Form Follows Function: Designing Governance for Global Association Growth

When association leaders begin planning for global expansion, one of the most common first questions is some version of "What is the right model?" The instinct behind that question is understandable. Globalization is complex, and most boards want the reassurance of a structure benchmarked against peers, so they look for a template to borrow or adapt.

The strongest global associations resist that instinct. They build governance models that fit their mission and members, and the way growth is happening in their category. These structures can vary widely, yet the principle behind them is consistent: Form follows function.

The structure of an association’s global governance should be determined by what that governance needs to do, not by what peer associations have built or what looks impressive on an org chart. The answer is to sit with the strategic questions long enough to design something that fits.

Please select this link to read the complete article from ASAE's Center for Association Leadership.