Bob Rosen
Bob Rosen is CEO of Healthy Companies in Arlington, Virginia. His books include "Grounded," "Just Enough Anxiety," "Leading People," "Global Literacies," "The Catalyst," and "The Healthy Company."
At a time when business is uncertain and the pace of change is accelerating, associations need leaders who can navigate the future. Association CEOs have two jobs: to develop leaders inside their association and to prepare members for disruptive change in their industries and professions.
In working with associations and companies for more than 25 years, I have observed five leadership solutions critical for association CEOs—both for themselves and for other leaders they want to develop. At the core of leading is self-knowledge.
In our relationship economy, nothing is more important than being aware of yourself, your relationships, and your environment. By knowing your strengths and vulnerabilities and staying committed to professional development, you can learn to consciously lead and live in a changing world and marketplace.
Let's examine the five leadership solutions required in today's world, all of which require a certain amount of self-knowledge.
1. Leading change in a disruptive world. The context of business is changing faster than leaders can reinvent themselves. A key leadership solution is to approach disruption and change with an agile mindset. Adaptive leaders ask important questions, such as: How can we stay relevant and differentiate our organization to our members? What new products and services should we offer? Who are our future competitors? How should we restructure our organization?
2. Leading people in a cynical world. Leading is hard work, especially when trust is low and cynicism is high. The leader's job is to create a culture of engagement at all levels of an organization. Success goes to those who build a shared vision and purpose, nurture participation and alignment, and foster learning, innovation, and community. Healthy leaders shed light and energize those who want to follow.
3. Leading teams in a connected world. Today, people work in teams more than ever before. Our ability to build and collaborate in networks, either in person or virtually, is the cornerstone of our collective economy. These teams are built on healthy relationships and courageous conversations. Leading by influence, not authority, is what gains people's support and best work. Collaborative leaders build healthy teams that drive high-performance organizations.
4. Leading growth in an expanding world. All organizations need to grow. The secret is knowing how to do it. Leaders who focus on growth turn around flat or dead-end businesses, create new products, and reach new audiences. They get close to their customers and co-create new opportunities with them. As a CEO building a leadership team, you want to look for people with a growth mindset—there are probably at least a few who are sitting in undiscovered pockets inside your organization. Find them and give them the tools they need to help your organization grow.
5. Leading globally in a polarized world. Money, markets, talent, and knowledge move at high speed around the world. Leaders must adopt local and global mindsets simultaneously. Do your members see global challenges and opportunities? Do they think with an international mindset? Do they act with multicultural sensitivity? Understanding and executing with a keen appreciation of diversity, inclusion, and global literacy are essential for leaders of the future.
As an association CEO, make sure you articulate these five skills as priorities for your organization. Take time to educate staff and members about them, and develop assessments, workshops, and coaching to reinforce these skills. At the same time, conduct roundtables or listening tours where members can talk openly and honestly about the future of your industry.
If you, along with your staff and volunteer leaders, master these five capabilities, your organization will be well positioned to succeed in a changing world.