--- title: "Daily Buzz: Develop Professional Growth Programs" id: "46980" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-develop-professional-growth-programs" published_at: "2019-06-13T20:50:56+00:00" modified_at: "2019-06-13T20:50:56+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/06/13/daily-buzz-develop-professional-growth-programs/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/06/13/daily-buzz-develop-professional-growth-programs.md" excerpt: "To keep members satisfied, associations need to deliver value and help members grow. Also: Rely on facts, not beliefs, when there’s a difference of opinion." taxonomy_category: - "Learning" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "E-learning" - "Employee Training" - "Membership" - "Professional Development" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: Develop Professional Growth Programs Many people join associations seeking an avenue for personal and professional growth. And if your organization doesn’t showcase that kind of value, you might see a dip in membership come renewal time. The solution: Beef up your member development programs. “Members don’t join ‘just because’—they do so because they want to benefit from your value,” [writes Tatiana Morand on the Wild Apricot blog (opens in a new tab)](https://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2019/06/12/member-development) . “That’s why it’s so important that you find the right opportunities and incentives that draw in prospective members and engage current members.” So, talk to members about what they are looking for in your association and develop programs based on their feedback. If professional learning ranks highly, then perhaps your organization should look into continuing education, certification courses, or subscriptions to related professional publications. Another strategy: advocacy assistance. “A fantastic way to engage your members through your advocacy work is by calling on them to participate as active volunteers,” Morand says. “This opportunity develops a member’s professional exposure and gives them a chance to serve on the front lines of public policy.” ### What to Do When There’s a Difference in Opinions > “This is not about changing anyone’s mind on a topic. It’s more about better human connectivity.” What to do with points of view? [@RheaBlanken (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/RheaBlanken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > shares a tested methodology to communicate ideas when perspectives clash. [https://t.co/20xArnF6lR (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/20xArnF6lR) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnprof (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnprof?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#communication (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/communication?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/73I4GAL9xf (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/73I4GAL9xf) > > — Sidecar (@sidecarglobal) [June 13, 2019 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/sidecarglobal/status/1139157116370018304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **In any work environment,** there are always going to be different opinions—and a lot of them. “But what if we could all benefit from experiencing new ways of seeing our POV [point of view] and that of others without having conflict or competition over trying to convince another before the best communication occurs?” [asks Rhea Blanken (opens in a new tab)](http://associationsuccess.org/article/distinguishing-points-of-view) on *Association Success*. “This is not about changing anyone’s mind on a topic. It’s more about better human connectivity through a deeper appreciation of the rich and textured diversity included in all POVs.” To get to this point, Blanken says teams need to look at the facts rather than hone in on beliefs. “Look for gaps in knowledge and either try to fill them or be able to account for them,” she says. “Be careful not to add any interpretation.” ### Other Links of Note **Is work-life balance feeling impossible?** [These three strategies (opens in a new tab)](https://www.inc.com/julian-hayes-ii/if-a-clear-work-life-balance-seems-impossible-try-these-3-habits-instead.html?cid=landermore) can harmonize your personal and professional lives, from *Inc.* **Volunteer reviews are** [an underrated way to engage new audiences (opens in a new tab)](https://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2019/06/12/volunteer-reviews-our-overlooked-bff/) , says the VolunteerMatch blog. **An Instagram post without a hashtag strategy** is a #fail. The Sprout Social blog explains [how hashtags can grow your following (opens in a new tab)](https://sproutsocial.com/insights/hashtags-for-instagram/) . (erhui1979/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images Plus) [Jeff Hsin](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) Tags: [#E-learning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/e-learning/) [#Employee Training](https://associationsnow.com/tag/employee-training/) [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/) [#Professional Development](https://associationsnow.com/tag/professional-development/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoWelcome to ASAE AcademyMarch 19, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/19/welcome-to-asae-academy/) - [ArticleHow Trade Associations Strengthen the Workforce with Training InitiativesSeptember 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/09/18/how-trade-associations-strengthen-the-workforce-with-training-initiatives/) - [ArticleHow to Plan, Execute, and Evaluate Informal Learning Programs for AssociationsJuly 14, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/07/14/how-to-plan-execute-and-evaluate-informal-learning-programs-for-associations/) - [ArticleReport: Associations Falling Short on EducationDecember 2, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/02/report-associations-falling-short-on-education/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2019%2F06%2F13%2Fdaily-buzz-develop-professional-growth-programs%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !