LEAD Attendees Deliver THE PEOPLE ADVANTAGE

The PHCP-PVF industry is entering a period of rapid consolidation and technological change.

While products, technology, and capital will continue to evolve, the industry’s long-term success will ultimately depend on the strength of its people and leadership practices. That’s because human capability and culture remain the industry’s enduring advantage. One that will allow our members to compete against the onslaught of AI well into the future. 

At the latest ASA LEAD Strategic Leadership Summit, an issue strategic action team (ISAT) of next-generation leaders brought this issue into consideration. The response confirmed what many already know intuitively: people-first leadership is embedded in the DNA of this industry.

The opportunity now is not to invent humanity — but to define it, strengthen it, and operationalize it at scale. 

Based on the next-gen ISAT presentation in St. Petersburg, Florida, LEAD attendees focused much of their work on a foundational belief for the industry that a shift from a contrasting view of defining people as “our greatest asset” to one of “our employees are our greatest strength” is necessary.   

The consistent message from the volunteers at LEAD was clear: The industry does not want ideology. It wants a structure — a way to develop, scale, and measure our human advantage so we do more than compete. We lead. 

Viewing team members as assets is the more traditional mindset of seeing people as expendable, transactional, short-term contributors — something no longer viable in a labor-constrained, trust-dependent industry.  

Instead, viewing employees as more of a STRENGTH  mindset elevates:

• Self-realization (helping people pursue their potential)
• The ability to thrive (creating conditions where they flourish)
• Respect
• Empathy
• Nurturing
• Growth
• A sense of togetherness — coming together for a common cause
• A human-centric purpose and impact 

This conversation helped the LEAD group articulate the philosophical shift required: people cannot be treated as or even called assets, but instead are strengths that can be developed — providing a more wholistic approach of humanity.  

This shift to a more STRENGTH focus can be transformational for members in developing their teams, keeping their teams together, and especially in attracting the new teams required for growth and success.  

In fact, that shift in focus will pay dividends to the association’s ongoing effort to attract the nation’s best talent directly to our members’ websites. 

 ASA has an opportunity to help define what a great workplace in our industry looks like and provide member companies with practical tools to improve profitability by strengthening cultures, developing their teams, and attracting future talent.  

The goal of this effort is to help transition the industry from viewing employees as assets to recognizing them as strengths that drive long-term success. 

To support this goal, ASA will launch The People Advantage, a structured effort designed to: 

• Identify and document best workplace practices across the industry. 
• Provide tools to help member companies strengthen leadership and culture. 
• Create a framework companies can use to measure progress. 
• Recognize companies that demonstrate excellence in developing and supporting their people. 

This effort will be supported by ASA volunteer leadership, with key strategic councils, including Operational Excellence, Workforce Development, and Embracing the Future, helping guide development, pilot testing, and industry rollout.

By Mike Adelizzi
CEO