Shelly Alcorn, CAE, is a thought-leader, speaker and association management consultant.  Reach her on twitter @shellyalcorn, on LinkedIn or at the Association Subculture blog. This is the first in a five-part series for SmartBrief Insights.  In his most recent work, “How the Mighty Fall,” Jim Collins posits five signs of an organization at risk of or beginning the descent into chaos, decline and — at the very worst –  destruction.  This five-part series will take a look at each of the main stages identified by Jim Collins and relate them to issues you may be facing as association professionals particularly in this economic climate.

The First Stage of Decline – Hubris Born of Success

Any association is vulnerable to hubris.  Arrogance is not a trait limited to the for-profit corporate sphere as so recently and publicly displayed during our recent dip into economic recession.  In associations, hubris tends to manifest in a couple of different dimensions and you can see clear signs in board actions and communications if you know what you are looking for.  Hubris tends to permeate an organization in subtle fashion but if left unchecked can lead to disaster for all concerned.  Here are a few, key areas to pay attention to when wondering if your association is heading for a fall.

Strategic Planning Mania – Associations suffering from “strategic planning mania” will repeatedly pat itself on the back for creating some flowery, bloated behemoth of a strategic plan and will focus on repeated “tweaks” to “dial it in” rather than executing specific actions designed to actually implement its ideals

Sacred Cows Run Amok – Hubris creates a multitude of sacred cows that are prone to breeding.  Pet projects, conflicts of interest, zombie programs that can’t be killed, end runs, legacy building – you name it.  The association runs the risk of sharp decline once members decide steak is no longer on the menu.

Decision Making in a Vacuum – Association leaders who succumb to their own inflated self-image often behave in a didactic and perfunctory manner while sarcastically mocking or dismissing dissenting points of view.  If they can’t explain decisions, they have members who don’t understand them and decline is just around the corner

Oh, Those Shiny Golden Handcuffs – Associations who corner a market on a particular industry or profession, usually by means of establishing a certification program or other similar benefit, can often fall victim to an overdependence upon the mechanism that has individuals “trapped” into membership.  Innovation becomes anathema to protection of the status quo and members don’t appreciate being “forced” into membership.

Appearance for Appearance Sake – If your association suddenly starts yearning to buy a building “suitable” for its station, investing in massive redecorating efforts or shuttling board members to meetings in private cars, watch out.  Members want you spending time and money on their interests, not self-aggrandizement.

Success can be an association’s worst enemy and can lead to neglect of the members and programs that led to that success.  A board that looks upon its success with smug satisfaction can develop a sense of entitlement.  Allowing a board to squander time and money on things that don’t directly advance your mission and vision puts them in the perfect position to push the organization into a long downhill slide

Join us next time as we evaluate the second stage in decline – the undisciplined pursuit of more.  For a more in-depth exploration of the above topic, please visit the full post on the Association Subculture blog.

Related Posts:

• Association conference reinvention
• Branding Fails and What Association Leaders Can Learn From Them
• The Waning Days of Leadership
• The Fifth Stage of Decline – Capitulation to Irrelevance or Death
• Grasping for Salvation