Where are CEOs making progress, lacking momentum, andwhat is on their hit list when planning for the future? 

We recently explored these questions in an interactive panel session:‘Association CEO Index: Two Years On – What's Changed, What's Stuck, What's Next?’

In 2024,Bespoken and AuSAE delivered theAssociation CEO Indexto gain abetter understanding ofthe challenges and opportunities facing our leaders andthe trends shaping our associations.

ACE26 was a timely opportunity to revisit the Index andcompare leader sentiment then and now, with a live poll of leaders in the room on a series of questions.  

We discussed the responses with our panel -Graham Catt (CEO of Independent Schools Australia), Kirsty Kelly (CEO of Transport Professionals Association) and David Jenkins (CEO of Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia and Chair of AuSAE) - who also shared their own insights into leadership drawing on their experiences.

The 2024 Index – the big picture

Following extensive surveying of leaders across Australia and NZ by Survey Matters, the 2024 Index captured sentiment across five key areas - career satisfaction, workplace wellbeing, membership management, advocacy effectiveness and innovation and strategic capability.

Most CEOs at the time reported feelingvery satisfied in their roles,although many were worried about economic pressures and rising costs, particularly leaders of industry associations.Wellbeing was a big concern, with many feeling the demands of the role on their health while also feeling they did not always have enough time to be effective. 

Staffing and succession planningwere among other challenges leaders singled out. However, most were still optimistic about the year ahead and were focused strategically on membership value, strengtheningadvocacy efforts, their media presence on behalf of their members and on digital transformation.

So, what’s changed in 2026?

Two years on and leaders who took part in the panel discussion and interactive live votingat ACE26 reported feeling more positive in some areas,while continuing to face some of the same challenges. 

These were the top-level sentiments from the session:

• Career satisfaction is higher than ever. 99% of leaders who voted in our live pollsaid they were very satisfied in their roles (thein-depthresearch in 2024put the number at 89%) and 95% believe they can make a difference. The majority (86%) also reported having strong board support, compared with 82% in the 2024 research. The critical relationship between board and CEOwas a topic explored in depth, withCEOs leaving a role due to board dysfunction more common than directors may realise. The panel encouraged leaders to support each other when they are making this transition.

• Leaders are still feeling stretched. Based on our live poll, wellbeing is still a concern for leaders with 77% reporting feeling run down and lacking energy a lot or some of the time (the in-depth 2024 research figure was 70%). 87% alsoindicated theyfrequently or occasionally don’t have enough time to do the job effectively. Kirsty Kelly observedthe ‘magic pudding’ effectwith association leadership and why she setsnon-negotiable personal boundaries to avoid being constantly ‘on’.

• Delivering value for members is a strategic challenge. Most leaders surveyed on the day (95%) said they werefocused on the issues facing their members, compared with 88% who took part in our in-depth 2024 Index research. However, only 50% agree or strongly agree they have a compelling member value proposition, far fewer than the 64% who responded in 2024. David Jenkins highlighted one of the opportunities for professional associations to create an “interconnected ecosystem” ofdevelopment programs for their members at each career stage,and exploring international partnerships to drive membership growth.  

• Joining forces canlead to better advocacy outcomes with government. Only 33% of leaders at the session reported effectivelyadvocating to government on behalf of theirmembers, compared with 63% from the in-depth2024 Index.Around the same number (48%compared with 50% in 2024) responded they felt they have effectively raised the profile of the profession/industry they represented with the public. The panel shared examples of howassociations can often achieve better outcomes with government by setting personal egos aside andworking together. However,Graham Catt also cautioned leaders to be practical in their asks of government and not “waste your time on things that can’t happen”.  

• Being clear on objectiveswill help to find the right skills.In 2024, 86% of leaders felt their association was forward-thinking and planning effectively for the future. Two years on and almost all leaders – 99% –agreed or strongly agreed on this score, and 100% reported they were well positioned to meet the industry’s future needs.Discussion focused on the need for leaders to be very clear about whatthey’re working towards andmake sure they have people in their teams with the right skills, which may change over time.

The panel also highlighted the opportunities to grow revenue throughcommercial partnerships with like-minded organisations,and to cultivate the next generation of leaders from within the association’s own membership ranks. 

Bespoken was proud to have been part of ACE26 and we hope leaders found the session and insights valuable in guiding their priorities for the year ahead. 

Our experienceover the past decade,working with leaders onthought leadership, strategic communications projects and marketing campaigns, and crisis management and communications, has shaped our understanding of the challenges association leaders face, and the many new opportunities to elevate their voice and message. 

We would welcome a conversation as to how we can support you. 

Written by Sarah Morgan, Managing Director, Bespoken Agency