As the CEO of a Member based association in South Australia I am faced with the ongoing question of change; change to structure; change to membership; change in technology; change in communication; change in events; ongoing change.
Worryingly, some change also means decline – decline if we don’t change and potentially decline if we do. But where does the greater risk of decline rest?
Member based associations have been around for a many centuries, but when did the modern association that we see today emerge? And exactly how modern is it? Well its Baby Boomer modern, that’s right it was built by the boomers for the boomers – men and women who are now all over 50.
So what has happened in the world since the last boomer was born in 1965? – Well we went to the moon and around it a couple of times and visited Mars, the mobile phone was invented and then the mobile computer (iphone), IVF, MRI’s and the GPS. We have genetic-engineering and DNA fingerprinting, driverless cars, the contraceptive pill and no fault divorce. But with all these changes, technological, medical and social, has the modern association kept up, and will it survive the millennials?
I am Generation X – the ‘why me?’ generation – uncommitted and unfocused – not a particularly complimentary description. I am also the generation ‘stuck’ between our Boomer parents and ‘Millennial’ children/siblings/contemporaries. My job is to negotiate between generations, to placate the Boomer who wants his association to keep doing what it always has and to woo the Millennial, who builds communities and communicates in a way that disrupts the association model and questions its existence.
The Millennial can pick up their pocket computer and with a quick swipe and type they have all the information they need, immediately, on their terms; not too early – not too late. Google is my foe. They don’t see the need to have information ‘just in case’, they don’t see the need to pick up a phone and call a friend – they text, snapchat and ‘communicate’ in ways I don’t grasp through ‘Apps’ I haven’t heard of. They are used to and expect instant access to price comparisons, product information and peer reviews.
The millennial generation is the largest in history, larger than the Boomer generation. They’re also the first generation of digital natives, and their passion for technology helps shape how they shop and live. They look for maximum convenience for lowest cost, and this is a big shift for the boomer designed membership-based Association.
The millennials are looking to access information, services and products without obtaining ownership – they have developed and will continue to grow the ‘share economy’. So how will this be reflected in the modern Association – how will we respond to the expectations of this generation whilst still meeting the needs of our founders?
Where is my greatest risk of decline? Failure to change is my greatest risk – failure to understand the priorities of the 18-38 year olds; the largest generation in history. Boomers were our founders and still play an active and integral role, but millennials are my present and my future. The Association must change to reflect the millennials way of communication and access to products and services on their terms. We must forget about ‘how we have always done things’ – let go, start afresh, try something new – it may hurt at first, it may be a huge flop! But from that we will learn, we will learn to understand our members, our market and what makes it (and us) tick – and we will grow in our learning, becoming stronger, more resilient, insightful Association leaders.
A Pit. A Lion. A Girl. 