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Top Takeaways from the 2023 ASAE Annual Meeting

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Description

Contributors

  • Amanda Davis, CMP

    Chief Experience Officer
    Amanda has over 15 years of experience in the association world, strategically focused on learning products. With multiple association roles as Director of Learning & Development and Online Learning Manager, Amanda has a deep understanding of the adult learning landscape and what keeps association executives up at night. As Chief Experience Officer, Amanda now oversees the end-to-end experience for our growing mix of association clients. She is dedicated to fostering positive, productive relationships, and ensuring associations have an excellent experience partnering with our organization. Amanda draws on her background in learning strategy and association management to advise clients and shape an experience that enables their success.

  1. 00:00:00
    Hello, and welcome to the Blue Sky
  2. 00:00:02
    E-Learn audio blog. This is Amanda
  3. 00:00:04
    Davis, Chief Experience Officer at Blue
  4. 00:00:07
    Sky E-Learn. I'm so happy you've tuned
  5. 00:00:10
    in today. In this episode, we'll be
  6. 00:00:12
    recounting our experience at the 2023
  7. 00:00:15
    ASAE Annual Meeting that took place
  8. 00:00:18
    earlier this month. So sit back, relax,
  9. 00:00:22
    and let's dive right in
  10. 00:00:32
    ASAE's 2023 annual meeting brought
  11. 00:00:35
    together a vibrant community of
  12. 00:00:36
    association and nonprofit professionals,
  13. 00:00:39
    industry leaders, and partners. Over
  14. 00:00:42
    the course of several days in Atlanta,
  15. 00:00:43
    we celebrated achievements, found
  16. 00:00:45
    inspiration, and collaboratively looked
  17. 00:00:48
    ahead. This year's event theme, shape
  18. 00:00:51
    your purpose, challenged us to take an
  19. 00:00:54
    active role in defining the path forward
  20. 00:00:56
    for the industry For keynotes, sessions,
  21. 00:00:59
    exhibits, and conversations, we
  22. 00:01:02
    explored emerging trends, models,
  23. 00:01:05
    technologies, and strategies. As we
  24. 00:01:08
    grapple with constant change in the
  25. 00:01:11
    world around us, the conference
  26. 00:01:13
    provided perspective on how associations
  27. 00:01:15
    and nonprofits can remain responsive and
  28. 00:01:18
    vital. With over 15 years of experience
  29. 00:01:21
    working with associations, I attended
  30. 00:01:23
    the ASAE annual meeting for the sixth
  31. 00:01:26
    time this year while the focus often
  32. 00:01:28
    changes. the core goals remain
  33. 00:01:31
    consistent, serving members and
  34. 00:01:33
    generating non-do's revenue. Here are
  35. 00:01:36
    my top takeaways from this year's
  36. 00:01:38
    meeting. Even with constant change,
  37. 00:01:42
    the heart of the association community
  38. 00:01:44
    remains the same. We still care deeply
  39. 00:01:47
    about our work and each other. The
  40. 00:01:50
    passion in the hallways and rooms is
  41. 00:01:52
    like a living spirit throughout this
  42. 00:01:54
    event. Everyone is feeling excited
  43. 00:01:56
    about seeing people and loving the
  44. 00:01:58
    industry they serve. More and more, we
  45. 00:02:01
    are learning to lean on our community of
  46. 00:02:03
    peers and borrow ideas, crafting the
  47. 00:02:06
    best option for our organization. Those
  48. 00:02:09
    who work in this industry undoubtedly
  49. 00:02:12
    care for what they do and how they do it.
  50. 00:02:16
    Nothing but the best for their members
  51. 00:02:18
    and constituents rings true in every
  52. 00:02:20
    single conversation I had, whether with
  53. 00:02:23
    an association leader or an industry
  54. 00:02:25
    partner We are all passionate about our
  55. 00:02:28
    purpose.
  56. 00:02:30
    It's a bright and exciting time in the
  57. 00:02:32
    industry. Opportunities are available
  58. 00:02:35
    for the taking. Throughout these
  59. 00:02:37
    discussions, a clear lesson emerges.
  60. 00:02:40
    Change, although uncertain, opens
  61. 00:02:43
    doors to new opportunities.
  62. 00:02:45
    Associations have shown their ability to
  63. 00:02:48
    not just survive disruptions, but
  64. 00:02:50
    thrive amidst them.
