It’s no secret that staff transitions are difficult at any level and in any organization. For member-based organizations working with an association management company (AMC), the headaches can be quickly alleviated and many positive outcomes are evident. AMCs have the ability to quickly identify a situation and seek interim services. They are able to contract a qualified individual outside of the organization to step in until they can find a more permanent replacement. This is easy for an AMC to do through existing relationships in the association management community.
“The beauty of a transition at an AMC is that client culture, history, and procedures are shared by an entire team of professionals. There’s more than one or two people who know how the organization functions.” — Laura Skoff, CAE of Team Dynamics, LLC,
This makes it easy to onboard an interim staff person and make a hand-off to the permanent replacement. There are always positives that come from a new perspective about an organization. One of the ways an AMC can help make a transition smoother is clear communication to all stakeholders. This includes internal and external staff, board of directors, committees, task forces, members, donors, affiliates, etc. It is important to be as transparent as possible because hearing the news “through the grapevine” can be detrimental to the organization.
When a transition happens there is an incredible opportunity to assess and make changes to the organization. Looking at the low hanging fruit or strategic issues with a fresh set of eyes brings a new perspective and adds opportunity to reconfigure the staffing structure, processes, revenues, or strategic models. Change is always scary, but most times it is positive.
Working with an AMC allows for consistent information, keeping the organization informed and bringing new opportunities to the table. If you are dealing with a staff transition or looking to staff your organization contact AH to see how we can help.
