The Era of Less: Why the Future of Associations Lies in Doing Less, Better

There is a quiet revolution happening across our sector. It is not about technology, disruption, or the next big membership trend. It is about doing less and doing it on purpose.

The last five years have pushed our sector harder than ever before. We sprinted out of the pandemic, trying to make up for lost time, launching new programs, rebuilding communities, and rediscovering in-person connection. Somewhere in that rush, we also had an epiphany: perhaps we do not need to be everywhere, all the time, to be effective. The digital revolution proved we can deliver value from anywhere, but it also pushed many of us beyond healthy capacity.

In an era where technology can multiply your output tenfold, leadership is about knowing what not to automate, and what deserves your time.

For years, associations have operated in a culture of “more.” More events, more committees, more content, more everything. The result? Overextended teams, disengaged members, and a creeping sense of fatigue. But what if “less” is not a loss? What if it is the upgrade we have all been waiting for?

We Have Entered the Era of Less

This new era is not about slowing down. It is about focusing up.

Across leadership circles, we are hearing the same refrain: we cannot keep adding without letting go. One CEO recently shared, “We have stopped chasing attendance numbers and started chasing meaning. Smaller events, bigger conversations.” Another described cancelling three long-running programs and was surprised to see member satisfaction increase.

That is the paradox of our time: less activity can mean more impact.

As Greg McKeown wrote in Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, “If you do not prioritise your life, someone else will.” For associations, that translates to this truth: if you do not prioritise your purpose, the noise will do it for you.

Why This Matters Right Now

Three major forces are colliding to make “less” a leadership necessity.

1. The Overwhelm Era: Members are drowning in information. According to the 2025 Naylor Association Benchmarking Report, associations now engage with their members an average of 30.4 times per month, up four touchpoints from the previous year. Yet many say they are struggling to make those interactions meaningful. We are talking more but connecting less.
2. The Burnout Backlash: Staff and boards are stretched thin. “Always available” has quietly become “never enough.” Boundary setting has become a survival skill, not just for leaders, but for organisations. The 2024 Wipfli State of Associations Report found that 62 percent of associations improved member retention last year, with many crediting streamlining and refocusing as key factors.
3. The Clarity Correction: The most successful associations are no longer those doing the most things, but those doing the right things, deeply and well. The 2024 MGI Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report found that 58 percent of associations now describe their value proposition as compelling or very compelling, up from 51 percent in 2023. Focus and clarity are paying off.

A Look Back: When Less Was Everything

Interestingly, this shift is not new; it is a return to our roots.

The earliest associations were small circles of professionals who met to share knowledge and solve problems together. No funnels. No dashboards. Just connection and purpose.

Over time, growth turned those intimate communities into complex ecosystems. We built programs on top of programs until we were managing machinery instead of movements.

Now, as AI and automation make “more” possible than ever, the pendulum is swinging back. We are rediscovering that depth beats breadth, and that true engagement does not happen when we reach everyone. It happens when we really reach someone.

The Less Ladder: How Associations Can Practice It

Here is a simple framework for teams ready to step into this mindset.

L – Let go: Audit what no longer serves. Retire legacy programs that survive on habit, not impact.

E – Evaluate: Ask what genuinely adds value. If no one misses it when it is gone, that is your answer.

S – Simplify: Streamline processes, communications, and decision-making. Replace ten small messages with one that matters. Members crave clarity.

S – Sustain: Design for longevity. Build capacity through boundaries in time, budgets, and mental load. Less chaos means more creativity.

When associations embrace this approach, energy returns. People think better. Conversations deepen. Decisions sharpen.

It is not less ambition; it is more alignment.

The Numbers Do Not Lie

The movement towards “less” is already visible in global trends. The Global Association Research Initiative (GARI) notes that associations are at a crossroads, balancing digital transformation with human connection — or risk losing both.

And despite running fewer programs overall, member outcomes are improving. The Wipfli report found that three-quarters of respondents credited their AMS with better data use and segmentation — proof that clarity and focus drive results.

This data reflects what many leaders have quietly felt: doing more with less is no longer a slogan; it is a strategic reality.

The Courage to Choose Less

Letting go takes courage. It is far easier to keep adding new projects, committees, and expectations than to stop and ask, “Is this still serving us?”

At Answers for Associations, we believe our sector has entered what we call the Era of Less — a time for purposeful clarity, not endless output.

Every association we have seen thrive post-pandemic has made one brave decision: to simplify. And when they did, they discovered that “less” did not mean emptier. It meant truer.

Here is a question worth taking to your next board meeting... What could we stop doing this year that no one would miss?

Because in the end, the future of our sector will not belong to the busiest. It will belong to the clearest.

Less is not the opposite of progress. It is how we make space for it!

Written by the team at Answers for Associations the driving force where innovation meets connection in the not-for-profit world. We exist to challenge thinking, spark collaboration, and elevate the people shaping the future of associations.