  65. 00:02:53
    The lessons drawn from the COVID-19
  66. 00:02:55
    pandemic continue to echo across the
  67. 00:02:58
    community, underlining how associations
  68. 00:03:01
    swiftly adapted to the evolving
  69. 00:03:04
    circumstances. Associations have a
  70. 00:03:07
    track record of quickly adjusting their
  71. 00:03:09
    strategies to match the changing
  72. 00:03:11
    landscape. This highlights the
  73. 00:03:13
    importance of embracing change now and
  74. 00:03:16
    maintaining that flexibility. With new
  75. 00:03:19
    opportunities arising and the market
  76. 00:03:21
    evolving, associations are well
  77. 00:03:24
    positioned to take the lead The ASAE
  78. 00:03:27
    sessions also eliminated the amendment.
  79. 00:03:30
    potential of emerging technologies such
  80. 00:03:33
    as AI, offering a glimpse into
  81. 00:03:35
    associations proactive, stance towards
  82. 00:03:39
    adopting and flexibly embracing such
  83. 00:03:42
    innovations. In the same vein, the
  84. 00:03:45
    discussions underscored the importance
  85. 00:03:47
    of recognizing members evolving
  86. 00:03:49
    expectations, further emphasizing the
  87. 00:03:52
    necessity of remaining attuned to their
  88. 00:03:55
    evolving needs. This highlights the
  89. 00:03:58
    ongoing challenge of nurturing
  90. 00:04:00
    continuous growth and adaptation within
  91. 00:04:03
    the association community.
  92. 00:04:06
    Those specific strategies and models may
  93. 00:04:08
    shift. Associations remain vital by
  94. 00:04:11
    delivering value to the professionals,
  95. 00:04:13
    companies and stakeholders they serve.
  96. 00:04:17
    There are always new needs to meet, new
  97. 00:04:19
    connections to facilitate and new
  98. 00:04:21
    knowledge to share. With an openness to
  99. 00:04:24
    reimagine solutions, Embrace new
  100. 00:04:27
    technologies and listen to emerging
  101. 00:04:29
    needs. Associations are poised to
  102. 00:04:32
    flourish. Opportunity awaits in
  103. 00:04:35
    increased global engagement, expanded
  104. 00:04:38
    virtual and hybrid offerings,
  105. 00:04:40
    data-driven insight, and heightened
  106. 00:04:42
    focus on member experience, a topic
  107. 00:04:45
    near and dear to my heart. This is a
  108. 00:04:48
    time for optimism and proactive
  109. 00:04:51
    experimentation. With courage and
  110. 00:04:53
    creativity, associations will continue
  111. 00:04:56
    to successfully adapt to rising
  112. 00:04:58
    challenges and chances. The brightest
  113. 00:05:01
    days lie ahead.
  114. 00:05:04
    Association executives are finally
  115. 00:05:06
    talking about their roles in a sales
  116. 00:05:08
    context. Like it or not, you are
  117. 00:05:11
    selling your organization's value every
  118. 00:05:13
    single day, and it's OK. In the past,
  119. 00:05:18
    association executives may have shied
  120. 00:05:20
    away from viewing their roles through a
  121. 00:05:23
    sales lens However, the landscape has
  122. 00:05:26
    shifted. requiring more revenue
  123. 00:05:28
    generation, member recruitment, and
  124. 00:05:30
    proving ongoing value. As such,
  125. 00:05:33
    associations must embrace that sales and
  126. 00:05:37
    marketing are integral to their work.
  127. 00:05:40
    Every interaction association
  128. 00:05:42
    professionals have is an opportunity to
  129. 00:05:44
    showcase their organization's worth.
  130. 00:05:48
    Rather than avoiding sales-focused
  131. 00:05:50
    language and strategies, smart
  132. 00:05:52
    associations are now proactively
  133. 00:05:54
    building these competencies
  134. 00:05:56
    Forward-thinking groups are training
  135. 00:05:58
    staff on consultative sales approaches
  136. 00:06:01
    to authentically convey value.
  137. 00:06:04
    Associations have services, events,
  138. 00:06:07
    education, and community to sell
  139. 00:06:09
    year-round. Doing so with integrity and
  140. 00:06:12
    transparency is not only acceptable,
  141. 00:06:15
    but mandatory for continued prosperity.
  142. 00:06:19
    As long as the mission remains central,
  143. 00:06:21
    sales enable broader impact.
