A rose by any other name would smell as sweet... but would it get the attention of GenNext?
Coming out of a pandemic is a great time to review your organization's synergies and name... does it truly reflect not only who you are but who you want to be?
Before the pandemic, the trend seemed to be shortening a group's name. Sometimes the name would become the acronym of the old name. You'd have to learn more in the "About us" or "History" section of a group's website to appreciate where it came from. Or, maybe talk to one of the seasoned members. Sometimes, it's done to forget the past. I can think of a group that evolved its name not only to merge with another group but in hopes of helping the public forget a lawsuit it once filed.
One easy way to snag some spotlight and heightened relevance is to update your name. Before the pandemic started, a leader of an association elevated the need to rethink the name. The launch is supposed to happen in October.
In Q1, I helped this group to facilitate a discussion with its staff leads around the world. How exciting to see the orchestration happen! The group has been very intentional about the evolution, trying to rally as many of its longstanding leaders on board as possible. The bottom line is that the name change could allow more people to feel the group's relevance on its face alone. It also encourages those who shift from directly engaging in the industry to something peripheral to stay engaged and keep contributing from their new posts to keep the group relevant.
Looking back, people will remember that part. But there was a lot of work that the staff had to do to make it all come together. If they do it right, it will look graceful. Know that for any of this to work, there has to be hours spent honoring the history that got the group where it is. Your attachment to your organization's name, however, cannot be the same as the one you'd have for your child. It has to resonate with the "parents" of the group in the future.
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