Some thoughts on APF as it explores its future

The APF (Assn of Professional Futurists) has been discussing its future as part of our strategic planning process. It provided me an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been. It’s easy to take the glass half-empty view – “why aren’t we further along as we enter our 12^th year.” But let’s start with the glass half-full:

• We’ve made it a dozen years (by no means a sure thing when we started)
• We have a great listserv
• Compass has emerged into a visually appealing, must-read publication
• We have been steadily adding programs: Student Recognition, Most Significant Futures Works, and the [wildly successful in my view] Emerging Fellows Program
• We’ve had an amazing run of Gatherings, and if you look at the program Christian and company have put together this year, it’s a “wow!”
• We’ve had an amazing run of Professional Development Events – last year’s was the best ever in my opinion (and it will have an impact)
• We are actually doing strategic planning on a regular basis – bravo!
• We managed the transition from founders to new leaders, with huge kudos to Cindy and the Board for pulling that off
• And on and on…..

Impressive! Could we do or have done more? Sure. I think we have to recognize that as an all-volunteer group, things aren’t going to move fast. That lesson came home to me at the 2004 Las Vegas Gathering with my infamous bet with Peter that we’d have certification up and running by 2010 (oops). Like many of us, I have my impatient tendencies and have had to learn to adapt to the pace that is feasible given our circumstances. Not to say we can’t accelerate, but we have day jobs!

I’m complicit as well in slowing things down. Heather Schlegel, Mary Jane Naquin, and Jennifer Jarratt put on an outstanding Professional Development day exploring the “professionalization” of the field. It built some nice momentum and I volunteered to lead a task force to explore the roles APF might play in professionalization.  The APF Board approved it a month or two ago, and, well, [insert the usual excuses] I have failed to get the ball rolling…..yet. But I will. And I’ve had enough conversations to know there are lots of folks interested. I see professionalization as one of the key goals of APF. If we decide not to play (and we could), we might have to rethink calling ourselves a professional association. Assuming we do play, what’s not clear are our potential roles, and that’s what the task force is going to explore. More to come on that.

I’m reminded of one of my favorite articles from Joe Coates: “There is much to celebrate.” And I’d add, much to do.  Andy Hines