  144. 00:06:26
    AI is here to stay. Now how can we test
  145. 00:06:29
    the waters? The rise of artificial
  146. 00:06:32
    intelligence is undeniable and its
  147. 00:06:35
    presence across industries will only
  148. 00:06:37
    grow. For associations, the question
  149. 00:06:40
    is not whether to adopt AI but how to
  150. 00:06:44
    reasonably test and integrate these
  151. 00:06:45
    technologies to enhance programs,
  152. 00:06:48
    services, experience, and strategy
  153. 00:06:52
    With a learn as you go mindset,
  154. 00:06:54
    associations can pilot AI tools for
  155. 00:06:57
    specific challenges. The key is
  156. 00:06:59
    starting small rather than overhauling
  157. 00:07:02
    systems. For instance, chatbots and
  158. 00:07:05
    virtual assistants can improve event,
  159. 00:07:07
    website, and community interactions.
  160. 00:07:10
    Testing effectiveness and sentiment
  161. 00:07:12
    allows associations to build internal AI
  162. 00:07:16
    fluency. Moreover, forming
  163. 00:07:18
    partnerships with platforms that
  164. 00:07:20
    seamlessly integrate AI into their
  165. 00:07:22
    toolkit can provide an added advantage.
  166. 00:07:26
    If you had a chance to stop by our booth
  167. 00:07:28
    during ASAE, we spotlighted a range of
  168. 00:07:32
    AI functionalities, including enhanced
  169. 00:07:34
    learning creation optimization,
  170. 00:07:37
    underscoring the tangible benefits of
  171. 00:07:39
    this technology for associations.
  172. 00:07:42
    Rather than reacting defensively to AI,
  173. 00:07:45
    curious and prudent experimentation will
  174. 00:07:49
    serve associations best. The impacts of
  175. 00:07:52
    AI will become more apparent over time,
  176. 00:07:54
    with proactive learning and piloting,
  177. 00:07:57
    associations can keep pace with AI's
  178. 00:07:59
    evolution in a manner true to their
  179. 00:08:03
    values. The waters may feel murky, but
  180. 00:08:07
    by waiting in gradually, future
  181. 00:08:09
    directions will emerge. If you've been
  182. 00:08:13
    hesitant to dive in, check out our
  183. 00:08:14
    recent blog written for association
  184. 00:08:16
    executives on best practices for using
  185. 00:08:20
    AI to develop content.
  186. 00:08:23
    Be sure to check out the online article
  187. 00:08:25
    to see an image of our team that
  188. 00:08:26
    attended ASAE 23. The dedication of the
  189. 00:08:30
    professionals that attend ASAE is
  190. 00:08:32
    inspirational. This community's
  191. 00:08:34
    commitment to excellent persists. The
  192. 00:08:37
    passion, work ethic, and dedication
  193. 00:08:40
    demonstrated by the professionals in the
  194. 00:08:42
    association community is truly
  195. 00:08:44
    inspirational. Despite the rapid
  196. 00:08:47
    evolution and challenges facing the
  197. 00:08:49
    industry, the commitment to excellence
  198. 00:08:52
    among its members persists. Association
  199. 00:08:56
    professionals pour incredible energy
  200. 00:08:58
    into serving their organizations,
  201. 00:09:00
    missions, and members. Their drive to
  202. 00:09:03
    keep learning, innovating, and
  203. 00:09:05
    advancing the industry forward in the
  204. 00:09:08
    face of obstacles is motivating. At
  205. 00:09:11
    conferences like ASAE, you witness
  206. 00:09:14
    their care and spirit of service
  207. 00:09:16
    firsthand through every session,
  208. 00:09:19
    discussion, and conversation. There is
  209. 00:09:22
    a palpable camaraderie that comes from a
  210. 00:09:25
    shared purpose and devotion to making a
  211. 00:09:27
    positive impact. Strangers quickly
  212. 00:09:30
    become colleagues as knowledge and ideas
  213. 00:09:33
    are exchanged. The
  214. 00:09:35
    opening keynote, Damon John said it
  215. 00:09:37
    best, We don't invest in companies, we
  216. 00:09:40
    invest in people. And the association
  217. 00:09:43
    industry is no exception to this rule.
  218. 00:09:46
    Whether you are referring to our members,
  219. 00:09:49
    learners, or staff within the
  220. 00:09:50
    association, we are a people-loving
  221. 00:09:54
    community who thrives on meaningful
  222. 00:09:57
    interactions. The community comes
  223. 00:09:59
    together
  224. 00:10:16
    to collaboratively envision and build
  225. 00:10:16
    the future. This spirit has defined the
  226. 00:10:16
    association's face for generations and
  227. 00:10:16
    continues as new leaders carry the torch.
