As a PSC member, you’re already among the most influential leaders in the federal contracting community. But within the PSC community, there are varying degrees of engagement, and those that gain the most from their investment tend to possess core characteristics that create reciprocal value for themselves and for PSC. They aren’t necessarily traits you have to have when you join PSC. They can be developed over time, and involvement with PSC can help support their development. With these traits, you can expand your engagement beyond passive participation and become an integral part of our community. Here are the four traits:
Resourceful
Great members of PSC enter the organization seeking resources and tools they can use to understand the marketplace better and apply them to solve problems. This is the essence of joining any trade association. By extension, members leverage PSC staff and ask the right questions to gain access to the information they need. This is an essential reason members join PSC—for access to valuable resources that help them solve day-to-day challenges and prepare for future large-scale challenges such as a government shutdown, or acquisition and business policy challenges.
Passionate
The ideal member is also passionate about the industry and the organization. They take the opportunity to evangelize the work the PSC does and highlight their own participation in public spaces. They’re vocal about the issues impacting their company and are not shy about leveraging PSC to help them address those problems. They raise their hand when we ask for feedback or need member support. Interconnected with a passion for government contracting and PSC as an instrument for advocacy is the desire to volunteer, get involved, and build relationships with other PSC members. Whether it be by engaging in one of PSC’s working groups, attending council and committee meetings, or participating on a Vision Team, the ideal member positions themselves to activate their passion for the organization though networking and volunteering.
Collaborative
Whether an associate or regular member, the ideal PSC member is a team player; extracting the insight they need to support their individual interests while simultaneously contributing to the collective interests of the organization. This is not to suggest that there aren’t benefits to promoting themselves or senior executives in the form of thought leadership, branding or volunteerism. But, they can engage with other members, work with PSC to tackle industry problems and engage in the exchange of ideas with the progression and growth of the industry in mind.
Supportive
PSC members invest in the organization beyond their dues. The ideal member understands that this objective is flanked by support in the form of membership development, event attendance, event sponsorship, and contributions to the PSC Foundation. Member-to-member recruitment ensures that as the community grows, it includes members who are recognized by other peers as ideal to both contribute to and gain from PSC. This component supports PSC’s financial growth but also solidifies the network of influential leaders PSC calls members.
We need members to participate in these programs, such as our Annual Conference, to support their financial success as well as attract dynamic speakers and develop content for future programs. Event sponsorship is also an opportunity for investment in PSC which helps provide corporate visibility. PSC can work with you to select a pre-set package or help you develop customized packages that align with your budget and objectives. These core characteristics encapsulate desirable qualities in PSC members and are critical to successful engagement. They’re also traits worth striving for as you progress through your membership journey. If you need support on ways you can maximize your membership experience, contact the PSC Membership Team at membership@pscouncil.org.
This article was published in the Summer 2019 Service Contractor Magazine. Click here to view a PDF of this article.