Rethinking Value: Compliance Associations Face 'Mission Creep' Challenge
This article delves into the critical issue of 'mission creep' within professional associations, particularly in the compliance sector. It highlights how many organizations accumulate services without assessing their ongoing value, leading to a diluted member experience. For internal audit and assurance professionals, this raises important questions about the true value proposition of their own professional memberships and the need for associations to strategically focus on core offerings that genuinely benefit their members.
The Challenge of 'Mission Creep' in Professional Associations
The article, inspired by a LinkedIn post from former SCCE-HCCA CEO Garth Jordan, critically examines the phenomenon of 'mission creep' within professional associations. Jordan's analysis suggests that many associations, over decades, have accumulated a vast array of services without consistently evaluating their continued relevance or value to members. This accumulation, rather than strategic design, can lead to a diluted offering where the core purpose and unique benefits of membership become unclear.
Identifying Core Value-Adding Services
Jordan's extensive review of professional association offerings over 150 years identified 46 distinct products. However, he argues that only a select few truly deliver unique and genuine value in today's landscape. These include:
- Proprietary research
- Advocacy and lobbying
- Certification and credentials
- Digital badging
The article posits that many other common offerings, such as conferences, newsletters, e-books, podcasts, and job boards, have become commoditized. While still useful, they no longer represent a unique selling proposition for an association, as similar resources are readily available elsewhere.
Strategic Implications for Associations and Members
The author emphasizes that the inability of many associations to articulate their membership value in a single sentence points to a fundamental strategy problem, not merely a communication issue. This perspective encourages internal audit and assurance professionals to critically assess the value they derive from their own professional memberships. It prompts a reflection on whether their associations are strategically focused on delivering unique, high-impact services or if they too are grappling with 'mission creep.' The article concludes by inviting readers to consider what they truly value in professional association membership and what services are essential for the future of the ethics and compliance profession.
Read more