  228. 00:10:16
    Seeing professionals at all stages of
  229. 00:10:16
    their careers maintain this commitment.
  230. 00:10:18
    It serves as a reminder that no matter
  231. 00:10:20
    how much the tools, models, and
  232. 00:10:22
    strategies evolve, the dedication at
  233. 00:10:25
    the heart of this work persists.
  234. 00:10:28
    Associations remain vital for sustained
  235. 00:10:31
    excellence from professionals who
  236. 00:10:33
    believe deeply in the value of their
  237. 00:10:35
    contributions. This community's resolve
  238. 00:10:39
    powers it through challenges and sets
  239. 00:10:42
    excellence as the standard. Our
  240. 00:10:45
    industry requires fresh approaches to
  241. 00:10:47
    drive better outcomes. We must
  242. 00:10:49
    challenge the status quo. The
  243. 00:10:52
    association industry today faces
  244. 00:10:54
    disruptions that necessitate new
  245. 00:10:56
    perspectives and willingness to depart
  246. 00:10:58
    from status quo strategies. Complacency
  247. 00:11:02
    and reliance on traditional models may
  248. 00:11:04
    undermine an association's continued
  249. 00:11:07
    prosperity and impact. Chad Foster's
  250. 00:11:10
    keynote presentation, Blind Ambition,
  251. 00:11:12
    offered inspiring lessons through the
  252. 00:11:15
    story of his life after losing his sight.
  253. 00:11:18
    Foster persevered in pursuing success,
  254. 00:11:22
    even though the path was difficult. He
  255. 00:11:25
    encountered setbacks and struggles, but
  256. 00:11:27
    remained committed to his goal of
  257. 00:11:29
    overcoming adversity. Though unsure of
  258. 00:11:33
    the way forward at times, he continued
  259. 00:11:36
    striving. Foster's perseverance through
  260. 00:11:39
    hardship exemplifies the power of
  261. 00:11:42
    steadfast determination in achieving
  262. 00:11:45
    one's desires, despite the obstacles.
  263. 00:11:48
    His experience shows that with ambition
  264. 00:11:51
    and resolve, we can overcome life's
  265. 00:11:53
    challenges and accomplish our dreams.
  266. 00:11:57
    To thrive into the future, Association
  267. 00:11:59
    leaders must have the courage to
  268. 00:12:01
    critically exam existing practices to
  269. 00:12:03
    determine the needed shifts. In some
  270. 00:12:07
    cases, long-standing processes require
  271. 00:12:09
    not just tweaks, but transformational
  272. 00:12:12
    change to meet member and stakeholder
  273. 00:12:14
    needs. This could involve anything for
  274. 00:12:17
    me. reimagining antiquated technology
  275. 00:12:21
    systems to diversifying leadership, to
  276. 00:12:24
    incorporating emerging delivery methods.
  277. 00:12:27
    Creating an organizational culture that
  278. 00:12:30
    embraces evolution rather than resisting
  279. 00:12:33
    it is key. This requires regularly
  280. 00:12:36
    evaluating if current approaches still
  281. 00:12:39
    produce optimal outcomes or if bold new
  282. 00:12:42
    directions are called for By combining
  283. 00:12:45
    openness to change with a commitment to
  284. 00:12:48
    purpose, associations can responsibly
  285. 00:12:51
    challenge conventions. The goal is not
  286. 00:12:54
    change solely for change's sake, but
  287. 00:12:57
    change to expand an association's
  288. 00:13:00
    ability to serve its members. The
  289. 00:13:03
    future will present obstacles, but
  290. 00:13:05
    facing them with creativity and resolve
  291. 00:13:08
    leads to positive outcomes. Our
  292. 00:13:10
    community's dedication empowers us to
  293. 00:13:12
    shape better futures.
  294. 00:13:16
    The relationships within this community
  295. 00:13:18
    are invaluable. The connections formed
  296. 00:13:20
    within the association community create
  297. 00:13:23
    invaluable support systems that members
  298. 00:13:25
    rely on throughout their careers. The
  299. 00:13:28
    friendships, mentorships, and
  300. 00:13:30
    professional relationships forms through
  301. 00:13:33
    conferences, chapter events, and
  302. 00:13:35
    collaborations become essential networks.
