b'SINCE YOU ASKEDBY: NIELS LOUWAARSWHY ARE SEED ASSOCIATION MANAGERS SO DIFFERENT?A ssociation managers are a special breed, but the genetics of the traits that shape effective ones have not been uncovered yet. Seed associations are owned by the companies, but operate in the space between business, government, politics and society. That makes them quite special entities. Even though it requires a specific skill set to do this job well, a formal educa-tion for this work does not exist. A company manager can do an MBA; a public man-ager a Master of Public Administration or whatever the title may be, but there is no Masteror even Bachelor in Association Management! Some association managers have a public sector background, or from politics, others from academia ormore rarelyfrom business itself. A commonsector in a language that sticks with differ- ciation may be more difficult in a member feature of association managers is that theyent target groups and individuals. And theorganisation than a business environment. apparently have the guts to step into a jobtranslation skills also come in handy whenThis would logically mean that includ-that is quite unknown to them. They allpolitical realities need to be explained to theing association managers into the board, as have to acquire the skills that they lack onmembers. ISF has recently decided to do, is a wise their own initiative. Board members on the other hand,strategy. However, board members should One of my initiatives at the time wascommonly have a business background.realise that when managing the association to have regular brainstorms with colleaguesTheir day job is in a member company andmanagers, they deal with a lobbyist whose from neighbouring countries. Even thoughtheir role in an association board may notjob it is to strategize and apply their tactics every country is different in governance cul- always come easy. They should know thatwhenever they think useful, even towards ture and membership types, there is a lotthe running of an association is differenttheir board.to learn from such peer review. Apart fromfrom running a business in several ways.Association managers live in the world these differences, the association struc- Profit is not the main issue in an associa- between business and politics. Their net-ture may be quite different in terms of thetion and setting outcome targets for policywork is their capital; their members are balance between the three basic functionsgoals may not be as straightforward asknowledge providers, and their goal is a (platform, representation, services) and thesetting production or sales targets in theirfuture-proof sector that maintains a strong size of the secretariat. company. The political whims tend to carrylicense to produce in a continually chang-A background in the political worldunexpected surprises, delays being theing world. Seed sector association managers may look ideal, however, that may not meanmost common. And last-minute changeshave a major advantage compared to many that you are particularly good at managingof just one or two words in an otherwiseof their colleagues in other sectors in that relations with the wide diversity of mem- acceptable draft may turn the debate upsidethey stand for a highly relevant sector that bers, or at dealing with government insti- down. Focus may be another challenge.is part of the solution to a wide range of tutions and their specific way of working.Mathematics may not help to assess andsocietal needs both in breeding and seed A lobbyist with an academic backgroundprioritize topics. The importance to as manytechnology. A major task of association often needs to use a different languagemembers as possible, times the chance of amanagers is to formulate that message well than he is used to and be sensitive to a widedesired outcome, multiplied with the timeto open doors and build long-term relations variety of arguments, some of which (s)hesuch outcome will be achieved should the- with governments, politicians, and society may not consider rational but that cannotoretically yield the most effective estimateat large. All that makes association manag-be dismissed as emotions are also part offor managing investment in staff time anders a different breed, whose voice has to be reality in society. One common feature isother resources. However, theory is far fromtaken seriously. that all need to be very strategic and ablereality here. Serving the highly diverse and to develop and re-adjust tactics. All-in-all,unstructured member-demands and theNiels Louwaars is a Seed World Europe col-an important task of a business associationnecessary focus in the operation of an asso- umnist and Seed Systems Specialist.is translation: translating the needs of the 28ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE | FEBRUARY 2025'