Getting together with 5,000-plus association colleagues and professionals in Detroit, Michigan for the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) 2015 Annual Meeting was an infusion of energy and excitement!
My favorite session was led by three members of the ASAE Research Committee: Sue Pine, Kristine Metter, and Hannes Combest. Their session was titled, “How to Define and Monitor Association Trends.” The presenters gave a clear overview of the differences between environmental scanning and strategic planning.
The key points they highlighted included:
-
Both environmental scanning and strategic planning are vitally important to association executives and boards
-
Strategic planning is normally periodic (Often every two to three years) and has a definitive outcome
-
Environmental scanning is constant, and can be compared to radar — it should inform strategic planning, but is a totally separate process
-
There is no right or wrong way to perform environmental scanning
The presenters encouraged us to embrace the abstract nature of scanning to lead boards to embrace it as well. They gave us several action items to get started in this initiative, including:
-
Define a clear scanning process (what tools would be used; what will be read, watched, and attended; and how you will compile the trends gathered)
-
Create a team of individuals who are willing to make a commitment to scanning
-
Engage members and allow them to participate in the process
The last part of this session was interactive. We worked as teams at our tables to discuss possible trends that were having an impact on our organization’s members and how they may change over time. It was very helpful to experience those conversations and realize that the hardest part of environmental scanning is diving in!
