Welcome to THE PODCAST

We’ve all heard the quote “never let a good crisis go to waste.” Has the current crisis provided your association an opportunity to sunset an expensive, out of date, or burdensome product, program, or service? Have you been able to leverage these challenging circumstances to discontinue that pet project or stale committee? What have you been able to stop doing thanks to recent disruptions? Together with two seasoned CEOs, Ian Thompson (BAPCO) and Sarah Lampson (CARA), we explore what the COVID-19 pandemic has meant for associations’ business development.

For the first time in modern history, we have five generations working together. Baby Boomers are leaving however taking years of experience with them. Generation X are replacing them, moving up the hierarchy; but the majority of the workforce are Millennials (aka Generation Y), and by 2025 75% of the workforce will be Millennial. By 2030, just 10 years from now, Generation Z will start to occupy senior leadership roles and indeed, Generation Alpha will be leaving school and starting their careers! So, who is your member in 2030? What is your recruitment and retention strategy? What is your value proposition? What is your business model? We spend some time exploring these questions with one of the UK sector’s most entrepreneurial CEOs, Sarah Poulter of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.

In contrast to purposeful abandonment, how can association leaders use COVID to trigger, fast forward, or fast track innovation and initiatives. What are those things you wanted to do anyway or that were in progress or stalled and how did the impact of COVID help or allow associations to finally act and act quickly. Is COVID that opportunity to prototype, to beta, to experiment and to jump off that cliff? What do you need in order to get that green light – the board? Survey data? Financial impetus? Member call to action/member demand. Is it simply the fear of COVID and searching for new revenue streams that gets you there? What are people pulling the trigger on and how is it working out?

Does today’s environment make partnerships more appealing? What are the pros and cons of these cross-organisation relationships? What does each side bring to the table and expect in return? Are there economies of scale and opportunities to share costs? How do you balance egos and measure impact? 

We all know starting a new position, no matter what it is, comes with its challenges. Becoming a c-suite executive for the first time is no different. Today, Andrew and Elisa chat to two first-time chief executives - Molly Georgakis, Executive Director at the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Mike Stark, Chief Executive at the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry - about what it has been like to lead an association for the first time, especially in these turbulent times. We chat about the greatest challenges that they have faced so far and what impact COVID has had on them and their organisations. We also talk about the opportunities and silver linings that come with the job; and we project forward through their aspirations for 2021.