21 Career Advancement groundbreaking knowledge or launching a program that fosters personal and professional growth, you are crafting moments that leave lasting impressions. Members may forget the finer details, but they will never forget the way your leadership and initiatives made them feel. You deliver hope, joy, and connection—intangible gifts that resonate deeply. Your leadership plays a critical role in this mission. You’re not just providing resources or opportunities; you are creating environments that foster member engagement, innovation, and growth. By working collaboratively with your teams and stakeholders, you ensure that every initiative serves a higher purpose, helping your members leave with more than they started with. Think Like an Entrepreneur, Lead Like a Minister: Using Design Thinking Principles Entrepreneurs often use design thinking to innovate and solve complex problems, and as an association executive, these principles can transform how you approach leadership. Design thinking is a human-centered approach that focuses on understanding the needs of the people you serve, brainstorming creative solutions, and continuously refining ideas through iteration. By applying these principles, you can design programs and initiatives that deliver memorable experiences and exceed expectations. Here’s how you can use design thinking to elevate your role as an association leader: 1. Empathy for Members: The first stage of design thinking is empathy—understanding the needs, desires, and pain points of your members. As an executive, this means truly getting to know your membership base. What are their goals for engaging with your association? What challenges do they face in their professional or personal lives? Have you had an opportunity to spend a day with them at their job to experience their reality firsthand? By stepping into their shoes, you can design programs and initiatives that address these needs, whether it means creating more networking opportunities, offering targeted professional development, or ensuring an inclusive environment for all. 2. Define the Problem: Entrepreneurs focus on solving specific problems, and design thinking encourages you to clearly define the core challenge. For association executives, this could mean narrowing down the key objectives of a new initiative—are you trying to inspire, educate, or connect people? Have you spent time with members in person to learn more about their goals and needs? Once you’ve defined the goal, you can focus on creating a solution that directly addresses that challenge. 3. Ideate with Creativity: The ideation phase is where entrepreneurs brainstorm a wide range of ideas without limitations. As an association leader, you can use this stage to think outside the box when designing new programs or initiatives. Instead of sticking to traditional formats, explore new possibilities such as incorporating immersive technologies and experiences, hosting events in unexpected venues, creating hybrid opportunities that blend in-person and virtual interactions, or designing interactive experiences. 4. Prototype and Experiment: In design thinking, creating prototypes and testing ideas is essential. For association executives, this could mean creating pilot programs or small-scale versions of larger initiatives to gather feedback before launching on a broader scale. Maybe you test a new member engagement platform, a micro-learning module to see how it resonates with your members, or plan different types of events to encourage new connections between your members. 5. Iterate for Continuous Improvement: The final step in design thinking is to gather feedback, learn from it, and make continuous improvements. After launching an initiative, take time to reflect on what worked and what could be improved. Collect feedback from members, stakeholders, and your team. Use this data to refine your approach for future efforts. Online surveys are helpful, but also speak with members via phone or virtual meetings to get more personal feedback that may not be shared in online surveys. By adopting design thinking, association executives can foster creativity, empathy, and problem-solving in their roles. This mindset allows you to view your work not as a series of administrative tasks, but as dynamic, evolving opportunities to meet the real needs of your members and community. Incorporating these principles into your leadership ensures that every initiative you touch is more than just a success—it becomes an unforgettable experience that drives connection, learning, and transformation. Just like entrepreneurs, you’re not simply managing an association—you’re leading with purpose and designing experiences that make a lasting social impact on the people you serve. Dr. Michael Time, M.D. is CEO of TIME TALKS, [email protected]. Design Thinking A human-centered approach that focuses on understanding the needs of the people you serve, brainstorming creative solutions, and continuously refining ideas through iteration.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Nzc3ODM=