A deep bench and the full-court press

Sport analogies easily lend themselves to business; managers increasingly see themselves as “coaches,” and staff members are commonly called teams. With that in mind, I want to bring up two other sports analogies that accurately reflect where NAID finds itself today. And, let me add at the outset, it is a good place to be.

While for much of NAID’s existence staffing was extremely limited, that has certainly improved over the past few years. And, though the spotlight too often focuses on my role, the depth of NAID’s bench has actually become its biggest asset and the source of future sustainability.

At every functional discipline, including compliance, operations, conference management, accreditation, accounting, communications, member services, IT security and public relations, NAID has dedicated professionals who understand the association’s history and our industry’s issues—all of whom are far better qualified than I or any board member to do their jobs. As if to emphasize this point, NAID recently added one of the most highly regarded industry sales coaches in Ray Barry, deepening its bench even further. For whatever skills, industry knowledge or inspiration I bring to the table, it is amplified tenfold when complemented by such formidable professionals.

It is fitting all this comes together just as NAID enters its 20th year. All members should draw satisfaction from the fact that their industry trade association’s staff is so talented, so dedicated and so capable.

A deep bench allows NAID a lot of options as well. To draw on yet another sports analogy, it allows us to put on a full-court press. History has proven that even a poor basketball team can prevail if it has the willingness and ability to keep the pressure on without exhausting its resources. NAID now has that ability, and, more importantly, the dedication to sustain that effort.

NAID has hit a kind of sweet spot: big enough to afford this pedigree of talent, yet small enough to create a sense of ownership and accountability. As NAID continues to grow, it will take a conscious effort to avoid diluting those important characteristics.

On the other hand, with the team NAID has now, the prospects for long-term member value are looking pretty good.

Bob Johnson is CEO of the National Association for Information Destruction. He can be reached at rjohnson@naidonline.org.