What It Really Takes to Lead a Trade Association in Brussels

This week, I had the pleasure of joining Women in Public Affairs Brussels for an open and insightful discussion on what it really takes to lead a trade association in Brussels. Hanson Search was delighted to support the evening alongside Fourtold, with Anaïs Laporte moderating a candid conversation with Victoria de Posson, Julia Leferman and Thea Utoft Høj Jensen, each bringing first-hand experience of leadership in the Brussels public affairs community.

The opening question was: “What surprised you most about this job versus what you expected?”

It turned out to be a good place to start because much of the discussion focused on parts of leadership that may not be obvious until you are actually doing the job.

The job is much broader than it looks

One thing that came through clearly was the sheer breadth of an association leadership role. You may be there to represent an industry, but you are also running an organisation: managing members, a board, a team, budgets and often structures that have been in place for years.

One panellist described the role as being a “translator” between different worlds. Members can vary hugely in size, geography and commercial priorities, yet you still need to find common ground and make sure people feel heard. That becomes even harder when every member understandably wants their own issue to be a priority.

Resources are another constant challenge. Members want information, support and opportunities, but they are busy too. A big part of the job is therefore deciding what genuinely adds value, rather than simply doing more.

Sometimes you have to make the call

We also spent time talking about pushback from both members and teams. Trade associations often have long-established structures and ways of working, so change can meet resistance. The panel talked about trying to understand the resistance before reacting to it. Sometimes it is about influence, visibility or protecting something that matters to a member organisation. Getting to the reason behind the pushback can make the conversation much easier.

But listening does not mean avoiding a decision. At some point, someone has to make the call. One phrase I wrote down was “clear is kind”, which summed it up well. People need to understand what is expected of them and where decisions sit. You can listen, debate and take different views into account, but once a decision is made, part of leadership is being clear about the direction and moving forward.

Moving from doing to leading

The conversation around teams was one of the most relatable parts of the evening. Many people are promoted because they are good at getting things done, only to find that leadership means doing less themselves and enabling others to take ownership.

The power of delegating came up a lot, particularly the importance of giving people not just the task, but the authority and accountability to deliver it. For leaders used to stepping in and solving problems themselves, that can be a real adjustment.

There was also an honest discussion about inherited teams and established habits. The point was not to assume the existing way is wrong, but to understand why it is done that way first. Once you know that, you are in a much better position to decide what should stay and what needs to change.

There isn’t one person who gets you there

I was similarly struck by the discussion around mentors. We often talk about finding “a mentor”, as though one person should guide you through your whole career. In reality, different people tend to matter at different stages: a first boss who teaches you something important, someone whose leadership style you admire, someone who challenges you or someone who backs you when an opportunity comes up.

That felt much more realistic. You need people who will give you good advice, but also people who will advocate for you and they will not always be the same people.

That becomes even more important as you become more senior. Leadership can be lonely at times, particularly when the final decision sits with you. Having a strong circle of peers, former colleagues, mentors and other trusted people around you matters even more when there is no longer someone above you to turn to.

So what does leading in Brussels actually mean?

The final advice was simple: know your network, know your organisation and know your team. Be clear on the mission, make sure your organisation has a seat at the table and, once you are in a leadership role, remember that part of the job is bringing other people with you.

There was also a good reminder to get out of your own way. Ego can be a problem, but so can imposter syndrome. After more than 20 years working with senior Public Affairs leaders, I see this often. The strongest leaders are rarely the ones who think they have all the answers. They ask good questions, listen properly and know when it is time to make the call.

Thank you to Women in Public Affairs Brussels and Fourtold for a great evening, to Anaïs for leading the discussion, and to Victoria, Julia and Thea for being so open about what these roles really involve.

Whether you’re hiring top Public Affairs talent or considering your next career move, our team would be delighted to support you.

Janie Emmerson is UK & Europe Managing Partner and Global Head of Public Affairs. She leads Hanson Search’s UK & European based teams.

Hanson Search Group is a global talent consultancy providing executive search, recruitment and leadership advisory services. Built on more than twenty years of trusted relationships, we operate as a connected global platform of specialist practices with expert consultants embedded in key markets.