Who let you go out in public dressed like that?
I’ve always been a fan of looking the part in a professional environment – especially as a facilitator.
My colleague Phil and I were ready to head off on an extended road trip to run a two-day program. Just as I was about to get into his car he looked me up and down…
“You can’t wear that.”
“What? The shirt? It’s new, it’s got no stains and I ironed it this morning.”
“No, not the shirt, it looks good.”
“Well, what then?”
“The belt – you can’t wear that belt.”
I’m thinking now thinking Phil either (a) has issues with control; or (b) doesn’t quite get the physical relationship between a belt and pants.
“It’s brown. Your shoes are black. They don’t match.”
“What? When did this become a rule?”
“I just found out about it too, but apparently it’s a well known one…”
Years on, I can’t say that this fashion revelation changed my life, but it stuck with me when I think about what I’ve learnt about facilitation.
It showed me the value of being able to get relevant and timely feedback from my peers.
Like me, you’ve probably needed to design a workshop session. Hours of work are put into this just to get it right. Then you sit there wondering, “Have I really got this right?” Do the outcomes of the workshop align with the purpose or am I wearing a brown belt with black shoes again?
Having somewhere to go for my ‘facilitation fashion advice’ has made all the difference. This place is the International Association of Facilitators (IAF).
The good news is that you can get all the facilitation knowledge and advice you need to:
Get peer feedback and explore your key facilitation challenges
Expand and regenerate your networks
Improve your profile
Connect with experienced facilitators working across a range of sectors
All you need to do is attend an IAF event or become a member.
You’ll time well-spent with fabulous people who ‘get what you do’ and are looking forward to learning with you and from you.
See you soonthere! (I’ll be wearing a black belt and black shoes!)