What is your association’s North Star?

THIS was the question posed by Mary Byers, CAE, who spoke to 40 attendees of the webinar, “Strategy in an Uncertain Environment,” organized by the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE) last September 15, 2020.

Mary is an Illinois, Usabased author of two bestselling books, “Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations” and “Road to Relevance: 5 Strategies for Competitive Associations.”

The term “North Star” has different meanings to different people and cultures. Scientifically, according to Earthsky, the North Star or Pole Star (a.k.a. Polaris) is known for being nearly still in our sky while the entire northern sky moves around it. Travellers and explorers have relied on Polaris to navigate to their destination long before the GPS (Global Positioning System) was invented. Its unique position and visibility provide the direction of the true north.

Metaphorically speaking, the North Star could be your association’s mission statement since it is a fixed destination that you can depend on even if the world changes around you. It could also be your orienting point–a fixed point in a spinning world–that helps you stay on track as a leader.

In Mary’s presentation, the North Star was “what is most important to you right now.” Amid the pandemic, it could be the safety of your employees as much as it could also be the sustainability of your association. Balancing safety and sustainability is a primary task of an association leader.

here are a few takeaways I got from Mary’s session:

Think “for now” versus “forever.” Mary suggests doing a decision filter where you can plot in your priority areas and plans within 3 months, 6 months, 6 months to a year, and one year and more. It will also help if you can list down what actions you can influence and those outside of your influence.

Mary also provided an activity matrix on what you want to be true when this season of uncertainty is over. It is where you can write a “to don’t” (as opposed to a “to do”) list of actions you need to stop doing and don’t want to happen; what you need to pause or those that are uncertain; what to double down; and who to potentially collaborate with and on what issues.

Collaboration is the new currency. Seek partnerships with like-minded associations to benefit from synergies and economies of scale.

Short-term budget projections are the norm. Do three, six, and nine months projections and monitor constantly.

Assess where your association is now. It is good if your association is coping and thriving and worse if it is struggling and drowning.

Suffering leads to opportunities. Determine what are you uniquely positioned to do; what can you do for your members that they cannot do themselves; how you can help members work with less stress, more profitably, and more productively; and what members need now that they didn’t need before.

Mary ended her session by posing another tough question, “how uncomfortable are you willing to be on behalf of the future of your association?” Will this poser be your North Star for now?

The column contributor, Octavio “Bobby” Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific and the Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives. PCAAE is holding the Associations Summit 8 on November 25 and 26, 2020 with the theme, “Leading with Agility.” The two-day virtual event is supported by Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board and the PICC. E-mail inquiries@adfiap.org for more details on AS8.