Pub. 5 Issue 2

27 Auto dealers often must draw the line: in court, with employees and unions, and with competitors. As one of the largest labor and employment firms, Fisher Phillips has the experience and tenacity to help you get the results you need. That’s why some of the savviest employers come to us to handle their toughest workplace issues. FISHER PHILLIPS. WHEN YOU HAVE TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND. 444 South Flower Street • Suite 1500 • Los Angeles, CA 90071 213.330.4500 • fisherphillips.com and (worse) it would probably be ineffective, because one business by itself doesn’t seem all that important to politi- cians. Get an association involved, though, and the situa- tion changes at once. What is expensive for one person is reasonable for a group of businesses. And when politicians understand that your association represents, say, an entire industry filled with members who are also likely to vote in upcoming elections, suddenly you have the politicians’ respect and potential support. Never underestimate the power of acting as a political group. Relationships We’ve gotten used to thinking of networking as a good way to advance a career, but what many people forget is that networking is nothing more than the power of good relationships being put to work. The unspoken foundation is that a network is made up of people who are actually friends. It starts with directories of other association mem- bers, but who knows where those relationships might end? An association gives you plenty of excuses to get to- gether with others in the association and, while benefiting from other membership benefits, also becoming friends. You can learn from these association friends. You can cre- ate partnerships and alliances. You can help each other. Even if it turns out that some of the friends you make are business competitors, an association can help your relationship to be more collaborative and less adversarial. Understanding other people is an important part of doing busi- ness with them. Associations are the place where you can gain that understanding. Keep in mind, too, that networking is not necessarily just for your personal benefit. Associations give you an opportunity to do some- thing for your community that you couldn’t accomplish on your own. They offer a way to repay some of the kind efforts others have made to help you. 