Embrace the Association Change
The waves of change have reached the association world. More than ever, association professionals are having to relinquish control and understand the changes that are occurring in their industry. This may seem exciting, but for many, the impending change can be an overwhelming challenge. Many of the preceding practices and procedures have been uprooted completely, leaving staff members unsure of the future. Changes in the workplace are inevitable, but an adjustment no less.
We know that change can be hard, but with the right attitude, it can take your career to the next level.
Understand the Need for Technology
You may want to fight this, but it’s important to remember that advanced association technology should improve your bottom line. Simply put, technology is taking over the association space. Everywhere you look, new vendors are vowing that their product will change your life. Ultimately, this can be a good thing. There’s a reason why your association is changing: It desperately needs innovation. To refrain from getting overwhelmed with all of the changes happening in your workplace, it’s important to remember why you need this technology. Think of how far this will take you.
Remember having to manually enter the same data multiple times? What about not being able to track member engagement? With the right AMS, you will be able to say goodbye to outdated, manual and tedious practices. The unknown may seem intimidating, but there’s a reason your association is searching for new technology.
Take Advantage of New Skills
With change comes opportunity. This is the time to broaden your horizons. Take advantage of this time and learn something new. This is a great opportunity to build your resume with skills you didn’t have before. If your association is utilizing new technology platforms, take a look at the training modules to master the product. Want to deep-dive into something specific? See if these vendors have webinars that you can register for. Make the most out of the change – learn something new!
Show Members a Brave Face
This one is critical. At the end of the day, everything you do is for your members. If your association is dealing with a large transition in-house, you want to make sure that feelings of unease don’t trickle down to your members. It’s your job to keep a brave a face during this time to assure members that their experience will remain the same (possibly even better). The fact of the matter is that this transitional period isn’t easy on your members, either. By reassuring them that this is only a temporary situation, you will allow them to look forward to the new practices that are being implemented.
Keep a Positive Attitude
This may sound like a given, but it’s really important. Change in the workplace is inevitable, whether it happens today, tomorrow or in two years – it’s coming. New people, policies and procedures are always being rolled out. The best way to handle the constant change is to maintain a positive attitude. This can make or break the new overhaul that is taking place in your professional environment. Remember that the changes that are occurring are meant to make your overall practices more efficient. It’s time to bring the association world into the 21st Century, and the only way to do that is to produce change.
Understand that Change is Constant
We’ve all heard the saying: “The only thing that is constant is change.” Unfortunately, that statement is more than true, especially in the workforce. To make the initial hit of change not so hard, it’s crucial to remember that this is all part of the process. By keeping an open mind to your evolving surroundings, you won’t be disappointed. One day you will look back and won’t be able to remember how things were before this. The only thing constant is change – even in the workplace. The best way to remain calm is to understand that things will always be different.
You’ve heard it a million times – the world your association currently lives in, is changing. Association professionals understand that innovation is needed to become efficient organizations. Change may seem hard – but it’s extremely necessary if you want to see organizational growth. There’s only one way to make the most out of it: Embrace the association change.
To learn more about association technology, take a look at our white paper: The Future of Association Technology.