4 Easy Ways Your Professional Association Can (and Should) Rock Member Recognition

Do you belong to a professional association??

Are you active? Do you get involved when there are opportunities to rave about other members doing AMAZING work?

Association membership is declining. The Great Resignation isn’t only impacting organizations; when people leave their company, they may also leave their sector. And that includes leaving their association.

This is the era of?The Great Member Resignation?too.?

We’re All In This Together

Wait! Before you cancel that membership, you might be?inadvertently beelining for FOMO?(fear of missing out.) Even if you’re not fully maximizing membership benefits like you once did, consider what you?could?get from being ‘in community’ with others; isn’t it invaluable to be connected to people who walk a mile in your (work) shoes every day?

Remaining active as a member of your association is a fantastic way to grow your network, learn new skills, and find better opportunities. Your profession is creating new roles, innovations, and opportunities all the time, and your association may be able to bring you the?“you’ve heard it here first, folks”?preview. For many, this is the only way to bridge the connection across organizations and geographic distances.

Those are “head” reasons. Let logic prevail! Here are “heart” reasons:

Members are the?people who care as much about your work as you do. They share your gifts and understand what it is like to do the work every day. They also know strains and stresses, as yours are theirs too. It’s?empathy personified and connection on steroids, that is, if you stay a member and keep your hand in.

In other words, rather than look at the time commitment in relation to how much is on your plate already, consider how it?feeds your professional soul. Refrain from thinking about what else you could use your membership dues for and look for ways to make it worth it (and more). Ditch the guilt about taking time from work and family to spend just a few days (sometimes an hour online) to?re-energize and learn?through professional development opportunities and conferences.

There isn’t a single place where you will find more people “like me.” And?aren’t you need more awesome people who know exactly what it’s like to be you?

• Now is the time to get more?involved.
• Now is the time to leverage association?connections.
• Now might even be the time to amp up your?leadership?in your association.

Reconnection in Five Minutes (Or Less)

Here are four things you could consider doing right now:

1. Visit your association’s website to see what?professional development opportunities?are available?
2. Pitch to your boss or look at your budget for funds to?attend the conference?(aren’t you missing your peers?)
3. Look up what?association recognition activities?exist and do one thing on the list (e.g., nominate a peer)
4. Find out when your?professional group’s appreciation day/week/month?is and make a point of doing a shout-out by text, email or on social to your peers at work or even more broadly

Pick one and dedicate the next five minutes to the task. Which one will you do? Feel free to share below.

Up Next…

Join us for the next two weeks as we continue to learn how to amplify associations’ role in a thriving career and, for association leaders, how you can add unwavering value to members. Prefer video?

We need to leverage every opportunity for professional recognition, including through our associations, to?help insulate against unprecedented levels of burnout, disconnection, and strain. Associations can help to do just that.?Check out how the Canadian Association of Call Management?#camx?leveraged their conference to help the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists celebrate RTs for RT Week 2022. How can your association spread recognition?

Want more recognition inspiration?

• Create a Recognition Ripple Effect at Your Next Conference or Meeting
• How to Keep Members: Tips for Associations, Foundation and Member-Based Organizations
• What Do Employees Need Most?

We love working together here at Greatness Magnified! This article was a co-creation between Mallory Dunbar, Learning Specialist and Sarah McVanel, Chief Recognition Officer.