Global Growth Starts with Board Clarity
For many US associations, global growth is on the strategic horizon, but not every board is ready to pursue it. Before staff invest in new international markets, partnerships, or member offerings, boards need to make deliberate choices about why to go global, how much risk is acceptable, and what guardrails will keep the organization on mission.
The first test is mission clarity: international initiatives cannot be treated as revenue experiments or prestige projects. Boards should insist on a clear “mission case” for each country or region, understand what happens to core US programs if international work underperforms, and require that any global strategy demonstrates tangible benefits for current members as well as prospective ones.
When mission alignment is fuzzy, risk escalates quickly, especially during leadership transitions or financial stress.
Once the mission case is clear, boards must agree on goals and risk tolerance, so strategy debates do not restart at every meeting. They should define a few measurable outcomes – such as membership, influence, program reach, or reputation – along with a realistic three- to five-year time horizon for results and explicit bounds on financial risk, including how much can be invested or lost and when to scale back or exit.
At the same time, boards need to decide how to work with local stakeholders, since successful global efforts rely on strong local champions but poorly defined roles can create governance and brand problems. Boards should determine whether to operate through chapters, partners, licensees, or looser networks; what authority local entities will have over standards, credentials, or brand use; and how conflicts between local priorities and global policies will be resolved.
Responsible international expansion also requires a sober look at competitive and political realities in target markets. Boards should understand who already serves the profession or industry locally, whether those organizations are partners or competitors, and whether government bodies or quasi-official entities have overlapping mandates. They must weigh political, legal, and reputational risks, including human-rights concerns, sanctions, and unstable regulations, and be prepared to define “no-go” conditions where entry is not acceptable.
In parallel, boards should define what must remain consistent around the world – such as ethical codes, credentialing standards, and core brand elements – and where local adaptation is welcome, including membership models, dues, event formats, languages, and payment practices. Clear expectations about what is mandatory and what is flexible, along with ways to monitor performance and escalate ethics or quality issues, allow staff to adapt locally without eroding core values.
Finally, boards need to confront the resource implications and commit for the long haul. Under-resourced international efforts tend to remain in a “permanent pilot” phase, consuming attention without delivering meaningful impact. That means confirming there is a dedicated staff lead or team, approving multi-year budgets that realistically cover travel, legal and tax advice, translation, research, and relationship-building, and avoiding launches in more markets than the organization can support – depth in a few priority regions usually beats a thin presence everywhere.
Above all, global work should be treated as a three- to five-year learning journey, not a one-time launch. Boards should expect surprises and require a roadmap with phased milestones, regular updates that emphasize insights and decisions rather than activity alone, and predefined criteria for expanding, pausing, or exiting markets. By anchoring global growth in mission, setting clear guardrails, and resourcing it realistically, boards can enable bold international moves while protecting the association’s long-term health.
Notes from the Field
By Magdalena Mook
CEO, International Coaching Federation (ICF)
“As a global organization, you have a responsibility to represent your members and stakeholders properly. Your organization is governed by the Board of Directors, and you have to ensure they reflect that philosophy. Make sure your board is comprised of individuals from different parts of the globe and facets of your organization. But alone, it is not enough. Make sure every voice is heard. Make sure that the statements presented are understood for what they are – an opinion, a preference, or a fact. At ICF, we often use the framework of “I feel”, “I think”, and “I know.” We also offer cultural training to staff and to the board, so they are better attuned to listening and understanding. After all, it is not about the style, but about the wisdom that comes from the experience and culture your board members represent. As CEO or Executive Director, you have to be knowledgeable and open to this fantastic diversity of opinions, styles and backgrounds, so you can help harness the most insight and impact from your governing body. It is true joy to be surrounded by this richness.”