National Association of Hacks

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Have you ever been to a professional or trade association meeting and thought, "Who the heck are these people?" I recently attended several sessions of a professional organization where -- despite a mission statement that claims dedication to advancing the art and value of the profession -- the meetings consisted mostly of advice on how to spam people for business, and how to turn platitudes and common sense into overpriced saleable products.

Instead of advancing the art and value of the profession, it seemed to be degrading it by promoting hacks and hucksters. If this group really wanted to advance the value of the profession, it should have started each meeting by announcing that anyone who is not highly skilled, in possession of leading edge knowledge, or capable of adding tangible value to clients should promptly exit the building. This might have ensured that the association maintained a degree of integrity and professionalism. Unfortunately, it would have also ensured there wouldn't be more than five people left in the room.

While some may accuse me of being an elitist, I maintain that if an association is supposed to represent quality then a certain amount of elitism is necessary. Nobody accuses the AICPA or American Bar Association of being elitist for requiring members to pass a rigorous test. Unfortunately, high standards seem to be the exception as the membership standards for most trade associations are no more stringent than the ability to pay the annual dues.

The next time you see a resume trumpeting an applicant's membership in some random professional association, ask yourself, "What did this person have to do to become a member?" If the standards for membership are non-existent or set to the lowest common denominator, then the group might be nothing more than a national association of hacks.

Fran Dao is a columnist for Inc.com. He writes on sales and leadership issues. To read his latest column on streamlining sales and fulfillment, click here.