By Elizabeth Schlicht, Director of Clients, Impact AMC
As association professionals, communication skills impact nearly every aspect of our work—supporting members, partnering with leaders, working as a team, and more. To be truly successful in this industry and to gain the traction you need to move your association’s initiatives forward, you must be able to communicate effectively.
However, communication isn’t just about presenting your story, position, information, or ideas. Communication is a two-way transaction of ideas, thoughts, and understanding between yourself and the person (or people) you are speaking with. If you are not also listening, there has been no true communication.
Below are three tips to communicate with confidence and not only ensure clarity but also build trust and genuine connection in every conversation.
1. Lead with the “Why.”
Before you enter a conversation, be it a challenging discussion or a run-of-the-mill check-in, take the time to determine the "why" for the information you want to convey.
Why is this important?
Why is this not important?
Why does this solve their pain point?
Why are you passionate about this?
Be sure to consider the above questions both for yourself and for the other person. This will help you prepare and participate in communications with self-awareness and situational awareness, ensuring your message is heard as intended and resonates with the other person.
2. Always employ empathy.
Put yourself in the shoes of those you're communicating with. This digs even deeper than understanding their "why.” Take the time to fully consider the other person’s viewpoint and where they are coming from, even if you don't agree with it. Rooting your communication in empathy can help you navigate even the toughest and emotionally charged conversations.
As noted in a quote often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
3. Build trust with clear expectations.
Building trust—whether it’s with colleagues, vendors, members, or leaders—starts with communication.
Are your expectations crystal clear?
Do you check in and reset them as things change?
Do you take time to close the loop and share when those expectations have been met?
These small but meaningful habits all point back to one thing: strong, ongoing communication. When you communicate with consistency and intention, you demonstrate reliability, respect, and accountability—all of which reinforce trust. Over time, this creates a culture where people feel informed, valued, and confident in the direction you’re leading.
Start the conversation.
At Impact AMC, we know that strong communication is at the heart of every successful partnership—between staff and boards, associations and their members, and our team and the clients we serve. As your partner, we take the time to listen first, understand your unique needs, and tailor our approach to help your association move forward with clarity and confidence.
If your organization is ready to strengthen its communication, build trust, and achieve more together, we’d love to connect. Reach out to our team to learn how partnering with an AMC can help you reach your goals faster and with greater impact.