Feel the power of being part of the tribe

Only a few days removed from celebrating our nation’s independence and the respect we have for those who dare to break away and go it alone, I find myself thinking about freedom along different lines. It’s the concept of becoming a part of something bigger than ourselves.  I’m talking about the power of association.

Think back to the pivotal moments in your professional career. Chances are they unfolded because of a connection to a particular individual with whom you shared common interests. In other words, you both belonged to the same tribe.

This need for connection is what drives the growth and success of IABC Orange County. We all long for career enrichment in whatever form that may take. However, the truly enduring and most valuable gains we achieve in our professional lives stem from the relationships we form along the way.

Some would have you believe that the concept of association membership is becoming obsolete. They will opine that people much prefer the freedom to show up at professional events whenever and wherever they choose – and pay the premium for doing so.  I would as well, if I believed that the value proposition for being a Member was restricted exclusively to networking and passing out business cards.

Candidly, that’s not a big enough ROI for me. Important as those gatherings are, they are merely catalysts to something much bigger: the sense of belonging to an internationally recognized and accomplished group of like-minded professionals – and the doors that open through that association.

Whether your desire is to develop new skill sets, give back through volunteering, or access top-level practitioners and informational resources, there’s always someone at IABC/OC to whom you can turn. Someone who understands your world.  Someone from your tribe.

If you’re an active Chapter Member, you get it. If not, I invite you to join and experience what I’m describing.  We’ve got a large tent.

Michael Shepherd
IABC/OC president, 2017