The Association of Change Management Professionals is the de facto professional association for change professionals.
If you are a change management professional, you have probably heard of this association.
But should you join?
Below, we’ll explore:
- Three of the biggest reasons to join this association
- A few drawbacks to joining
- Other ways you can develop your network and your career
Let’s start with a quick overview of the association…
What Is the Association of Change Management Professionals?
As you can guess, the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP) is a professional association for business professionals involved or interested in change management.
The organization is global, with chapters in locations throughout the world.
The ACMP has developed its own “standard” of change management, aptly named “The Standard for Change Management.”
Membership comes with several perks, as we explore below…
Benefits of Joining the ACMP
There are plenty of reasons to join the ACMP.
A few of the biggest are:
Career development. The biggest benefit of ACMP membership is probably career development. Opportunities for career development include change management certification (see below), training, conferences, networking events, volunteer opportunities, and more.
Education. The ACMP offers a certification program in change management, which benefits both the student and their organization. Other resources include conferences, webinars, and online libraries.
Networking and community. ACMP membership means instant access to a global community of like-minded professionals. Through the ACMP’s offerings, you can meet other professionals, grow your network, and discover career opportunities.
These are a few reasons that drive people to join the ACMP.
However, is the ACMP right for you?
Drawbacks to Joining
The drawbacks to joining are those you might expect from joining any professional organization:
Time. Naturally, to take advantage of any professional association, you need to devote time to it. You will need to invest time into meetings, conferences, and courses. Fortunately, the time commitment is not so great – and the benefits of this time investment almost always make it worth it.
Money. Membership to the ACMP costs money, though these fees are low. Individual membership fees start under $200 per year for professionals. Students pay less than $100 per year. As with the time investment, the investment cost is worth it for the serious professional.
Career direction. Another consideration is your career direction. Do you believe in or want to invest in the ACMP’s approach to change management? If, for instance, you only want to learn the ADKAR method, you may not want to take the time to learn ACMP’s method.
All of these points are worth considering, especially if your schedule is particularly busy.
Alternatives
The ACMP is the most prominent association for change management professionals.
There are few other options when it comes to associations.
If you want to gain similar benefits, though, there are other options:
Obtain a change management certification. There is no shortage of certifications for organizational development and change management. They are offered both through public educational institutions as well as private organizations. The challenge is finding the right one for your goals and budget.
Join different professional networks. As mentioned, the ACMP is the most prominent network of change management professionals. However, there is nothing stopping you from joining other professional networks and associations.
Attend other events and conferences. Online and off, you can easily find other change management events that can assist with career development, education, and networking. Also consider workshops, change management conferences, and online groups.
Take online courses. For the busy professional, e-learning is a good alternative. There are plenty of places to find online change management courses, such as the Human Capital Institute, IBMI, and Alison.
Hire change consultants and coaches. For more individualized guidance, you may want to hire a change management coach. Prosci, for instance, offers one-on-one virtual coaching. This type of approach will cost more than the other options here. However, if you have the budget, the benefits can be worth it – personalized advice, targeted learning, and expert coaching, to name a few.
These are a few of the best alternatives to joining an organization such as the ACMP.
Some of them may not offer the same benefits as the ACMP itself – while others may be better.
Conclusion
The ACMP is the undisputed “champion” of change management associations.
There are plenty of reasons to join – it is affordable, you can expand your network, and there are many education options.
However, if these are your primary aims, remember that you have other choices, such as e-learning software.
To choose the right solution for your needs, start at the end. Decide what your goals are, then choose the solutions that will help you achieve those aims.
If your schedule permits, consider joining the ACMP, while pursuing some of these other options at the same time.
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WalkMe Team
WalkMe spearheaded the Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) for associations to use the maximum capacity of their advanced resources. Utilizing man-made consciousness, AI, and context-oriented direction, WalkMe adds a powerful UI layer to raise the computerized proficiency, everything being equal.