Because I work so often with associations, I’ve written this piece with them in mind, though the ideas apply to every type of organization.
Many associations compare themselves only to peers in their sector. That’s too narrow. The best associations raise their sights and study how the most successful companies in the world operate. By learning from the practices of world-class businesses, associations can elevate their value, relevance, and long-term sustainability.
Benchmarking, in this context, means intentionally comparing your leadership, culture, and performance practices to organizations outside your own world. Instead of asking, “How do we stack up against other associations like us?” the sharper question is, “What can we learn from companies that set the global standard in customer experience, innovation, and execution?”
Customer Experience Sets the Bar
World-class companies obsess over the customer. They map the entire experience, remove friction, and create loyalty by delivering consistent value. Associations can apply the same discipline by treating members as customers and asking, “Where is their experience smooth, and where is it frustrating?”
Here’s the hard truth:
Your members don’t just compare you to other associations. They compare you to the best experience they’ve had anywhere. When Amazon can deliver a package the next day, with one-click ordering and effortless returns, why can’t your online registration system be just as simple? If the Ritz-Carlton greets every guest by name and anticipates needs, why should a member tolerate slow service or indifferent treatment? When Apple can create technology that feels intuitive the first time you touch it, why should your website feel clunky or outdated? If Disney can design an entire environment where every detail contributes to delight, why shouldn’t your conferences or events feel just as seamless and intentional?
Members carry these expectations into every interaction with your association. They don’t lower the bar because you are an association. They measure you against the best, whether you like it or not. That means the only safe response is to raise your own standards.
Culture Drives Performance
Top companies know that culture isn’t a slogan. It is a system of behaviors, expectations, and accountability that gets reinforced every day. For associations, culture shows up in how staff interact with members, how decisions are made, and how responsibility is shared. Benchmarking culture means studying how companies like Ritz-Carlton or Disney sustain values over decades, then asking, “How do we make those lessons real in our association?”
Innovation Is a Requirement, Not a Luxury
Great companies don’t wait until they are in trouble to reinvent. They build innovation into daily work. Associations can follow suit by running small pilots, gathering rapid feedback, and scaling what works. Benchmarking innovation means looking at companies that adapt faster than their competitors and borrowing their methods.
Clarity of Strategy and Execution
The top organizations are disciplined. They pick a few priorities and align resources around them. Many associations try to do too much, which dilutes impact. Benchmarking disciplined strategy means studying how companies set three to five key objectives, tie them to clear measures, and track progress relentlessly.
Leadership That Balances Care and Accountability
The best leaders blend genuine care for people with clear standards of performance. They don’t shy away from tough conversations. Associations that benchmark leadership practices will find that world-class companies invest heavily in developing their people and focus on results and culture simultaneously.
Over the past three decades, I have worked with both Fortune 100 firms and national associations. What stands out is that the challenges are not all that different. Both must deliver value, adapt to change, and keep their people engaged. The difference is that large companies have built systematic ways of addressing these challenges. They measure relentlessly, experiment constantly, and hold leaders accountable. Associations can borrow these practices without losing their mission-driven identity.
A Practical Example of Benchmarking in Associations
I remember a session with an association where one executive admitted, “We’ve never once asked ourselves how Amazon would design our member experience.” That single question unlocked a flood of ideas. When the group compared its website, registration process, and communication flow to Amazon’s, the gaps were obvious. Within six months, they had simplified sign-up, improved search, and cut response times in half. Members noticed. Retention went up. All because they looked outside their own bubble.
Benchmarking means widening your field of vision, not blindly copying someone else’s playbook. Associations that learn from the best companies in the world will not only serve members more effectively but also position themselves as indispensable in a crowded marketplace.
The Benchmarking Mindset
The leaders I respect most are humble learners. They don’t assume they have the answers. They study excellence wherever it shows up, then bring those insights home. Associations that benchmark against the world’s top companies are not chasing fads, they are securing their future. The choice is clear: look sideways and risk mediocrity or look upward and join the ranks of those who set the standard.
I’ve created a landing page highlighting my updated sessions designed specifically for associations. If you’re interested, you can take a look here: https://mailchi.mp/c8b7f9dc38dd/associations2025
I just started a podcast with my brilliant friend, Joshua Wilson. Notes For An Awesome Life invites you to join us in a weekly conversation where we share the lessons, habits, and tools that you can use to build your own awesome life, starting with Episode One: “Start Where You Are for An Awesome Life.“
This link will take you to a page where you can listen to “Notes For An Awesome Life with John Spence” on your podcast app of choice: https://pod.link/1845676457
