Are associations and their components partners, allies, or competitors? Depending on your relationship, it can feel like one, two, or all three of those categories.

Association management professionals often struggle to balance a sincere desire to strengthen components with a need to sufficiently allocate resources across all programs to achieve the goals of the national organization. But according to Lowell Aplebaum, CAE, CEO of Next Connextion, a strategic management and consulting firm for associations, national organizations and their components shouldn't overlook the unique value each brings to the relationship.

"Components provide unique, segmented and targeted member support. As such, they're usually aware of specific issues impacting members professionally, what the needs are, and how to address them," says Aplebaum, co-executive editor and contributing author of the Component Relations Handbook, 2nd Edition. "However, a huge mistake some organizations make is acting on assumptions about component needs. National staff should be talking to components asking questions about their struggles and other issues, finding out what's working well for them and what's not, then using the information to cultivate symbiotic relationships."

Here are a few helpful tips to begin cultivating stronger national-component relationships in your organization.

Communicate regularly. At a minimum, headquarters staff that focus on membership or component relations should talk one on one with each component at least once per year. Face-to-face interactions are ideal, but phone conversations are acceptable if resources for component visits are limited. Be open and transparent in your communications, and let your components know you recognize their value. Ask components what makes them unique in their marketplace and what struggles the national organization might be able to help them address.

Components' impact cannot always be measured quantitatively. Allow for success narratives and metrics that are both qualitative and quantitative.

Use resources wisely. Component visits are integral to building relationships, so try to set aside a budget line for these trips. Peer-to-peer feedback will garner greater engagement. Also, don't ask your components for things you can't use or respond to in a timely manner. Remember that many components are staffed with volunteers who won't appreciate feeling overwhelmed with busy work. If you ask for information, use it and let components know how and when you did.

Recognize achievements. Make it easy for components to tell you about the good work they're doing. Then, be sure to find ways to highlight component achievements and recognize volunteers and staff who are going beyond the norm to support and expand the organization. Components' impact may be indirect, and therefore, achievements cannot always be measured quantitively. Allow for success narratives and metrics that are both qualitative and quantitative.

Look for ways to partner with your components. You should view your components as partners and allies, not competitors. Depending on your organization's membership structure, you may technically compete for dues dollars, but it is more beneficial when members belong to both organizations. Cultivate an atmosphere of unity. Build it into your conversations and actions, and make togetherness part of your organizational culture. Here are two ways to get started:

• Membership drives are a great opportunity to partner with components. In your materials, highlight the benefit of dual membership and tailor information based on the intended membership target. Remember, there's no "one-size-fits-all" membership approach. Share specific examples of how the national organization and components can benefit from the prospective member audience.
• Professional development is another opportunity for collaboration. Consider offering local trainings on membership recruitment and retention for component staff or providing online resources and templates that they can use in their membership work. Again, this goes a long way toward building relationships by demonstrating that you are invested your components' success.

Successful national-component relationships help to support advocacy for all members, identify innovative and useful programs and benefits, and strengthen retention rates across membership segments. Do you have a success story about how your organization has worked with components? If so, share your experience in the comments below.