I recently was interviewed by PMI Global because of our outstanding membership retention. PMI Tallahassee had one of the highest retention rates in the country. As the VP of Membership, I got to answer questions about what set us apart. What actions did I take or the board take to make such an impact?
The joking response was: “Well auto-renewal did most of the work.” But’s lets be honest, people don’t put out money on bad service or something they don’t believe in. Professional organizations or other successful organizations with a volunteer membership grow and flourish based on the perceived actions of the leadership. The trust that is established, maintained, and nurtured comes from a lot of planning, execution, and listening.
And it also doesn’t just happen over a year or two. People that have been there for 5 or 10 years will tell you how it used to be, they will talk about how the current leadership is performing, how the changes being made are better or worse…they will give context to those who have none. New members and first year members will judge based on how welcomed they are, the sense of community, how easy is it to engage, the value that is returned once they sign-up.
This past board was focused and dedicated to providing value to all. They invested personal time and professional time, to make sure that every member found a way to find value. There was vision, there was planning, and there was delivery. Even with all that 2020 brought, the dedication to serve continued.
There will be some transition to the board, but the level of dedication and desire to provide value back to the membership will not change. There will be continuity from a few and new ideas from a different few. Preparations are underway to pick-up where 2019 left off and capture the hopefulness that we all have for 2021.
What is needed now is for the membership to give back. The request to provide suggestions for the upcoming virtual steering committee to assess and prioritize should be taken to heart. It’s another way to take an active part in a time that there hasn’t been much, it’s your opportunity to ensure that you continue to receive value, and it’s your way to contribute to your PMI community.
Sean Gibbs
VP of Membership
PMI Tallahassee - pmitlh.org