I usually try to avoid getting into a debate with anyone predisposed to negativity regarding the issue, but the irony is that they are usually the ones who really WANT to believe there's value, but have been burned or put off by some past experience and have ended up jaded. And I always avoid the "what do I get for my membership fees?" argument, explaining that those benefits are shortsighted and narrow-minded. It's not about membership cards & pins (and can't believe they actually list that on our website), discounts, subscriptions, membership kit (lame!) or even the resources online.

There are so many arguments you could make, but the key is to LISTEN to what their gripe is centred around. The answer is usually contained in their question. But generally I just explain that the public and business community needs to better understand what we do and the value is hiring a qualified designer. I sometimes challenge them by saying "if you don't already understand that, then there's no point in my trying to explain it to you".

Then I ask how else would anyone know if a designer was experienced or serious about their career if they hadn't even shown the initiative to at least join their professional association, let alone get involved as a volunteer? It's a global standard and expected that a skilled professional joins their industry association. By joining GDC, they join not just the national, Federally-chattered association and only body able to certify your professional status in the communication industry—it could be argued the only REAL reason to join—but you join Icograda, thus thousands of like-minded professionals around the globe.

Then I generally personalize it and tell my story about the jobs I've won, staff I've found, friendships I've made, mentors I've benefited from, travels I've been on and growth I've made as a designer, entrepreneur, and indeed a person—all as a result of GDC. Many of the challenges I've overcome and successes in my life and career are directly attributed to my involvement in GDC. Period.

I usually end with "the more you put in, the more you get out."  I hope that helps.

M

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Oliver wrote:

What do I say?

Well, to be honest, in the past I haven't been front and centre in alot of these kinds of discussions. So I'm only now starting to reflect on how I would respond in the most appropriate way to nay-sayers.

But your comment about "the more you put in, the more you get out" is the same thing I say to all of our interns at the office. The more you put into your time at school, the more you get out, the more you hammer your professors with questions, and challenge them and push, the more you'll get out of it. Use them! That's what they are there for. There's a story about Douglas Coupland when he was a sculpture grad at Emily Carr in the 80s: he would talk to EVERYONE about his work. Everyone. He regularly popped in to the President's office to ask for a quick critique (any of your students ever do that?). And as a result, he was on the radar, he was the person people thought about first, he was putting himself on their level playing field. He hasn't done too badly for himself, and I'm sure his constant outward reach has played a large part in his success.

Similar advice was given to me by my Creative Director at my first agency job: "Want a secret? Be the one who is "around." There are three floors to this agency - be the one who takes the time to head upstairs to say hi, how's it going, what are you working on? Because those are the people who get noticed, who are seen as leaders, and who typically find success more quickly. Try it."

I think the same advice holds up with membership in your industry association. By stepping up and, well, frankly, giving a sh*t, you are demonstrating leadership by default. Everything else after that might be considered gravy. You are showing that you see your profession as important and worthwhile promoting. You are putting yourself in a position to affect change (however slowly that change my occur).

Like Rettig recently said at IxDA's Interaction 09 conference, "Most meaningful changes require more than a single project. Yet we're all accustomed to selling and managing in one-project bites. Instead, plan and manage *programs* for change." and "The work of change is social. Deliberately plan for ripple effects. Nurture their outward spread, by nurturing the people and relationships that are in any way involved in the change."

And another, from Paul Arden's "It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be"

"Do not covet your ideas. Give away everything you know, and more will come back to you. ...If you give away everything you have, you are left with nothing. This forces you to look, to be aware, to replenish. Somehow the more you give away the more comes back to you. Ideas are open knowledge. Don't claim ownership. They're not your ideas anyway, they're someone else's. They are out there floating by on the ether. You just have to put yourself in a frame of mind to pick them up."

And finally, I think why I enjoy the GDC so much, is that these are good people, trying to do good for others (it's a volunteer association people!). They share a common purpose and have stepped up to dedicate their time and enthusiasm. Yes, it can be frustrating and slow, but I feel it's worth it and it's the right thing to do.

oo