanic-sized holes in their budgets and forced to reevaluate their entire operations. It was that experience that first taught me to always assume that everything is liable to “go away” and that associations should be spending their time constantly creating new products (most importantly, new “revenue sources”) in order to succeed over the longer term. Since then, though, I’ve seen large national associations fall prey to the same seduction (and have to deal with the same difficult aftermath). It is human nature to feel that what we have now will be here next year; thinking with more “strategic clarity” takes a lot more effort.

]]> By: Jamie Notter http://www.associationinc.com/308/comment-page-1#comment-291 Jamie Notter Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:03:41 +0000 http://www.associationinc.com/308#comment-291 The short answer to breaking down silos is, as your post implies, strategic clarity. When you are clear about not only what IS driving success, but what WILL drive success, then it's easier to talk about efforts that cut across functions. That and a senior management team that is comfortable with conflict. As you say, most organizations "fall in" to patterns--because they don't get clear enough strategically, and they are afraid to confront their senior level peers on issues of strategy. The short answer to breaking down silos is, as your post implies, strategic clarity. When you are clear about not only what IS driving success, but what WILL drive success, then it’s easier to talk about efforts that cut across functions. That and a senior management team that is comfortable with conflict. As you say, most organizations “fall in” to patterns–because they don’t get clear enough strategically, and they are afraid to confront their senior level peers on issues of strategy.

]]> By: Kevin Holland http://www.associationinc.com/308/comment-page-1#comment-292 Kevin Holland Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:16:39 +0000 http://www.associationinc.com/308#comment-292 Matt, it may be that you and I both work for trade associations and so have similar experiences. As to how to break those silos once they've built up, that's the question that needs exploring, and I wish I had a pat answer for it. Matt, it may be that you and I both work for trade associations and so have similar experiences.

As to how to break those silos once they’ve built up, that’s the question that needs exploring, and I wish I had a pat answer for it.

]]> By: Matt Baehr http://www.associationinc.com/308/comment-page-1#comment-293 Matt Baehr Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:52:02 +0000 http://www.associationinc.com/308#comment-293 Kevin - It is frightening how you read my mind with some of this. "The larger an association grows, the more pronounced this tendency becomes, as each of these departments “silo” themselves off into their own specific products, operating down the chain in their own sphere of operation." The real question then becomes, how do you break the silos? Kevin -
It is frightening how you read my mind with some of this.

“The larger an association grows, the more pronounced this tendency becomes, as each of these departments “silo” themselves off into their own specific products, operating down the chain in their own sphere of operation.”

The real question then becomes, how do you break the silos?

]]> By: Ann Oliveri http://www.associationinc.com/308/comment-page-1#comment-294 Ann Oliveri Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:43:34 +0000 http://www.associationinc.com/308#comment-294 Kevin I'd like to up the ante, building on your point that associations are a market, not a product line. By starting with the premise that members are the association's product, not its customers, marketing professionals can view the products they sell as the means to a larger end and tap into a more powerful emotional connection than their cherry-picking competitors. Associations can trump their so called competition in any product line, aligning member companies with their brand and charging for the privilege. Cheers Ann Oliveri The Zen of Associations Kevin

I’d like to up the ante, building on your point that associations are a market, not a product line.

By starting with the premise that members are the association’s product, not its customers, marketing professionals can view the products they sell as the means to a larger end and tap into a more powerful emotional connection than their cherry-picking competitors. Associations can trump their so called competition in any product line, aligning member companies with their brand and charging for the privilege.

Cheers
Ann Oliveri
The Zen of Associations

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