Associations Can Tame the Gen AI Disruption With Regular Check-ins

The integration of Generative AI (Gen AI) into association operations presents immense opportunities for advancing member services, enhancing volunteer engagement, and streamlining administrative functions. However, along with these benefits come significant challenges and risks. The experimental and iterative nature of Gen AI projects requires association executives and Board members to adopt a nuanced approach—one that balances strategic oversight with fostering a culture of innovation. A key strategy for achieving this balance is the implementation of regular, strategically designed check-ins.

While some may worry that check-ins verge on micromanagement, they are anything but. These touchpoints enable association executives to monitor progress, assess resource needs, provide constructive feedback, and ensure alignment with strategic goals. In other words, these check-ins serve as a “trust, but verify” tool, empowering leaders to keep initiatives on track and ensuring that staff and volunteers are equipped to succeed.

Structuring Effective Progress Reviews to Leverage Gen AI Disruption

Adopting Gen AI requires a shift from traditional project management methods, which often focus on rigid timelines and pre-defined outcomes. For associations, this shift is particularly critical given the diverse needs of members, volunteers, and staff. Gen AI projects require an agile approach that embraces experimentation, learns from failures, and refines continuously. Regular check-ins provide a structured yet flexible framework to support this adaptive process.

The format of these check-ins should reflect the scale and complexity of the initiative. Options include:

• Regular Meetings: Bi-weekly or monthly sessions create a consistent rhythm for updates and discussions
• Milestone Reviews: Tied to specific project phases, such as the completion of a new AI-powered tool or a pilot implementation
• Informal Status Updates: Ad-hoc updates allow for quick issue resolution or the sharing of incremental progress

During these check-ins, the focus should be on fostering collaboration and creating a space for teams to:

• Present findings and progress
• Address challenges and roadblocks
• Seek guidance or additional resources
• Explore potential adjustments to the project direction

A vital element of these discussions is psychological safety. Psychological safety, as defined by Amy Edmondson, refers to is “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking.” That means creating an environment where team members feel comfortable admitting mistakes, asking for help, and proposing alternative approaches. This transparency is critical for ensuring that Gen AI projects meet their objectives without unnecessary delays or inefficiencies.

Gen AI initiatives often span multiple areas of association operations, from member services to event management and chapter support. Including representatives from various departments in these check-ins promotes knowledge sharing and prevents siloed thinking. For example, a project enhancing member engagement through AI-driven personalization should involve input from marketing, IT, and member services to ensure alignment with organizational goals and member needs.

6 Key Principles for Effective Check-ins Addressing Gen AI Disruption

To maximize the value of Gen AI projects, association executives should adhere to the following principles during check-ins:

1. Collaboration over Control: The emphasis should be on collaborative problem-solving, not issuing mandates. Leadership should act as a guide and facilitator, empowering teams to take ownership of their work.
2. Focus on Learning and Iteration: Gen AI projects are inherently experimental. Check-ins should create a safe space for teams to discuss challenges, even setbacks, without fear of reprisal. This fosters a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
3. Actionable Feedback: Feedback should be constructive and actionable, focusing on specific areas for improvement, such as model refinement, data quality, or alignment with business objectives.
4. Strategic Alignment: Check-ins provide an opportunity to ensure that the Gen AI project remains aligned with the organization’s broader strategic goals. This includes reassessing project goals as needed and identifying opportunities for cross-team collaboration.
5. Celebrating Wins: Recognizing and celebrating even small wins can significantly boost team morale and motivation, especially during long-term projects.
6. Preventing Tunnel Vision: Check-ins can help prevent teams from becoming too narrowly focused on their specific project, encouraging cross-team knowledge sharing and alignment with broader organizational objectives.

Client Case Study: Enhancing Member Services Through Gen AI

I recently consulted for a national association of healthcare professionals with over 9,000 members to improve their member services through Gen AI. The association faced declining member satisfaction scores due to delays in responding to inquiries and difficulty personalizing member communications.

We launched a project to implement an AI-powered chatbot capable of answering common member inquiries, freeing staff to focus on complex issues and strategic member engagement tasks. Recognizing the importance of regular check-ins, we established bi-weekly sessions with a team comprising IT staff, member services representatives, and volunteer leaders. Here’s what we focused on during the check-ins:

1. Progress Updates: The team presented updates on chatbot training, integrating AI with the association’s CRM, and developing responses tailored to the unique needs of healthcare professionals
2. Challenges: Initial challenges included ensuring the chatbot’s accuracy with industry-specific terminology and addressing data privacy concerns raised by members
3. Solution Exploration: We expanded the training dataset with anonymized member interactions and worked with legal counsel to strengthen data protection measures
4. Strategic Alignment: Each check-in included discussions about how the chatbot would support the association’s broader goals of improving member satisfaction and engagement

Within six months, the chatbot was successfully deployed, handling 60% of routine inquiries and reducing response times by 30%. Member satisfaction scores rose by 20%, and staff capacity for high-value member engagement activities increased by 25%.

Long-Term Impact of Regular Check-ins

The success of Gen AI projects often hinges on consistent oversight and iterative refinement. For associations, regular check-ins should evolve as projects progress, incorporating lessons learned and adjusting to new challenges or opportunities. By maintaining a continuous improvement mindset, association leaders can ensure that Gen AI initiatives deliver sustained value.

For associations navigating the complexities of Gen AI, regular check-ins are a critical tool for fostering collaboration, ensuring alignment, and driving innovation. These touchpoints empower leaders to guide their teams effectively while maintaining flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. By adopting the principles outlined in this article, association executives can harness the transformative potential of Gen AI, advancing their mission and delivering exceptional value to their members.

Key Take-Away

Regular, well-structured check-ins are essential for navigating Gen AI disruption, ensuring alignment, fostering innovation, and driving continuous improvement while empowering teams to deliver lasting member value. Share on X

Image credit: Christina Morillo/pexels

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Dr. Gleb Tsipursky was named “Office Whisperer” by The New York Times for helping leaders overcome frustrations with Generative AI. He serves as the CEO of the future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts. Dr. Gleb wrote seven best-selling books, and his two most recent ones are Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams and ChatGPT for Leaders and Content Creators: Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI. His cutting-edge thought leadership was featured in over 650 articles and 550 interviews in Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, USA Today, CBS News, Fox News, Time, Business Insider, Fortune, The New York Times, and elsewhere. His writing was translated into Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Korean, French, Vietnamese, German, and other languages. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting, coaching, and speaking and training for Fortune 500 companies from Aflac to Xerox. It also comes from over 15 years in academia as a behavioral scientist, with 8 years as a lecturer at UNC-Chapel Hill and 7 years as a professor at Ohio State. A proud Ukrainian American, Dr. Gleb lives in Columbus, Ohio.