March 2019 - The FoCuSeD™ Facilitator eNewsletter
The IAF is Expanding Their Professional Certification Program | Gary Rush Facilitation
Professional industry certifications are meaningful when they are conferred by a vendor-agnostic industry association that tests for specific competencies. In Project Management, that is the Project Management Institute (PMI); in Business Analysis, that is the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA); and in Facilitation, that is the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). What is important is that these associations are not tied to a specific trainer, vendor, style, or technique.
IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator (CPF) is "given to members who have been through the rigorous IAF Certification process and have undergone an in-depth peer review of their experience, knowledge, and skills." A CPF is a credentialed Facilitator who has demonstrated evidence of meeting the IAF Core Facilitator Competencies. You can get this certification by applying to the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and passing a practical evidence-based assessment. This remains the industry standard as it is based on a practical assessment against 6 defined IAF Core Facilitator Competencies and is completely independent of facilitator style or technique used. It assesses practical competency (i.e., evidence-based) and requires that a Facilitator have facilitated at least 7 workshops within the past 3 years. Those achieving the IAF CPF must be re-certified every 3 years to show that they maintain their IAF Core Facilitator Competencies and continue to facilitate. Today, the association is growing worldwide and is the only certification that is accepted by many agencies and organizations.
Be wary of those who claim to certify people who attend their training - this is misleading. A class certificate of completion is not a professional industry certification. A professional industry certification means that you can rightfully claim to be a professional in that field.
New IAF Facilitator Certification Programme
In May 2019, the IAF will be introducing the following additional certifications:
- IAF Endorsed™ Facilitator - "given to members who have demonstrated an understanding of IAF Core Facilitator Competencies and want to be recognized as knowledgeable Facilitators in a wide variety of environments."
- IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator | Master (CPF | M) - "given to members who have already completed the CPF, recertified twice and passed the CPFM certification. This mastery level of certification includes: four peer-reviews and recognition by the IAF for their contribution to the field."
- IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator | Emeritus (CPF | E) - "given to members who have been recognized by the IAF for their extraordinary contribution to the field of facilitation. As elders in our community, Emeritus Members are recognized and celebrated."
These certification designations, along with the IAF CPF, cover the life cycle of a Facilitator and are based on defined competencies.
What Does a Professional Industry Certification Mean?
A professional industry certification means that one not only has learned the required skills to be called a professional in the field, but also has demonstrated a level of proficiency in his or her abilities - i.e., evidence-based. Evidence-based means that you must be assessed and must demonstrate a high degree of competence or skill in the field. Professional industry certifications enhance careers because they help define professions and their required skills.
Get Trained
Being self-taught, you often miss out on understanding and demonstrating the required professional competencies. Those who facilitate without having been trained make mistakes, which affect the outcome, develop bad habits, which hinder the process, and lack sufficient tools to deal with participants. Our core class, The FoCuSeD™ Facilitator Academy, is endorsed by the IAF as a comprehensive program covering the IAF Core Facilitator Competencies giving you the necessary skills to apply for the IAF CPF assessment once you have facilitated the required number of workshops.
Conclusion
Before professional industry certifications, one could be a project manager, business analyst, or facilitator simply by identifying oneself as one. That self-certification demeans the professional industry as people with little or no knowledge or experience in the field could claim to be professionals. Clients - both internal and external - want to know that someone they hire has the required experience and competence in the field. That's where professional industry certification comes in. It provides an independent assessment of competency thus elevating the value and credibility of the profession. Ensure that you get certified by a legitimate vendor-agnostic industry association, such as the IAF, and that the certification is acknowledged throughout the industry. 
Professional industry certifications are highly beneficial to your career.
They add credibility and value to your profession and acknowledges the effort it took to become a competent professional in your field.