Rethinking Association Strategy, with product strategist James Young
In this episode of Storylinking, I had the pleasure of speaking with my friend and colleague James Young, an innovative product strategist and the founder of The Product Community. James brings a unique, product-centered approach to association and community-building work, blending the worlds of people-first engagement and strategic design to help organizations achieve lasting, meaningful impact.
Through our conversation, we explored what it takes to reshape traditional associations, focusing on engaging members as partners, building multi-generational connections, and using storytelling as a unifying force. If you’re a community leader or strategist, there’s a lot in this episode to inspire practical change.
“Strategy, it really is finding a critical mass and finding enough distributed leadership to say, Hey, there’s a problem. What is the problem? How do we define that problem? And then how do we create some shared energy and urgency around that problem?”
Here are some of my key takeaways from the conversation with James.
Understanding a people-first product model
"Product is people first. Product is cultural practice community. It's an integrator. It's basically building relationships, empathizing and anticipating what value people want so that we can solve really interesting problems.” James explained early in our conversation.
To James, a “product” isn’t just a physical good or service; it’s a framework for aligning strategic decisions with member needs. He argues that associations can create lasting value by treating their community-building efforts as “products” to be continuously refined. For associations, this mindset means seeing every initiative, whether it’s a training program, annual conference, or networking event, as part of an interconnected system that adapts to changing community needs.
“Great strategy is about creating a niche,” he added. “ It's about understanding who we are, and it's actually disciplined focus, if anything.”
The power of a unifying theme
One of the most compelling aspects of James’s approach is his emphasis on a unifying theme—a concept he and I both find valuable when tackling big challenges. According to James, a unifying theme goes beyond a mission statement; it’s a narrative thread that pulls all community efforts together and aligns them with a clear purpose.
“The reason a unifying theme is important is it rallies the troops. It gets some shared momentum towards a shared problem,” James explains. This type of focused storytelling, James and I both believe, can serve as a constant reminder of the association’s purpose, even when times get tough.
I’ve seen how a unifying theme can strengthen an association's culture and provide clarity amid competing priorities. When members and staff understand not only what they’re working toward but also why, they’re more invested in the journey and more resilient to setbacks. A unifying theme also becomes self-reinforcing, growing in strength the longer it’s used and the more people it brings together.
Building emotional connections and sustainable engagement
Throughout our conversation, James highlighted the importance of balancing the practical aspects of association management with a strong emotional commitment from both staff and members. He shares his perspective that true resilience in communities comes from engaging people in ways that go beyond the transactional, moving towards deep, value-driven relationships.
“The associations that I see evolving successfully are the ones who are bringing people together strategically to build shared energy and momentum around the most pressing problems that their communities face,” James explains.
Creating emotional buy-in is essential, especially in today’s landscape where people are looking for communities that resonate with their values. In my own work, I’ve seen how bringing people into the storytelling process fosters authenticity and helps build trust.
The power of shared action
For James, balancing immediate needs with future aspirations is not only about strategic foresight but also about shared, collective action—a concept he captures in a simple metaphor: carrying the table. To make progress on long-term goals, he believes, everyone in an association or community must figuratively grab a corner of the table and help carry it forward together.
“We used to just use the simple metaphor of carrying a fairly large table,” James explains. “You really have to take the name tags off. You really, you need at least four people to carry that table. And so you check your title at the door. And you're going, okay, this is a functional tactical job. We've got to move this table. It becomes a shared problem solving thing that becomes a fun shared activity. If you have something that you're working toward together, especially if it's high impact, especially if you're like moving the needle on changing people's lives, then strategy becomes much less abstract and ambiguous.”
This approach resonates with me, as I often see the best community efforts emerge when people work side by side, grounded in a shared purpose. James’s table metaphor reflects the importance of fostering a culture where everyone, from staff to volunteers, understands both their immediate tasks and how they contribute to a larger vision. By tackling the short-term work together, communities build both the momentum and the relationships needed to sustain their long-term impact.
Strategy isn’t something handed down from the top, but a practice that must be carried out collaboratively. When every member feels ownership over the journey, they’re more invested in both the present tasks and the future outcomes, making the community as resilient as it is forward-looking.
Actionable Insights for Community Leaders
As we wrapped up our conversation, James shared some actionable advice for association leaders and community builders who want to make a meaningful difference in their organizations:
Leverage Community Strengths. Identify what your association already does well and use that as a foundation for future growth. Build on the existing passion within your community and use it to fuel your strategic initiatives.
Foster a Culture of Strategy. Don’t let strategy be something you revisit once every five years. Instead, make it a part of your daily conversations and decisions, keeping your team focused on the big picture.
Create Shared Journeys. Engage your community in a long-term journey that aligns with their values and interests. Whether it’s through mentorship programs or collaborative projects, give members a way to invest in the association’s future while building connections with one another.
James’s insights reminded me of the power of focused, intentional strategy in community building. Associations have a unique opportunity to bring people together and create lasting value, but it takes more than a mission statement—it takes a shared vision, a willingness to innovate, and a commitment to serving members’ evolving needs.
Embracing strategic change for lasting impact
In our rapidly changing world, associations are challenged to adapt and find new ways to stay relevant. As James highlighted, this requires moving beyond “business as usual” and embracing a strategic approach that’s community-centered, and also potentially product-focused.
I’m grateful to James for sharing his perspective and for the work he does to support association leaders as they navigate today’s complex landscape. For anyone interested in learning more, I highly recommend checking out The Product Community and James’s weekly newsletter The Innovative Association on Substack, where he shares more of his thoughts on association strategy and community impact.
In the end, building resilient communities isn’t just about having the right strategy; it’s about fostering connections that can carry us forward, even in uncertain times. I hope this episode inspires you to rethink your own approach to community building and to find new ways to create lasting value for those you serve.
Listen to the full episode above, or subscribe to Storylinking on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform for more conversations that explore the power of storytelling to build community.
Additional resources
Connect with James Young on LinkedIn
The Innovative Association (James’ weekly newsletter, via substack)
The Product Community (James’ company, helping membership communities to build products and grow reach)
