By Rebecca Ejo Colwell, CEO of Ten Directions
Recently I facilitated a group of 22 leaders that was about to begin a major transformative process. A newly configured team, they were coming together via a recent integration of three different organisations to collaborate on an organisational renewal strategy to move into the next era.
Often we are asked as facilitators to convene and facilitate difficult conversations. It might be a team in conflict, a programme facing funding cuts, a tough decision on future directions, a problem diagnosis session - the list goes on.
Our job is to help groups through theses increasingly difficult and divisive times. We facilitate respectful dialogues that result in positive change.
We are delighted to announce our new concept to connect and grow with like-minded facilitators: IAF-hosted Special Interest Groups (SIGs). While chapters enable connecting with other facilitators in the same geographical area, SIGs bring together facilitators globally with a joint special interest. The first one is already active for Facilitation in Portuguese. Interested in founding the next Special Interest Group? Contact the IAF Director of Memberships, office@iaf-world.org.
Following up on the topic of March's Global Flipchart we organised a virtual panel on the 'business of facilitation' on 20 March.
A huge thank you to our speakers Michelle Golden, Malin Morén, Rebecca Sutherns and Michael Wilkinson for sharing their experience and tips.
Books recommended during the session:
The IAF is solvent with cash and reserves in excess of US$165,000.
Financially, 2016 was a challenging year for the association. Total income before expenses for the year was US$469,972.15. Expenses after adjustments were $528,125.86, resulting in a net deficit of $58,153.71.
This deficit is the result of several factors that include:
When you sit down to think through how you will design a session, what do you need? You need a simple tool to help develop and contain your thoughts and also some inspiration about methods you might use. Thanks to the new partnership between IAF and SessionLab you have both in one place.
It’s time! You are invited to submit your proposal for professional development workshops during the IAF EMENA Conference on 13-15 October 2017 in Paris.
We’re looking for proposals that focus on the conference theme:
Boosting positive change - the power of facilitation
Do you know how to connect people and thinking for shared values? We want to hear your ideas! The organising team for the IAF Asia Conference 2017 is now looking for proposals for professional development workshops to be held during the conference (17-20 August 2017 in Seoul, South Korea).
The 2017 conference theme “Connect people and thinking for shared values” is the priority and focus for workshop proposals. We’re looking for proposals that will emphasise how facilitation can help create shared values and connect people and thinking for it.
The 2017 Board just concluded its annual Face-to-Face (F2F) meeting in Toronto, Canada, and we’re really geared up for 2017.
What is the F2F meeting? It usually happens every January over 4-5 days. Designed and facilitated by an external person, pro- bono, board members build shared context and get into a strategic conversation about the direction and governance of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF).
