ACCE Horizon Task Force Chambers 2025 Crowdsourced white
ACCE Horizon Task Force: Chambers 2025 • Crowd-sourced white paper – “living” document • 15 Activist members & Directors (scores of others) • Failed attempt to define “chamber of the future” • Re-start: Define universal factors that will influence chambers
1. Nature of Belonging & Gathering 2. Communications Technology 3. Scarcity & Abundance Eight Influences 4. Global Impacts 5. Composition of Populations 6. Social & Political Fragmentation 7. Resource Alignment 8. Leadership
#1: Nature of Belonging & Gathering
#1: Nature of Belonging & Gathering • Revolution in Who and How • Joining v. Associating • Millenniaphobia • Value = but also ≠ Events • Audiences do not a network make
#2: Communications Technology • Wave upon wave of new tools • Mass customization • Tech won’t differentiate you • Human support will • Feedback loops critical • Fantasy Football • Information value declining • Analyst & filter rising
#3: Scarcity & Abundance • Tip: It’s all about abundance • Water, energy, talent, land, leadership, sex appeal • Rapid swings • supply, demand, value • Cruel Migrations • Chambers as K. A. P. S.
#4: Global Impacts • World will come to your door • Not just about trade • Reliance on chamber awareness & relationships • Stars will exploit every opportunity Port/airport; member contacts; trade shows, etc.
#5: Composition of Populations • Demographic reality in 2025 • “Old White Guys in Suits” – • Demographics affects everything • Few chambers have acted
#6: Social & Political Fragmentation
#6: Social & Political Fragmentation • It’s not just “Polarization” • Politics, society AND your business • Trend won’t reverse by 2025 • Chambers and the sane center • Desperation, inspiration, practice
#7: Resource Alignment • Intentional funding of the mission • Reduction in cross-subsidization • Chambers as fundable catalysts (anti-gridlock) • Investor ROI unlikely to be “engagement” • Find & nurture volunteer leaders who care • Addressing Motivations
GET DONE [thru the chamber] (Community Focus) Community Investors Community Builders INVOLVED INVESTED Business Investors Business Builders i. e. Attends events for sales contacts GET FROM [the chamber] (Enterprise Focus)
#8: Leadership “the combination of the forces within big cities, great universities & powerful local leaders. ” Jim Clifton, Coming Jobs War • Non-hierarchical • Networked • Aligned • Catalytic
Possible 9 th Influence. . . The Shortcomings of Governments Inability to deal with. . . well, with anything
I hate/love Horizon Initiative because. . . Dead-on in these ways: Messed up in these ways: Influences are right – some to-do advice is wrong
How to use Horizon Initiative. . . WITH STAFF 1. Everyone read the fat version 2. Determine the four most likely to affect YOUR chamber 3. As a group, pick 1 or 2 more 4. Score yourselves 1 -5 on ability to address them 5. Identify changes required in order to address them well WITH BOARD/COMMUNITY 1. Include your top 5 in board agendas for next 5 meetings 2. Next strat planning cycle, work on what you must become in order to handle these factors (not what you’ll do) 3. Advise community/govt leaders that you must address these influences (you want their help) Suggested discussion questions available online!
mfleming@acce. org
- Slides: 18