Change is all around us – you don’t have to look very hard to notice that the leaves are changing color and dropping to the ground, days are getting shorter, and people have switched from shorts and T-shirts to jackets and long pants. (I realize this may not be the case where you live, but please indulge me…) And this fall, lots of changes are happening right within the organizing industry!
At its annual conference in September, the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) announced that, effective January 1, 2011, it will be changing its name to the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. As Katherine Trezise, CPO-CD®, CPO® and president of NSGCD explained,
The name Institute for Challenging Disorganization better reflects who we are as an organization: the premier resource for education, research, and strategies for overcoming challenging disorganization. It also better reflects what we do: benefit people whose lives are challenged by disorganization.
Not long afterward, the NAPO Board proposed a name change from the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) to Organizing and Productivity Professionals International (O.P.P.I.). According to a position paper distributed to NAPO members,
A name change addresses the reality that the industry clearly includes organizing and productivity. In addition, globalization has expanded the use of organizing and productivity professionals. NAPO conferences have long attracted attendees from other countries and sister organizations have formed worldwide. The proposed name change is intended to convey that organizing and productivity is an international industry.
From what I’ve seen on Twitter and Facebook, some members are fully in favor of this change, while others feel it is unnecessary or even a very bad idea. Someone has even created a Twitter account, @antioppi, to voice their opinions on what is turning out to be rather a contentious issue.
What is worrisome in this situation is that a move that was intended to strengthen the association may end up weakening it, by causing division amongst the members and possibly leading some to leave altogether.
If you’re up on the ins and outs of this proposed change, please feel free to use the Comments section as your platform to share your opinions and fill in those of us who aren’t in the know.
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I love the idea of both associations growing up…but the name changes are confusing. They lost me on that decision.
I’m not from inside the biz, but from where I sit as an Organized Assistant client, OPPI seems a more inclusive moniker than NAPO (organizing doesn’t begin to describe all that OA does for me) and that the name change would simply reflect the evolution of a growing industry.
Elaine, I agree that name changes are confusing, and can lead to a branding nightmare. It’s not just the organizations who have to rebrand, but all the chapters, individual members, associates, and so on will have to update their materials as well. Even people like me, who aren’t directly connected to either organization, will have to update Links pages and other references.
Kathy, I don’t suppose that OA will fit under NAPO/OPPI even with these changes, since we don’t directly help people get organized (anymore), but only time will tell!
Read Janet Barclay’s post: Change is in the Air!