ASSOCIATIONS’ FEATURE – NEW BLOOD FOR OLD BOARDS
NEW BLOOD FOR OLD BOARDS HOW TO GET A DIVERSE, NEW GENERATION OF ASSOCIATION LEADERS TO JOIN THE BOARD AND BOOST MEMBER REPRESENTATION Author: Michael Kern, Executive Director, Dekon Group, Istanbul
When I agreed to write this article I
in a focus on diversity in leadership as
to promote diversity. For example, in
thought of next generation association
part of each client’s strategic plan. Tara,
order to be more transparent on how to
leaders as millennials. Having done
their Vice President, stated “if diversity
become leaders within the Society, the
some research, I found that many
is not ‘strategic or top-of-mind’, it won’t
Association developed a “Path to
associations have boards comprising
happen.” One particular client began
Leadership” outline. This document
members of the ‘baby boom’ genera-
a major investment in developing the
helps professionals and others
tion, who are in their sixties and higher.
next generation of leaders as far back as
interested in the field to learn how to
So where are the new leaders? Why are
2007. Over the years, this focus has led
become more involved in the Society,
many of them not at the helm of their
to a substantial shift in the composition
and how those activities could someday
associations?
of the Board, which now includes 46%
lead to a leadership role. The Board
female representation and a greater
has also invested in a greater focus on
presence of emerging leaders.
professional development activities
Tara Withington shared how her organisation, Executive Director Inc.
for all career stages and developed a
(EDI), a leading Association Management
These changes came about from several
leadership programme to help promote
Company (AMC) in Milwaukee, builds
initiatives spearheaded by the Board
women in the field.
34
| March 2020
