[SPEAKER_01]: If you want to grow the reach, revenue, and impact of your learning business, you're in the right place.
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm Celisa Steele.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jeff Cobb, and this is the leading learning podcast.
[SPEAKER_01]: We want to talk today about something that's been on our minds since coming back from ASA annual, twenty twenty five in Los Angeles.
[SPEAKER_01]: And that is the role of associations in learning and education.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you're learning business is part of an association.
[SPEAKER_00]: This conversation is especially for you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Associations have a unique role to play in educating the workforce and in supporting lifelong learning and it's a role that may be more important now than it's ever been.
[SPEAKER_01]: We're calling this episode why associations are still education's sleeping giant because associations role is sometimes underplayed and when it's played, it may go under-recognize.
[SPEAKER_01]: The potential is there and the power is there, but too often it's dormant and so our goal with this conversation is to help us all be awake to this potential.
[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to explore how, while associations are a major player in learning and education, they haven't always been recognized as such or played the role authoritatively.
[SPEAKER_00]: How they can change that and the impact that doing so could have, not just for associations but for learners and employers and society as a whole.
[SPEAKER_01]: And because this is fresh on our minds from ASA annual, also pulling some examples and themes that we heard there that underscore why this matters.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before we go any further, we should pause to make sure we're clear on what we mean when we say learning and education.
[SPEAKER_00]: Because understanding that distinction shapes how we think about association's role.
[SPEAKER_01]: In episode three hundred ninety seven, Jeff Yoon, I talked about the difference between learning and education, and we're going to link to that episode in the show notes for this episode in case any of you dear listeners want the fuller explanation, but we'll offer kind of a cliff notes version now.
[SPEAKER_01]: And then basically learning is the broad category.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's the umbrella.
[SPEAKER_01]: Learning encompasses formal education, but also informal experiences, things like mentoring or peer-to-peer sharing, problem solving on the fly, or just even reflecting after a project is done.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right, networking at a conference, for example, an education really is a subcategory of learning.
[SPEAKER_00]: Education is structured and organized.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's designed to lead to a particular set of outcomes and is often packaged as a core, so a program, workshop, or credential.
[SPEAKER_00]: It has defined parameters, who participates, what's covered, when it starts and when it ends.
[SPEAKER_01]: So all education is learning, but not all learning is education.
[SPEAKER_01]: Learning can happen anywhere.
[SPEAKER_01]: It can be that conversation in a hallway or at a conference as you just said, Jeff, it can be troubleshooting a problem at the office with one of your colleagues.
[SPEAKER_01]: It could be reading a book or reading an article.
[SPEAKER_00]: And we're not just splitting hairs here.
[SPEAKER_00]: This learning versus education distinction is critical.
[SPEAKER_00]: When leaders think about their associations role, they have a tendency to default to formal education, the annual meeting, the online courses or certification programs.
[SPEAKER_00]: And those are important, but they're only part of the picture.
[SPEAKER_01]: because associations can also play in most already do play a huge role in fostering informal learning.
[SPEAKER_01]: They create the spaces, the connections, and resources that allow members to learn from each other and from the broader community.
[SPEAKER_00]: And in today's world, the lines between formal and informal learning are blurring.
[SPEAKER_00]: They've been blurring for quite a while now.
[SPEAKER_00]: A learning experience might start as a structured course, but then spill over into ongoing discussions in an online community or spark a pure mentoring relationship.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that blurring might be what's going on with my eyesight.
[SPEAKER_01]: I seem to have more trouble seeing things now.
[SPEAKER_00]: You must be learning a lot too.
[SPEAKER_01]: That's what we can hope.
[SPEAKER_01]: But when we talk about the role of associations in learning and education, we really are talking about both.
[SPEAKER_01]: We're talking about the structured planned offerings and the more organic, less formal opportunities.
[SPEAKER_00]: and keeping both in view allows associations to think much more expansively about their impact and to see themselves not only as education providers but as learning catalyst.
