Why I Hate Being an Association Executive (Ok, Not Really)
Oh, we all knew it was only a matter of time before I blogged a post with that title ever since Ben Martin kicked off ASAE's Acronym blog with his post "Why I Love Being an Association Executive." (Next up on Acronym: "Apple pie is pretty good, no matter what anybody else says!") My tongue, of course, is planted firmly in cheek; I've enjoyed my career in association management immensely, through all its ups and downs (mostly ups, luckily) and plan to continue doing so for a long time to come.
But one of the reasons I look forward to the ASAE annual meeting is precisely because it offers a yearly respite from those aspects of the profession that can be, sometimes, frustrating. And it gives us all the opportunity to sit in a room with total strangers who actually understand what it is we do for a living (and swap stories on what our relatives think we do for a living -- mine thought I drove trucks for ten years, and now they're convinced I install air conditioning systems).
Association leadership is simply a unique field. Only those of us who have toiled in it for several years can fully appreciate, and navigate, the conflictiing messages we've all heard from members at one association or another:
"Run the association like a business (but keep those 'pet programs' alive)."
"The association's not a business, the mission is all that matters (but don't lose any money following it)."
"Get consensus before acting (but you need to make quicker decisions)."
"We need a new strategic plan (because the one we wrote last year isn't flexible enough ... but I'm sure this one will be)."
I've been a very fortunate guy because I've had the chance to work for, and with, great people who appreciate risk-taking and its rewards. But even when things are good, it's nice to know that at least once a year I can strike up a conversation with someone from Arizona or Ohio who asks something like, "Have you ever found yourself having a conference call to plan a conference call?"
"Oh yes," I commiserate. "But now I delegate it."