ABSTRACT
Sustaining Professional Association and Professional Organization Professional Certification Programs In 2006, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) published the 7 Measures of Success: What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don’t. This is a great book. It presents best-in-class ideas of organizations, such as the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), which reported record growth from
88 ◾
36,000 members in 1992 to over 250,000 today. How did SHRM do it? Perhaps more important, how does this organization retain members and continue to grow? The seven measures are:
1. A customer service culture: “We’re here to serve you” approach. 2. Alignment of products and services with mission: Mission is central and
products align. 3. Data-driven strategies: Gather, analyze, and use data to drive change. 4. Dialogue and engagement: Staff and volunteers engage on the professional
association’s direction and priorities. 5. Chief executive officer (CEO) as a broker of ideas: Facilitates visionary think-
ing throughout the association. 6. Organizational adaptability: Be willing to change and not to change. 7. Alliance building: Seek complimentary partners and projects.