[SPEAKER_01]: Next, let's look at why this moment feels so right for associations to really lean into their role in fostering, learning, and education.
[SPEAKER_00]: So to start with, there are big picture forces at work, forces shaping careers, industries and society in ways that make lifelong learning essential.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, shaping and reshaping those careers in industries and in society, you know, the nature of work is changing faster than ever we have automation.
[SPEAKER_01]: We have artificial intelligence.
[SPEAKER_01]: We have global competition.
[SPEAKER_01]: We have new technologies that are shifting what's required in nearly every job.
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's from entry level positions up to the executive level.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, reskilling and upskilling.
[SPEAKER_01]: These aren't just nice to have.
[SPEAKER_01]: They really are essential for staying relevant and employable in today's job market.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right, to mean careers, of course, are no longer linear.
[SPEAKER_00]: Many professionals will move across roles, across industries, even switch entire fields multiple times.
[SPEAKER_00]: And every shift requires new knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking.
[SPEAKER_00]: In other words, new learning.
[SPEAKER_01]: And at the same time, we have trust in traditional higher education and in the value of traditional higher education eroding.
[SPEAKER_01]: Enrollment numbers are down, people are questioning the cost, the time involved, the return on investment, and what's, you know, whether or not what's taught is actually aligned with what's needed in the workplace.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that really opens the door for new thinking and for other credible providers and associations are uniquely positioned to step through that door.
[SPEAKER_01]: Associations tend to have deep and sustained relationships with their members and the fields that they serve.
[SPEAKER_01]: Many associations have been around for decades and that longevity can build trust and, you know, trust in the context of learning business studies.
[SPEAKER_01]: That is really important.
[SPEAKER_01]: That is has real value.
[SPEAKER_01]: That is a real currency in a session that ASA annual Denise Rosendahl, the executive director of ICE, the Institute for credentialing excellence.
[SPEAKER_01]: Sided in independent sector finding that associations are bucking the trend of distrust in many institutions.
[SPEAKER_01]: So we have pretty high levels of distrust among U.S.
[SPEAKER_01]: citizens in things like government, big business, and media, but about fifty-seven percent of Americans report high trust in nonprofit organizations, including associations.
[SPEAKER_00]: And associations are mission-driven, existing to serve members and their fields.
[SPEAKER_00]: That alignment can make learning feel like a shared investment in the professions or fields future rather than a simple transaction.
[SPEAKER_01]: and associations usually have really unparalleled subject matter expertise.
[SPEAKER_01]: They can tap into thought leaders and innovators and practitioners in ways that often other learning providers really can't match.
[SPEAKER_00]: And they also have basically built-in communities of practice.
[SPEAKER_00]: Members aren't just passive consumers of education that are potential mentors, collaborators, and co-creators of knowledge.
[SPEAKER_01]: And unlike higher ed institutions, associations can move more quickly because they're not bound by semesters or link the curriculum review processes.
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, when a new regulation comes out or a skills gap emerges, associations have the potential to respond in months and sometimes even shorter time frames weeks.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right, and that same session where Denise Rosendale mentioned associations trust advantage.
[SPEAKER_00]: Letty cluts of APIC, which is the association for professionals and infection control and epidemiology.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's hopefully the last couple have to actually spell out the acronym.
[SPEAKER_00]: Letty cluts talked about three microcrudentials that they've launched just in twenty twenty five three in one year.
[SPEAKER_01]: Associations really are uniquely positioned to combine the rigor of formal education with the relevance and immediacy of workplace training.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think those three micro credentials from APIC that you just mentioned definitely fit that bill.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_00]: And we're seeing really smart approaches, you know, things like micro credentials tied to emerging competencies or created to address skills gaps and partnerships with employers for career pathways.
[SPEAKER_01]: And associations have credibility not just with their learners, they tend to be trusted also by employers, by regulators, by policy makers.
