Editorial

On a recent BusinessTalk podcast, Emily Leonczyk, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Markens Group, talked about an interesting generational trend that concerns many business associations and chambers of commerce. And as one of the leaders of an association-management firm, it concerns her, too.

Simply put, Zoomers and Millennials in the workforce aren’t as interested in association membership to the degree Gen-Xers and Boomers have been.

“Gone are the days of a person showing up to, let’s say, a chamber of commerce because it’s the right thing to do, a betterment of your community,” Leonczyk said, before offering a couple of reasons why. “That next generation really needs to, number one, see the return on investment, what’s in it for me. And, number two, they need to feel like it’s a place where they belong.”

There are multiple takeaways here. For one thing, associations shouldn’t assume that what once drove membership will continue to do so today.

“Gone are the days of, ‘well, we’ve always done it this way.’ We don’t want to lose the historical frame of reference that has to be a guiding light, but also it’s different,” Leonczyk explained.

Irene Costello, director of Operations at the Markens Group, recently told BusinessWest that young people are looking for a tangible takeaway from membership and giving their time. “Is it a résumé builder? Is there something of value at this conference, some credentialing? Instead of just going to build community, what am I getting from this networking?”

Those are valid desires that associations need to consider as they craft their programming, but Leonczyk also suggested that young professionals can also receive plenty of return in terms of personal growth, new connections, and lasting friendships — all things she personally experienced long before working with those organizations through her current job.

“That friendship and camaraderie and networking can be so enriching to somebody’s life. And that’s really on kind of a heartfelt level, but I think professionally, there’s so much data around how you grow in your professional career. It’s by watching other leaders; it’s by accessing mentorship; it’s by making connections.

“So there’s a matter of the heart, to which I would say, ‘show up, get involved, because it’s going to just make your life richer.’ And then there’s that professional side, where building those connections is going to supercharge your career.”

These are messages that apply to many aspects of business. The way it’s always been done may not be the way going forward. But at the same time, younger generations may want to consider the inherent value in some important traditions as well. They are discussions well worth having.