It didn’t come as much of a surprise to hear that the future of Association Management Companies (AMCs) is changing; if anything, I believe the change is inevitable and even accelerating at this point. What caught my attention at the AMCI Engaged meeting in Detroit in July of this year was why that change might be taking place, the barriers that will accompany the shifts, and the solutions to overcome those barriers.

Here are some of the main takeaways from keynote sessions…

The opening day keynote speaker, David Coletto, emphasized the importance of understanding what the upcoming generation of workers will require before accepting job positions. Gen Z workers will expect flexibility, a living wage, and DEI as a priority. The keynote speaker took it a step further to explain why it is that the newest generation will make these demands of employers, and it comes down to how they were raised. Gen Z was raised in a child-centered era. They were raised in a time when children were invited into “grown-up” conversations from a very young age. Their thoughts and opinions were not only requested but were taken into consideration by everyone else. If AMCs want to successfully hire younger team members, they need to start now to make those changes that make them appeal to Gen Z.

Closing day keynote speaker, Antoine Bryant, focused his message on creating the change that we’d like to see. He spoke of his own upbringing and childhood dreams and how he found his inspiration, pursued it, and continues to follow it. The resources and opportunities are out there. Be an out-of-the-box thinker. Know the value of a diverse team. Be conscious and intentional about your diversity efforts. You can find success in being the first team to try something.

Change in the AMC world can present organizations with a lot of barriers; but know that with the right resources, attitude, team, and research, you can set your organization up to thrive amid the inevitable transitions.