[SPEAKER_01]: So they can really bring relevant stakeholders together to help ensure that the learning has real world value and is recognized in the marketplace.
[SPEAKER_00]: And several ASA sessions focused on how associations can help with workforce development.
[SPEAKER_00]: Associations can also be part of workforce policy, which dovetails nicely with education.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you're influencing standards, you can align your offerings directly with them.
[SPEAKER_01]: So the opportunity is big, it's multifaceted and it's here right now.
[SPEAKER_01]: But, and I think this is the important part of today's conversation or a important part is that it's not entirely new.
[SPEAKER_01]: This potential really has been here for decades.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_00]: And so that raises a question.
[SPEAKER_00]: If the potential has been there all along, why hasn't it been fully realized?
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's what we want to talk about next because we believe that understanding the barriers is going to be key to making sure that this sleeping giant doesn't roll over and it just hit the snooze button again.
[SPEAKER_00]: If this opportunity for associations to be recognized as big players in the education and learning space has been here for years decades even why haven't associations fully stepped into it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, I don't think there's a single reason why, but culture and identity definitely come to mind as potential barriers.
[SPEAKER_01]: Some associations still primarily identify as conveners or communities, places to gather and network and share, but not necessarily as learning providers.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that mindset can limit then how much they invest in education as a strategic driver.
[SPEAKER_00]: Another big barrier is internal.
[SPEAKER_00]: Many associations, especially larger ones that have departments, have silos that keep education disconnected from other parts of the organization.
[SPEAKER_00]: So education, staff may work largely apart from membership, marketing, advocacy, or technology teams.
[SPEAKER_01]: And that separation can lead to missed opportunities.
[SPEAKER_01]: If your membership team isn't feeding insights about member needs to your education team, you risk developing offerings that are out of sync with what's really needed and what's most relevant.
[SPEAKER_01]: And if your education team isn't telling membership about what it's developing, then the educational offerings, even if they are in sync and relevant, might be underused.
[SPEAKER_00]: Another factor is resources.
[SPEAKER_00]: Even when leaders do see the opportunity, budgets and staff capacity can be stretched thin.
[SPEAKER_00]: When you're juggling an annual meeting, member services and advocacy work, education can become just one more item on a long to-do list.
[SPEAKER_01]: And then the default often becomes sticking with what's familiar.
[SPEAKER_01]: The same annual conference format, the same webinar approach, the same template for online courses and without innovation, what you're offering may not meet evolving learner needs.
[SPEAKER_00]: And there's also the pull of legacy formats and models.
[SPEAKER_00]: Things like credit hour requirements or longstanding curricula that are slow to change because of external accrediting bodies or internal governance.
[SPEAKER_01]: And another challenge is that many associations are product first in the way that they think rather than audience first.
[SPEAKER_01]: So they design the course or program and then they go looking for people to fill the seats in that offering rather than starting with that deep understanding of learner needs and then building educational products or learning opportunities from that deep understanding of learner needs.
[SPEAKER_00]: And in some cases, associations have simply underestimated their own value as educators.
[SPEAKER_00]: They might think, you know, we're not a university.
[SPEAKER_00]: We don't have the campus.
[SPEAKER_00]: We can't compete with Coursera or LinkedIn Learning.
[SPEAKER_01]: But the reality is, associations don't have to compete on those terms.
[SPEAKER_01]: Their value can lie in niche expertise and credibility and community advantages that big generic providers like LinkedIn Learning can't easily replicate.
[SPEAKER_00]: And one more point, sometimes there's a lack of data or a lack of the right data to make the case for investing more in education.
[SPEAKER_00]: Without metrics that show the connection between learning and memory engagement, retention, or revenue, education can be seen as a cost center rather than a growth engine.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that ties back to the silos that we mentioned earlier, Jeff, if education and marketing and membership aren't talking meaningfully and regularly, you probably can't see the full picture of how learning drives membership and advocacy and vice versa.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_00]: So the bottom line on why this opportunity is often been missed.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a mix of structural, cultural and strategic barriers, but they're not insurmountable.
