The Power of Community

Watershed, milestone, turning point: whatever word(s) you use to describe a significant event in your professional or personal life, these moments have a way of making you pause and reflect. Thus far, 2023 has been that kind of moment in my professional career. Being elevated (on an interim basis) to the Executive Director position in January and celebrating 10 years with IDSA in April afforded me numerous opportunities to reflect.   

I recall how I got connected to IDSA – an unremarkable story of responding to a job posting. But it got me to thinking how our members initially connect to IDSA and the impact that connection has had on their professional (and personal) lives. In the last issue of INNOVATION, IDSA’s Board Chair Lindsey Maxwell, IDSA shared her story about the role IDSA played in her career with TEAGUE. Her story is one of hundreds if not thousands more.  

We often talk about the IDSA community as a catalyst for professional opportunities, and Lindsey’s story is a shining example of how amazing and impactful being a part of our community can be.   

In my previous ‘From HQ’ article, I talked about challenges facing the profession and our community.   

“We have a challenging but promising year ahead. With the resilience and strength of the IDSA community, I am certain we will emerge stronger than ever. In the meantime, we are committed to supporting our members and providing the resources, content and opportunities to help our community succeed.”  

This August 23-25 in New York City is the annual International Design Conference & IDSA Education Symposium, our pinnacle event for the profession. We are staying true to our word! Now more than ever, we need to harness the power of our community, as a way to connect, support one another and share meaningful learnings that will help us in the ‘now’ through community-generated content. This year’s theme is ‘Design Resilience.’  

From the ongoing climate crisis to the pandemic and geopolitical tensions, companies and leaders are facing existential threats that require nimble and creative responses. Finding success in the future means creating products, systems, methods, and platforms that can adapt and respond to constantly evolving conditions.  

Visit internationaldesignconference.com to explore all the wonderful content and experiences we have in store.  

If you’re a member of IDSA, I encourage you to think about your introduction to IDSA and the impact the organization has had on you. Does Lindsey’s story resonate? If so, consider attending not only for the great content, but to allow others the same opportunities you did. If you’re not a member, or haven’t engaged with us, would making a business or career connection at the event be impactful to you?   

– Jerry Layne, CAE, Interim Executive Director, IDSA