Joining Organizations This year has been tough on local businesses and the people who run them. COVID-19 has kept many business professionals cooped up inside and socially distanced from both their customers and professional network, two quintessential ingredients for success. This forced separation has made it difficult for these people to invest in the strong local connections that keep their ideas fresh, their skills sharpened, and their businesses thriving. Fortunately, there is still a viable way to keep in touch with your community: many local professional organizations and associations have remained true to their mission to help local businesses reach their fullest potential during this time. Whether it’s meeting over Zoom or in person, joining a professional organization is vital to keeping your business healthy. After joining one of these esteemed groups, you’ll be intimately connected with other professionals in your industry and beyond. You’ll have a platform to enrich your understanding of your chosen career and the community you serve, and to join others in learning new and innovative techniques, ideas, and practices. There’s also networking opportunities, advocacy events, scholarship programs, and career development workshops to take advantage of. Not only that, but joining one of these groups will grant you visibility in the business community and offer you a chance to grow your reputation among other professionals and consumers. Even if you’re choosing to socially distance, being a part of one of these organizations in any capacity will keep you accountable to your peers and on the path toward success.
“Being a part of one of these organizations in any capacity will keep you accountable to your peers and on the path toward success.”
Now the question is, how do you find the right organization for you? That will depend on your values and the goals you have for yourself and your career. Each organization has a set of values that they’re more inclined to support, and so doing your research so that you’re in a group around other like-minded professionals is essential. Take the time to consider which one you want to be most associated with based on how much personal and professional development opportunities are offered. This way, you can decide what organization you feel most confident dedicating a portion of your time and/or money to supporting. Despite the disruptive way the pandemic is keeping us all apart, the following local organizations and associations work twice as hard to keep us all together and to keep the opportunities flowing. Take the time to look through these organizations to find out how they’re keeping the Lincoln business community thriving. If you find one that happens to grab your attention, don’t hesitate to reach out to them and ask how you can join or benefit from their programming and resources! You won’t regret it. 48 Strictly Business SEPTEMBER 2020 #PrintProudDigitalSmart