[SPEAKER_00]: That said, they do require intentional effort to address.
[SPEAKER_01]: which is where we're headed next.
[SPEAKER_01]: What associations can do to better seize the opportunity to be and be recognized as major providers of learning and education.
[SPEAKER_00]: We've talked about the opportunity in front of associations and why it hasn't been fully realized.
[SPEAKER_00]: The next part is arguably the most important.
[SPEAKER_00]: What kind of associations actually do to seize that opportunity?
[SPEAKER_01]: Every organization situation is, of course, unique.
[SPEAKER_01]: But there are some common approaches that we've seen work.
[SPEAKER_01]: They're not particularly complicated, but they do require commitment.
[SPEAKER_01]: And we're going to talk about six things that we think associations can do.
[SPEAKER_00]: So first, elevate education and learning in your strategy.
[SPEAKER_00]: That means making them central to your mission.
[SPEAKER_00]: Not just a byproduct of events or a line item in the budget.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you're an association leader explicitly name education and probably even more importantly, learning as strategic priorities.
[SPEAKER_01]: And this can be as concrete as including learning related goals in your organizational scorecard or more broadly just ensuring that your mission statement reflects your role in developing your fields, knowledge and skills.
[SPEAKER_01]: But the point in either case or anywhere along that spectrum is just to make the role that you play in education and learning visible and to make sure that there's some accountability around that role.
[SPEAKER_00]: And second, take an audience first approach.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that means starting with a deep understanding of your learners, their needs, their challenges and their aspirations before you design anything.
[SPEAKER_01]: And that can mean investing in formal needs assessment.
[SPEAKER_01]: It can mean investing in member surveys.
[SPEAKER_01]: But it also probably means listening in informal ways.
[SPEAKER_01]: So paying attention to discussion threads in your online community, debriefing with volunteers after events, asking open-ended questions in one-on-one conversations or at the end of a course of evaluation.
[SPEAKER_01]: As with so much these days, AI can probably help you.
[SPEAKER_01]: It can help you find trends and common threads in the data that you have, and that can be both quantitative data, like, liquid ratings of courses and qualitative data, like you might get from phone interviews.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'll stress that none of this means that you're just being reactive to your market that you're just taking what you're hearing and turning around and producing based on that.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's your job as an association as a leader to lead learning.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what we're all about here at leading learning.
[SPEAKER_00]: So you're taking that data, you're taking that information, but then you're infusing that with your own knowledge, your own vision to really set the pace for your profession or your field with the learning experiences that you're helping to catalyze and facilitate.
[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, remember that your audience isn't just individual members, even if you are an individual member society.
[SPEAKER_00]: Employers, industry partners, regulators are part of your learning ecosystem too.
[SPEAKER_00]: And understanding their needs can help you design offerings that are valued by learners and importantly in the marketplace.
[SPEAKER_01]: The third thing we'll suggest is consider partnerships.
[SPEAKER_01]: You don't have to do everything yourself.
[SPEAKER_01]: You can partner with employers to create training that addresses specific skill gaps.
[SPEAKER_01]: You can collaborate with universities on the credit bearing programs that might connect with your niche expertise and connect that to a broader academic credential.
[SPEAKER_01]: You can work with vendors and maybe embed some of your learning resources into
[SPEAKER_01]: tools that your members are already using.
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe you can work with other associations.
[SPEAKER_00]: The partnerships can also help you scale if your resource constrained and so many associations are leveraging the marketing, reach, the brand, the content expertise or the technology platforms of a partner can let you do more without overextending your team.
[SPEAKER_01]: Fourth, we'll suggest that you really invest in the infrastructure needed for education and for learning.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm using infrastructure to refer to systems, processes, and frameworks that make your educational offerings sustainable and adaptable.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm thinking about things like content governance, data strategy, competency frameworks.
