From Transactional to Transformational

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

From Transactional to Transformational

With the notion of membership changing, what will a successful chamber look like in 20 years? How can a chamber fulfill its mission to empower its organization to be recognized as a model of prosperity as the world changes around us.

On a recent ACCE Emerging Cities Council call, Lancaster Chamber President & CEO Tom Baldridge, CCE, discussed factors that led his chamber to consider a bold shift in its business model—a dual structure consisting of a “business success hub” that offers customized services on a fee-for-service basis, and a “community prosperity hub,” which seeks investments from businesses to finance the chamber’s agenda to enhance the community.

He discussed what it took to change his team’s culture to shift away from a member-centric mindset. It forced them to change how the chamber communicated, how it delivered and demonstrated value, and how they engaged with important community stakeholders and more. It was a bold move and it didn’t come without challenges.

As he described the obstacles his team faced, I thought about the evolving list of essential skills for effective chamber professionals. Whether you’re reexamining your chamber’s business model or engaging in critical projects, what are the skills required to advance important organizational and community outcomes. During the ACCE Board’s strategic planning process, I think we captured key elements in the Community Advocacy section of our new plan.

We want to empower chamber leaders to address their communities’ greatest challenges. ACCE released the Horizon Initiative in 2015. Since, the most frequently asked question received is, “how do I translate Horizon influences into action?”

Chambers are well positioned to provide the leadership needed to create meaningful change in areas like talent pipeline, economic opportunity, public private partnerships, quality of life and diversity, equity and inclusion. The Horizon influences will remain our guide, but ACCE will develop more practical and tactical programming for chamber professionals at all levels. I believe ACCE plays a very significant role in providing us with resources, a peer network and benchmarks for success.

We’ll go deeper into the 9th influence—Limitations of Government—examining trends impeding progress and the role that chambers can play to align community leadership to advance priorities. We’ve launched a new task force chaired by Chip Cherry, CCE, president and CEO of the Huntsville Madison County Chamber, that is researching the essential skills needed to effectively engage the public sector. We are working on new professional development programming to provide the latest management and leadership trends for managing through change.

It’s an exciting time to be a chamber leader, and ACCE wants to help you be successful. By focusing on community impact issues, your chamber is choosing to play the long game. The goal becomes less about making a big impact today and more about making small impacts every day to achieve a transformational outcome for your community.

—Nancy Keefer, CCE, IOM | Chairman, ACCE Board of Directors