Most professionals have a rough idea of where they want their careers to go. What they can’t always see is how to get there. When they look for the way forward, they find dozens of options, from articles and webinars to courses, events, and credentials, with no clear place to start. Faced with all of…
When an association decides to build out its learning and credentialing programs, the first instinct is often to invest in a learning management system. Find a platform, upload some content and open it up for enrollment. It makes sense on the surface. An LMS is familiar technology. Most organizations have used one or evaluated one.…
In the last six months, I’ve joined five associations. All five associations sent me the customary new member welcome email, and all five welcome emails began with various versions of this: “Volunteer!” “Join a committee!” “Attend this webinar! Registration is only $135!” This was the very first message I received after I’d trusted these associations…
Associations don’t need convincing that the world is shrinking. Members move across borders, and professionals worldwide increasingly need the same skills, which means an association’s real market is already global, whether or not its credentials have caught up. By 2030, close to 40 percent of workers’ core skills are expected to change (WEF Future of…
Every association leader has heard some version of the same complaint: “We can’t get people to volunteer,” or “The same ten people keep raising their hands while everyone else stays quiet.” Jim Piechowski has spent more than 25 years untangling that problem across borders, first on the association side leading international growth, and now as…
Updated August 14, 2026: This article has been updated with additional research, examples, and resources. Knowledge management turns an organization’s existing expertise into knowledge that people, systems, and AI tools can find, trust, and use. When content is structured and connected, organizations can deliver better recommendations, personalize learning, simplify updates, integrate content across platforms, and expand into…
If you work for a professional association, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “professional development program” countless times. It’s one of those terms that gets used in conversations about member engagement, continuing education, and workforce development, but what does it actually mean? And more importantly, what does a successful professional development program look like today? Every association I’ve worked with is passionate about helping…
Giving back has long been part of the culture at Holmes Corporation. Throughout the year, our employees have partnered with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Tree Trust, the National MS Society, and YMCA Camp St. Croix, taking part in projects ranging from building homes and planting trees to gardening, improving community spaces, and supporting local events. This month, we built on…
At the ASAE Revenue Summit this June, I had the chance to sit down with two association leaders I admire and ask a question I think every association should be wrestling with. What happens when you stop treating the certification exam as the destination, and start building for the whole professional journey? The framework we…
If you work in learning, credentialing, or professional development long enough, you’ll eventually hear someone use the words certificate, certification, and credential interchangeably. I’ve found myself double-checking the differences more than once, and based on conversations I’ve had with my colleagues, clients, and partners, I’m definitely not the only one. The challenge is that these…