[SPEAKER_00]: For example, a solid competency framework gives you a blueprint for aligning all your learning from webinars to conferences to certifications so that everything builds towards clearly defined capabilities in your field.
[SPEAKER_01]: And content governance means that you know what you have.
[SPEAKER_01]: You're going to then be able to, based on that knowledge of what you have, keep it current.
[SPEAKER_01]: You're going to be able to tag it and organize it so it can be potentially reused and remixed and delivered in multiple formats and then when the time comes, it can also be sunset and retired from your catalog.
[SPEAKER_00]: And the data strategy ensures you can measure not just participation, but impact and use that insight to improve and to make the case for further investment.
[SPEAKER_00]: We'll include links in the show notes to some past episodes on measurement and evaluation.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm taking a particular of conversations with Elena Schlokta and Will Tallheimer.
[SPEAKER_01]: Fifth, embrace flexibility in format.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think the days of one size fits all education are over if there ever really was a day, one one size fit all.
[SPEAKER_01]: So be thinking about shorter modular learning alongside potentially offering some deep dive programs.
[SPEAKER_01]: You want to make it possible for learners to engage on their own schedule and on the devices that they use every day.
[SPEAKER_00]: And to be clear, we're not saying, you should abandon your in-person events or a longer programs.
[SPEAKER_00]: It means just thinking about the total mix, how your offerings work together to meet different needs and preferences.
[SPEAKER_00]: And think about how your offerings compared to other options your learners have.
[SPEAKER_00]: Online and shorter options may stand out if your learners are comparing those to semester long on campus courses, for example.
[SPEAKER_01]: And then, sixth and finally, advocate for learning inside your organization.
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes the biggest barrier is getting your own leadership or board to see education and learning as essential to your mission and your sustainability as an association.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, we feel it really is fundamental to member value, basically, to be cultivating and facilitating learning.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what people are looking for these days.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's where your data, stories, and learner feedback come in.
[SPEAKER_00]: Share examples of how learning, whether it's formal or informal, has helped members advance in their careers, how it's influence policy, or how it's driven revenue and retention for your association.
[SPEAKER_01]: Because when you connect the dots between learning and member value and organizational success, you're making it easier to get the buy-in you need to be able to grow the impact that you're having with your education and learning offerings.
[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, you don't have to do all of this at once.
[SPEAKER_00]: Start with leverage points.
[SPEAKER_00]: The changes that can create momentum in multiple areas.
[SPEAKER_00]: For some associations, that might be building a competency framework.
[SPEAKER_00]: For others, it might be piloting a partnership with an employer.
[SPEAKER_01]: The key is just to start, waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect plan means that you might let opportunities slip by.
[SPEAKER_00]: And when you start, you begin to shift culture, which is just so important.
[SPEAKER_00]: You shift from seeing education as an obligation or a side benefit to seeing it as really a core way you deliver on your mission.
[SPEAKER_01]: Which brings us nicely to the final part of our conversation.
[SPEAKER_01]: What happens when associations fully seize this opportunity?
[SPEAKER_01]: What's the impact for the association for learners and beyond?
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's talk about what happens when associations really step into this role fully when they make learning and education central to their mission and strategy.
[SPEAKER_00]: And the most immediate impact is usually on at the association itself.
[SPEAKER_00]: Learning becomes a driver of member engagement, loyalty, and retention.
[SPEAKER_00]: When members see clear value in your educational offerings and the broader learning that you're making possible, whether that's helping them advance their careers, meet requirements, or just solve real life day-to-day problems, when they see that they have a stronger reason to stay connected to your organization.
[SPEAKER_00]: Scott Wiley, the CEO of Coronet Global, told me that he believes the future of associations lies in flipping the script.
[SPEAKER_00]: From leading with membership to leading with learning, when education becomes the front door membership walks in naturally.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, put Scott.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, like that idea of education being a front door, it's very nice.
