Global Engagement in a More Complicated World

Aug 26

Earlier this month, we attended the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, where we had the opportunity to reconnect with executives, colleagues, and friends from across the association community. As always, the conversations were just as valuable as the sessions themselves.

Those discussions reinforced something we have been thinking about for some time: global engagement remains full of opportunity, but the environment in which associations are operating is becoming more complex. For associations with international ambitions, global engagement has never been particularly simple. Different markets bring different expectations, economic realities, professional structures, languages, cultures, and competitive environments. But today, the environment feels especially complicated.

Organizations are navigating tighter budgets, shifting priorities, changing patterns of participation, political uncertainty, and members who increasingly expect experiences that are relevant to their own circumstances. At the same time, many associations continue to see meaningful opportunities outside their home markets.

The opportunity has not disappeared. The question is how organizations pursue it. Increasingly, successful global engagement may be less about expanding everywhere and more about making thoughtful choices about where – and how – to engage. The following reflects some of our broader takeaways from the conference and the conversations surrounding it.

Global Does Not Have to Mean Everywhere

There can be a natural tendency to think about international growth geographically: Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa. But regions are enormous and diverse. Even neighboring countries can differ significantly in professional structures, purchasing power, regulation, culture, and expectations of an association.

A better starting point is to ask where your organization has the greatest opportunity to create meaningful value. That could be a market where there is already an engaged community, where an association’s education or credentials address a clear need, or where a strong local partner already exists. The objective is not necessarily to build the largest global footprint, but to build the right one.

Relevance Matters More Than Reach

Technology has made it relatively easy for associations to reach international audiences. Webinars, publications, research, and digital membership can all cross borders quickly. But reach and relevance are not the same thing. The more important question is not simply, Can people access what we offer? It is, Does what we offer make sense to them?

That may require adjustments to pricing, messaging, delivery, partnerships, examples, or the overall value proposition. At the same time, not everything needs to change. Some association products are valuable precisely because they represent a consistent standard. The challenge is understanding what should remain universal and what should adapt.

Local Knowledge Should Shape the Strategy

Market data can tell an association a great deal, but some of the most important insights will not appear in a spreadsheet. Who do professionals trust? What motivates them to participate? How do they approach professional development? What would make an international organization feel genuinely relevant?

Those questions require conversations with people who understand the market firsthand.

Local members, prospective members, volunteers, employers, universities, partners, and other stakeholders can help organizations identify assumptions and better understand what will actually resonate. Sometimes those conversations validate the strategy. Sometimes they change it. Both are valuable.

Partnerships Can Create More Than Access

Local partnerships can provide credibility, relationships, infrastructure, and access to an established audience, but their greatest value may be perspective. A strong partner can help an association understand how its ideas will be received, where adjustments may be necessary, and how to operate more effectively within the local environment. The best partnerships should therefore be about more than distribution. Both organizations should understand what they are trying to accomplish and what each brings to the relationship. The goal is shared value.

Global Growth Requires Patience

Meaningful international engagement rarely happens quickly. Awareness has to be built. Relationships need time to develop. Programs may need to be tested and adjusted. Some markets will move faster than expected, while others will require patience. That is why associations should look beyond immediate membership or revenue when evaluating progress. Growing engagement, stronger partnerships, increased awareness, repeat participation, and the emergence of local advocates can all be important signs that a strategy is gaining traction.

Be Global With Purpose

International engagement continues to offer associations tremendous opportunities to expand communities, share knowledge, strengthen professions, and build new relationships. But doing more internationally is not necessarily the same as becoming more global. The strongest organizations will be thoughtful about where they focus, listen before making assumptions, adapt where necessary, and invest in relationships and local understanding. The goal is not simply to be present in more places. It is to become more relevant in the places that matter.

Global Collaboration and Local Wisdom Dialogue

By Pietro Macchiarella

Senior Director, Data and Insights | YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization)

“Geopolitics has had a significant impact on how associations think about international engagement.
Three or four years ago, there was a great deal of discussion about going global and expanding internationally. More recently, many organizations shifted into more of a survival mode, with attention moving toward membership, taxes, and other immediate challenges. As a result, international work became less urgent for some organizations.
One thing we saw this year at ASAE, however, was significant interest in these issues. We organized a session on geopolitics, and it was so well attended that there was essentially standing room only. That may suggest that things are beginning to shift again and that associations are becoming more focused on international issues.”

By Laurie Kulikosky

CEO | CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD)

“From an international perspective, I think many associations are dealing with uncertainty related to the current geopolitical environment. That uncertainty can influence people’s willingness or comfort level when it comes to traveling to the United States.
We saw some of that reflected in our conference. International attendance declined slightly. The decline wasn’t as significant as we might have expected, which was encouraging, but we did see some reduction in interest and comfort around travel. It’s something associations should be thinking about.”

By Melissa Crowe

Chapter Services Manager | Sigma Nursing

“Welfare is a significant issue for associations right now. It appears the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening, which makes bringing people together more challenging than ever, particularly within academia.
Politically, we also see challenges around maintaining unity within our membership. Geopolitical developments can affect an organization’s ability to unite people around a shared vision, and that’s something associations must navigate carefully.
It can also be difficult for an organization to take a position on certain issues while remaining inclusive and ensuring that everyone feels supported and valued.”

By TJ Mendieta

COO | IFMA (International Facility Management Association)

“I’m excited about the opportunities available to us around the world and about having the structure in place to actually pursue those opportunities rather than simply letting them accumulate.
One of the biggest lessons is that you can’t boil the ocean. For example, you can’t simply say, “We’re going to tackle Latin America.” You have to identify the specific regions or countries that make the most sense for your organization and approach them one at a time.
It’s also important to understand the culture of each country you’re entering and recognize that you can’t approach every market in the same way. What works in India is not necessarily going to work in Brazil or Indonesia.
For U.S.-based associations, that means taking the American perspective out of the equation as much as possible and really trying to understand the culture and perspective of the market you’re entering.”

By Magdalena Nowicka-Mook

CEO | ICF (International Coaching Federation)

“What excites me about global work is the opportunity to engage with so many cultures, approaches, and perspectives. Every one of them has value, and it’s up to us to decide what we want to accept, adopt, engage with, or simply remain curious about. There may also be approaches we’re skeptical about, and that’s part of what makes global work so interesting.
Listening to local wisdom. I use the word wisdom intentionally because it’s more than custom or tradition. It’s about understanding what truly works, what resonates, and what is important at a deeper level.
Listening to what matters locally – and understanding how it can be incorporated into another person’s awareness and perspective – is incredibly important.”

By Matt Riley

Executive Director | CAPTUR

“One thing I’ve seen work really well for international associations is having a local host organization or committee.
If you’re taking an international meeting to a destination such as Scotland, for example, it helps to have strong ties with the local chapter or association. They bring valuable destination knowledge and may also have relationships with local vendors, meeting planners, and other resources.
Having a local partner can also help drive attendance because local members feel more connected to the event and have a greater sense of ownership.”

This newsletter is intended for general informational purposes only. The ideas and examples shared are illustrative and not specific recommendations for any one organization or individual. Because success in international markets looks different for every organization, we work with each client to identify solutions tailored to their goals and opportunities.

Global Navigators