How to help your members secure stage time

How many of your members would be willing to contribute to your conferences, but never actually put their hand up? Often, the barrier isn’t motivation, it's time, but, with the support of their employer, space can be made for them to get involved.

And that's where you - the event manager - can make all the difference, by making a strong case for that support and, in doing so, unlocking a more sustainable contributor pipeline. 

Picture the scene: one of your members thinks 'I could speak', 'I could chair', 'I could join a panel', or 'I could serve on a committee'.

For a moment, they feel energised. They imagine contributing to their sector, representing their organisation, growing their skills, doing something bigger than their day-to-day role. 

And then the practical voice arrives: 'You’re already busy', 'what about your workload?', 'what about family time?' and the tin-lid: 'It’s never going to happen.' And with that, their energy begins to fade.

Many potential contributors quietly disqualify themselves before they ever approach you, because they can’t see how to make it work with their other commitments.

But there is another version of this story with a happy ending. When extra time and space is made available to a potential contributor by their employer, the opportunity opens up again.

As event manager, you have more influence here than you might think. Here are four ways to support your members to ask their employers to invest in their contribution:  

1) Equip members with a ready-made business case

It may well be that your members struggle with making the argument to their employer. You can help them by providing a short, practical employer support guide, or template that outlines the business benefits of their contribution. 

Draw on examples of the following:

• New skills developed through involvement. For example leadership, governance, facilitation, public speaking, strategic thinking
• Networking and industry insight opportunities
• Visibility and brand alignment benefits
• How involvement positions their organisation as engaged and forward-thinking    
• The simpler you make it to explain the value of a contribution, the more likely they are to make a successful case. When this messaging is also built into your recruitment communications, members have a flying start and the guide acts as a helpful reminder.

 2) Be precise about time commitment

The pitch to the employer is a request for time. But if a member can’t clearly explain how many hours are required for their contribution, over what timeframe and when peaks of activity occur, they’ll sound uncertain and their employer is more likely to hesitate. Clarity about time commitments builds confidence for both employers, and contributors.

You can help them by providing realistic time estimates for:

• Committee roles
• Event speaking
• Chairing responsibilities
• Working groups 

3) Frame contribution as professional development

Association involvement is leadership development in action. Yet many members still see it as 'extra' rather than an extension of their role. And that weakens their argument to an employer. 

You can make strengthen the connection by positioning a contribution as:

• Skill-based volunteering
• Structured professional development
• Industry leadership experience
• A strategic networking opportunity 

Many employers already have policies supporting volunteering or learning and development. This positioning will help members connect their association involvement directly to those existing frameworks.

 4) Provide tangible recognition

When a contributor has made a successful argument to their employer, provide something that confirms the relationship. This is something small, but solid enough to say, ‘we have a deal’.

Examples of this include:

•  Formal letters confirming roles and responsibilities
• Clear role descriptions suitable for LinkedIn
• Public acknowledgement of contributors

This final touch serves to make the professional benefit visible both internally and externally. The professional contributors you want to attract are often ready. They just need permission and a pathway. 

When associations reduce friction, clarify expectations, and supply the language members need to secure employer support, more people will be given the time to contribute. And they will step forward. And when they do, everyone benefits: the individual, their employer and the sector as a whole.

About the author:

John Scarrott is a Communication Skills Trainer and ICF PCC Coach. He supports Associations, Societies and Federations to add value to their events by offering training that enhances the performance of their speakers, chairs and facilitators. Find him at AAE where he provides in-house training https://www.associationexecutives.org/training/trainers/john-scarrott.html and at www.linkedin.com/in/johndscarrott