Membership Organization: The Principles of Membership

THE PRINCIPLES OF MEMBERSHIP

Certain Principles and language utilization (members instead of employees) are significant to the way things work in a Membership Organization. They serve as guideposts to stimulate the growth and achievement of a value-added status for the members and the organization. The Principles or guideposts address issues of contribution, motivation, decisioning, relationship, leadership, accountability, and advocacy.
The Principles of Membership, when accepted as the way to work throughout an organization, impact the values and performance of the organization. The Principles also encourage members to share a common purpose, vision, and goals. Commitment to the Principles stimulate interactive energy and create the possibility that members can and will accept the urgency of performance as a personal responsibility.

The following seven Principles form the structural framework for chapters in the book The Membership Organization.

1	CONTRIBUTION: All organizational participants are "members." All members, whereever they are in the organizational circle, contribute to the well-being of their co-members and the workplace community.

2	MOTIVATION: Members (1) are competent to perform, (2) are challenged to perform, (3) are personally and collectively empowered to take action, and (4) feel they and their work are significant to the overall achievement of the organization.

DECISIONING: Decisions are made in the organization through consideration of the three bottom lines: human, social and financial. The identification of potential long-term outcomes for the organization, as well as for the internal and external customers and the community, are central to the decisioning process.

4	RELATIONSHIP: For all members, the "relational approach" is basic in working with others. It is the responsibility of every member to establish connecting relationships that work and that add energy to the individual, the group, and the organization.

5	LEADERSHIP: Chosen, assigned leader-members still lead. Leadership happens at all levels, and every member has the potential to be a catalyst for achievement and an agent for change.

6	ACCOUNTABILITY: Members are willingly and individually responsible and accountable for working toward organizational goals in partnership with others in the organization.

7	ADVOCACY: Member willingness to promote co-members and the workplace community positively influence the performance of individuals, groups, and the organization as a whole.