I would concur with Jesse. On a related point, I'm somewhat concerned that
we're (members) not being communicated with about the changes going on in
the Association. The ARMA website no longer has a list of staff members and
I am aware of a number of departures of staff. The Executive Director
position has not yet been filled (or if it has, that has not been announced
as best as I can tell). Those things do concern me more than what social
gatherings are taking place at conference.
For the first time in over 25 years, I do not anticipate attending the
conference. My role has changed and the value that I take away from ARMA is
not the same as it has been in the past. For the last several years, I have
attended as a speaker (which pays registration costs -- now only one day)
and on my own dime (paying for travel and lodging). I would suggest that I
have attended for a number of years out of a sense of duty to the
profession as well as for the networking and sidebars with friends and
colleagues. The reduction in the "benefit" to speakers plays a part in this.
I think those of us who are dedicated to the Association and the profession
fall into the "tribe" category. We are part of all the "secret societies",
having our various pins and whatnot. We've been leaders at various levels
of the organization. Awards have meaning to us. But times change.
When I was but a wee records manager, I would hang with the old hands after
Chicago ARMA meetings. A few of us would go to a bar after the meeting,
have a round or two and head home. The numbers dwindled over those years
and I was often told that those evening bar sessions would stretch late
into the night, "in the old days". That was 25 years ago. Today, the
Chapter meets at lunch time and the people who attend are in a hurry to get
back to the office. I also remember the days when being an ARMA Board
member was a big deal -- and the conference was the pinnacle of the Board
year. For many records managers, the thrill of being a Board member was the
spotlight and first class treatment for a week -- far more recognition than
most got at the office. Chapter members had their time in the spotlight as
well, with the Awards Banquet the highlight of the year for many. Times
change.
Likewise, conference attendance has changed. Those folks who come to
conference as part of their "tour of duty" through records management go to
sessions, see vendors, and head back to the hotel to work. They don't have
the time or desire to make connections because many of them will be off to
another assignment in a few years. To those folks, the pins and secret
societies are charming (or not so charming) relics of the past and not
relevant to them. Records management is an assignment, not a vocation.
Every professional organization is under tremendous financial pressure
these days. Companies pick and choose who is reimbursed for memberships and
conferences and many do not reimburse at all, seeing professional
memberships as a benefit to the individual, rather than the company. Vendor
consolidation is also a factor, as is how vendors view the attendees at a
conference. If they aren't meeting buyers and decision-makers, they are
going to take their money elsewhere. ARMA is likely reacting to those
market forces.
For many of us, the opportunity to see old friends is a major part of why
we go to conference. For those of us who are now the "old hands", the
education is secondary to the networking. And yes, I'm sure that there are
still a few folks who come to party, but I think those numbers have
diminished. In some respects, it is the friendships and networking that
have kept me coming back and one of the important takeaways that I have had
over the years. But those relationships have been cultivated over many
years, through many roles and encounters with people over the years. If we
are a tribe, it is the tribal knowledge that we value. But to many, I
suspect that "tribe" equals "clique" and they want no part of that.
The challenge for ARMA and many associations is finding the right mix that
gets people to come to a conference for education and provide the valuable
face time that the vendors insist on. A conference is a major financial
undertaking for everyone involved and all must find value for the
association to prosper. That's an incredibly difficult balancing act.
If you find yourself bemoaning the changes, examine why you come to
conference, regardless of who is paying. If your employer is paying the
freight, make sure you can articulate the value for your employer.
Patrick Cunningham, FAI.
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