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I think too that really using this opportunity also diversifies and and strengthens revenue.
[SPEAKER_01]: So education can become a reliable income stream that supports other parts of the organization that helps you reduce dependence on, you know, say a single big event or exhibit show or membership dues alone.
[SPEAKER_01]: Erin Presley, who is Senior Vice President of Education Training and Events at NRECA, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
[SPEAKER_01]: She was at ASA annual, she's been on the podcast before, and she loves to say that she loves to make money for her association because that money feeds mission.
[SPEAKER_01]: It allows NRECA to better deliver on its mission and better serve its members.
[SPEAKER_00]: And there's the reputational impact, associations that lead in education and learning are seen as thought leaders and as the go-to resources in their fields.
[SPEAKER_00]: That can translate into stronger advocacy influence, better partnerships, and greater visibility with funders or sponsors.
[SPEAKER_01]: And for members and for the learners, the impact is personal.
[SPEAKER_01]: They get access to trusted, relevant learning opportunities that help them do their jobs better, that help them advance their careers, that help them adapt to changes in their industry.
[SPEAKER_00]: And because associations can combine formal education with informal learning opportunities, members can build skills in ways that fit their lives.
[SPEAKER_00]: Whether that's a structure of program, a peer mentoring relationship, or a quick just-in-time resource.
[SPEAKER_01]: And of course, employers benefit too.
[SPEAKER_01]: They get a more skilled, more adaptable workforce.
[SPEAKER_01]: And that can mean higher productivity, can mean fewer mistakes, better compliance with regulations, and a stronger talent pipeline.
[SPEAKER_00]: And when employers see that an association is helping solve real workforce challenges, they're more likely to support their staff's involvement through memberships, event attendance, or sponsoring educational initiatives.
[SPEAKER_01]: And then lastly, we would be remiss if we don't mention the societal impact.
[SPEAKER_01]: You can think of fields like healthcare, engineering, law, public safety.
[SPEAKER_01]: And in those fields, better learning and education directly affect public well-being.
[SPEAKER_01]: But even in less obviously high stakes, industries stronger, professional competence benefits the communities that those professional serve.
[SPEAKER_00]: So in other words, when associations seize the opportunity and embrace the important role of being providers and leaders of education and learning, they're not just serving members, they're serving the broader public interest.
[SPEAKER_01]: And all of this reinforces the Association's mission, making it more resilient, more relevant, even as the world changes rapidly.
[SPEAKER_00]: We'll finish in just a moment with a recap of what we've discussed in our look at why associations are still education's sleeping giant.
[SPEAKER_01]: At leadinglearning.com slash episode four six zero you'll find show notes a transcript options for subscribing to the podcast and links to some other episodes and articles related to what we discussed today.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the leading learning podcast, please share this episode or another with a colleague or co-worker.
[SPEAKER_00]: You feel would appreciate and get value from it.
[SPEAKER_01]: We covered a lot in this episode, starting with the distinction between learning and education, then looking at the opportunity associations have right now to more fully embrace their role in leading learning and education.
[SPEAKER_01]: Some of the barriers in terms of why they haven't been able to fully realize that potential and then what to do to help them better realize that potential.
[SPEAKER_00]: To recap, we believe associations are uniquely positioned to lead in both learning, broadly, and education because of their credibility, community, and potential for agility.
[SPEAKER_00]: The opportunity is here, but it's been missed or not fully realized in the past due to things like silos, resource constraints, legacy models, and a product first mindset.
[SPEAKER_01]: So to better seize the opportunity associations can elevate learning in their strategy, they can make sure that they're taking an audience first rather than a product first approach.
[SPEAKER_01]: They can partner wisely, they can invest in infrastructure, they can embrace flexible formats, and they can advocate internally.
[SPEAKER_00]: And when they do the benefits ripple out from stronger memory engagement and more revenue to delivery on mission to employ your partnerships and societal impact.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks again and see you next time on the leading learning podcast.