2000 Days Left: Three Challenging Questions for Association Boards and CEOs

As of today (7/10/24), there are 2,000 days left in The Turbulent Twenties. To mark this critical moment in their associations' trajectories toward the future, let me propose three challenging questions for boards and CEOs across our community to consider today.

Question 1: How are you choosing the future?

Choosing the future demands that association decision-makers participate in a fearless reckoning with the detrimental impact of orthodox beliefs, i.e., the deep-seated assumptions we make about how the world works, on their organizations and prioritize intentional learning with the future by building a consistent practice of foresight.

In addition, association boards must make the choice to become more, i.e., become fit for purpose by setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing, and foresight [SGF] grounded in the duty of foresight.

Question 2: How are you facing the future?

Facing the future requires association decision-makers develop a dynamic understanding of the profound challenges of a BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible) world and operate with a clear recognition of the systemic upheaval and tough decisions ahead.

Association boards also must face the future with a purposeful commitment to stewardship that directs their agency, shares their vulnerability, and guides their wayfinding.

Question 3: How are you shaping the future?

Shaping the future means association decision-makers must prepare themselves to make short-term sacrifices to enable long-term action while working to exercise care and craft positive-sum outcomes for the benefit of stakeholders and successors.

To shape the future, association boards also must make the commitment to stand up for their successors’ futures, especially successors they will never know personally and who do not have a voice in the creation of futures that belong to them, not today's boards.

175 Days To Go

Just 175 days from today, on January 1, 2025, the second half of The Turbulent Twenties will begin. There is much work to be done before then and I implore all association boards and CEOs to use these next 175 days to prepare for what is headed our way in this decade's second sixty months. Our community's organizations must move decisively to build new capacity for necessary action. We really cannot afford to wait any longer.

Jeff De Cagna AIMP FRSA FASAE,?executive advisor for Foresight First LLC in Reston, Virginia?is an association contrarian, foresight practitioner, governing designer, stakeholder/successor advocate, and stewardship catalyst.?In 2019, Jeff was named the 32nd recipient of ASAE’s Academy of Leaders Award, the association’s highest individual honor given to consultants or industry partners in recognition of their support of ASAE and the association community.