The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) is a global organisation dedicated to promoting and advancing the practice of facilitation worldwide. The IAF sets internationally accepted industry standards for facilitation and provides accreditation for facilitators. It fosters a community of practice, enabling facilitators to connect, share knowledge, and grow professionally. Its vision is to see professional facilitation used worldwide to address people’s challenges in groups, organisations, and communities.
Why don’t more companies, associations and organisations use trained facilitators in meeting activities? Is it perhaps too embarrassing for them to admit that their meetings are not as well-planned as they could be? Or too poorly executed? Or maybe the meetings have just never been followed up?
Perhaps decision makers believe that it costs too much to hire a professional IAF-licensed facilitator, but have they actually compared those costs to the costs of poorly managed meetings and events?
Today, almost everyone agrees that meetings are essential for the development of companies, universities, colleges, associations, and other organisations. People also increasingly agree that the meetings and events industry is a meta business, since it dramatically influences, develops, and controls activities in all other industries.
Maybe we should have a comparative look at the football clubs of the world. Is there even a Division Seven club without a coach, anywhere? As an avid sports fan, I have simply never heard of a competitive football team coaching itself, but in the meetings and events industry, a staggering amount of companies believe that they can fend for themselves when it comes to meetings and events, without the need for professional coaching.
“If you want something done right, do it yourself,” as the saying goes. Surely we can get promoted to the next division without the help of any coach. Unfortunately, history is littered with proof to the contrary. And clearly, business events are no exception, seeing as not even the most prominent organisations within the field get their own international gatherings right every time.
Imagine a Division Seven football club, that can’t afford to outright buy the players they need to advance, and therefore need a good coach to get the very best out of the existing team. But regardless of the status of the team, no serious coach would even consider the task without first seeing proof of a desire for advancement and serious discussions and plans for how to move the team forward.
More companies, associations and organisations should think like sports clubs, and try to attract the competency needed for advancement. In sports, you are sure to find a qualified coach driving any team forward. In business, people tend to think that they can manage on their own. The result has too often been mediocre meetings, that were poorly planned, poorly executed, and never followed up on. This is no way to advance to the next Division.
Meanwhile, the International Association of Facilitators continues to grow and is now present in 65 countries. It is time to sign the talent needed and board this vessel to the future of the business events industry.
