I'm Gen X. Boomers had a lot of opinions about who we were. They got it wrong. So, when I watch us confidently explain Gen Z to each other? Same shit, new generation.
We are all talking about why Gen Z won't join our associations. The stats are cited everywhere, and the reaction is predictable.
Gen Z is 11% of association membership; Millennials 25%. Cue the panic. We have to get on TikTok. Gamify the content. Let's embrace a cause.
Part of the response is from a 2018 McKinsey report that showed, "66% of Gen Z say communities are created by causes and interests, not by economic background or education." I think we missed the mark.
Every conversation I've had about this revolved around "causes and interests," when I believe we should have been focused on "community." "Causes and interests" is segmentation, not the goal. Community is the goal.
It's undeniable that Gen Z distrusts institutions. Gallup and Pew both show it running deeper than any older generation, and deepening as they age, not fading.
Ironically, although Gen Z distrusts institutions, "younger generations feel more community belonging than older generations." (Purdue University, 2024) This isn't a contradiction, we're just doing it wrong.
The problem starts when we ask, "How do we acquire Gen Z?" They've answered emphatically. We don't. And we won't if we follow our traditional model: pay dues, receive benefits, consume content.
Sprout Social gives a hint at the right question. Their research showed Gen Z "wants to create more than consume."
So, the question shouldn't be, "how do we get them to join?" it's "what can they help us build?" Then, membership isn't a transaction, it's an opportunity to build.
A TikTok account or Discord server isn't the solution. They are useful tools, but the solution is to give young members something to own, not a discount and a newsletter.
I don't know exactly what it looks like. Maybe a conference track they run, and you don't veto, which grows into a day, that grows its own audience, until they don't need us at all.
If I had it to do over again, that's what I'd chase. Hand them the tools and get out of the way.