  303. 00:13:39
    Having peers that you trust
  304. 00:13:40
    intrinsically provides benefits beyond
  305. 00:13:43
    business partnerships They become
  306. 00:13:46
    trusted advisors to turn to when
  307. 00:13:48
    challenges inevitably arise. You know
  308. 00:13:52
    they genuinely want to see you and the
  309. 00:13:56
    industry thrive. Being able to speak
  310. 00:13:58
    candidly, ask questions and brainstorm
  311. 00:14:01
    ideas without judgment facilitates
  312. 00:14:03
    growth. The relationships offer
  313. 00:14:06
    reassurance that others understand your
  314. 00:14:08
    reality The connections forged empower
  315. 00:14:12
    us individually and collectively to
  316. 00:14:14
    shape the future. After that, they are
  317. 00:14:18
    invaluable.
  318. 00:14:20
    The association industry is constantly
  319. 00:14:23
    evolving. New technologies, models,
  320. 00:14:26
    challenges, and innovations arise every
  321. 00:14:29
    year that force associations to adapt
  322. 00:14:31
    and keep pace. However, even amidst
  323. 00:14:34
    this steady change, the core of this
  324. 00:14:37
    community persists. No matter the
  325. 00:14:40
    shifts happening around us, the passion
  326. 00:14:42
    that drives this profession remains At
  327. 00:14:45
    the heart of every association
  328. 00:14:47
    professional, you meet is a fundamental
  329. 00:14:51
    care for the mission, members, and
  330. 00:14:53
    stakeholders we serve, a drive to
  331. 00:14:56
    expand knowledge, resources,
  332. 00:14:58
    connections, and advocacy in our
  333. 00:15:01
    respective fields pushes us forward.
  334. 00:15:05
    Conferences like ASAE 2023 Annual
  335. 00:15:08
    Meeting powerfully capture the spirit in
  336. 00:15:12
    every session, conversation, and
  337. 00:15:14
    handshake. you feel the shared
  338. 00:15:16
    commitment to making a difference.
  339. 00:15:18
    Laughter and ideas fill the hallways as
  340. 00:15:21
    we learn together. Strangers become
  341. 00:15:23
    colleagues and colleagues become friends.
  342. 00:15:26
    It's this camaraderie, passion and
  343. 00:15:29
    dedication that I'm reminded of year
  344. 00:15:31
    after year. We face new obstacles but
  345. 00:15:35
    are still bound by common purpose.
  346. 00:15:38
    Informal chats at receptions turn to
  347. 00:15:40
    excited brainstorming on future
  348. 00:15:42
    collaborations Innovators share their
  349. 00:15:46
    knowledge freely, wanting to advance
  350. 00:15:48
    the industry. While so much changes on
  351. 00:15:51
    the surface, these roots run deep. As
  352. 00:15:55
    long as we nurture the spirit of service
  353. 00:15:58
    and community, the future is bright.
  354. 00:16:01
    Though the tools, challenges and
  355. 00:16:03
    strategies evolve, the care for our
  356. 00:16:05
    work and each other endures. It's what
  357. 00:16:08
    brings us back year after year to
  358. 00:16:11
    reignite the passions. This collective
  359. 00:16:14
    heart empowers us to take on whatever
  360. 00:16:17
    lies ahead. About the author, Amanda
  361. 00:16:21
    Davis, CMP, chief experience officer.
  362. 00:16:26
    Amanda has over 15 years of experience
  363. 00:16:28
    in the association world strategically
  364. 00:16:31
    focused on learning products. With
  365. 00:16:33
    multiple association roles as director
  366. 00:16:35
    of learning and development and online
  367. 00:16:37
    learning manager, Amanda has a deep
  368. 00:16:39
    understanding of the adult learning
  369. 00:16:41
    landscape and what keeps association
  370. 00:16:44
    executives up at night. As chief
  371. 00:16:47
    experience officer, Amanda now oversees
  372. 00:16:50
    the end-to-end experience for our
  373. 00:16:52
    growing mix of association clients. She
  374. 00:16:55
    is dedicated to fostering positive,
  375. 00:16:58
    productive relationships and ensuring
  376. 00:17:01
    associations have an excellent
  377. 00:17:03
    experience partnering with our
  378. 00:17:05
    organization. Amanda draws on her
  379. 00:17:08
    background in learning strategy and
  380. 00:17:11
    Association Management. to advise
  381. 00:17:13
    clients and shape an experience that
  382. 00:17:15
    enables their success. I want to thank
  383. 00:17:18
    you for tuning into this episode of the
  384. 00:17:20
    Blue Sky E-Learn Audio Blog. We look
  385. 00:17:23
    forward to serving you. and be bold.