Forget 'What's In It for Me.' Start Giving Back

I've been listening to conversations among in-plant leaders lately, and there's a pattern that's been troubling me. When the topic of professional associations comes up, the first question I hear is almost always: "What's in it for me?" or "What do I get if I join?"

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Don't get me wrong – it's natural to want to understand the value proposition of any investment, including association membership. But when this becomes the only lens through which we view professional organizations, we're missing something fundamental about what makes associations truly powerful.

Here's what I want to ask every in-plant director, supervisor, and leader reading this: What do you have to give?

Think about it. You've navigated budget cuts, technology transitions, and changing customer demands. You've solved problems that kept you up at night and found creative solutions that saved your organization money. You've learned hard lessons about vendor relationships, staff management, and strategic planning. You've probably even made mistakes that taught you valuable lessons.

All that experience: it's gold – GOLD, I TELL YOU – to someone else in your position.

When we approach associations purely as consumers, we limit their potential – and our own. Here's why:

• It creates a transactional relationship. You pay dues, you expect services. But associations aren't vending machines. They're communities. The most valuable insights often come from informal conversations, shared experiences, and collaborative problem-solving.
• It ignores compound value. Yes, you might get your money's worth from conferences and resources. But when you actively contribute – whether through mentoring, sharing your knowledge, or serving on committees – you create relationships and recognition that multiply your investment many times over.
• It perpetuates the very problem you're trying to solve. If everyone takes and no one gives, associations become stagnant. The "what's in it for me" members are often the first to complain that their association isn't relevant or valuable enough.

I've watched in-plant leaders transform their careers and their organizations by shifting from takers to contributors. Here's what I've observed:

• Your network explodes. When you share your expertise, people remember you. They reach out when they have questions, opportunities, or challenges. You become a go-to resource, which opens doors you never expected.
• You clarify your own thinking. Explaining your processes, defending your decisions, and teaching others forces you to examine and refine your own practices. You often discover improvements you hadn't considered.
• You build your reputation. The in-plant leaders who are recognized as industry experts didn't get there by keeping their knowledge to themselves. They shared it, built on it, and became known for their contributions.
• You find unexpected solutions. When you're actively engaged in giving, you're also more likely to be in the room when problems are discussed and solutions are shared. You hear about approaches you never would have discovered otherwise.

Share Your Knowledge

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If you're ready to shift your association mindset, here are some practical ways to begin:

• Share your wins and failures. Write about a successful project or a lesson learned. Others are facing similar situations and can benefit from your experience.
• Mentor newcomers. Remember when you were figuring things out? Pay it forward by guiding someone who's where you used to be.
• Volunteer for committees. Yes, it takes time. But it also gives you insight into industry trends, direct access to other leaders, and influence over your profession's direction.
• Speak at events. You don't need to be a polished presenter. You just need to have something valuable to share. Most associations are hungry for authentic, practical content.
• Participate in forums and discussions. Don't just lurk in online communities. Jump in with questions, answers, and insights.

When you give to your professional association, you're not just helping other members, you're strengthening the entire in-plant community. You're raising the bar for what in-plant operations can achieve. You're helping to ensure that our industry continues to evolve and remain relevant.

And here's the beautiful irony: When you stop asking "what's in it for me?" and start asking "what can I contribute?" – that's when you begin to get more value than you ever imagined possible.

Your association needs you.

Your association already has plenty of members who are willing to pay dues and attend events. What it needs – what it's desperately looking for – are members who are willing to share their expertise, their time, and their passion for advancing the profession.

You have something to offer. Your colleagues need what you know. Your association needs what you can give.

The question isn't "What's in it for me?" The question is: "What's in you that could benefit all of us?"

The strongest associations are built by members who understand that giving and receiving aren't separate activities – they're two sides of the same coin. When you contribute to your professional community, you don't just add value, you multiply it.