2021 was our year for Unlocking Opportunities. Doing more of what we do well is a great opportunity that we don’t always fully exploit. One of the most valuable things we can do is to put time aside to reflect on what has gone well. When things go wrong we are quick to review, so that we can learn from our mistakes. We are not so good at learning from our successes. If we can repeat and build on our successes then that has to be a good thing. As we come to the end of 2021 it is time to look back on what we have done well, so that in 2022 we can do it again, only better.

So here are some of my highlights from 2021…

Accredited Professionals

This year we have accredited almost 200 members through our various learning programs. It has been great to hear how these professionals are applying this learning to make a real difference in their role. Though every learning journey is unique, one common factor is that knowledge builds confidence which leads to success. This brings us on to my next highlight.

Award case stories

It was brilliant to hear so many of you sharing your achievements through our awards programme. We heard great stories of improvement, innovation and transformation from individuals, teams and organisations. Having seen some of the 57 entries we have received so far for next year, 2022 promises to be a great year. Not everyone will win, however, everyone will inspire the community.

More Members

It has been fantastic to see our membership growing during this challenging time. Over 50 organisations have joined our community, bringing a wealth of new ideas to share.

Virtual Networking Groups

Over the last 12 months we have held 82 virtual networking groups focussing on 15 different topics. It has been inspiring to see our members sharing their work and ideas and helping each other be the best that they can be.

Virtual Conferences

Our virtual conferences have gone from strength to strength and they have opened up The Forum’s conferences to a whole new audience. We are now being joined by people who traditionally couldn’t attend face to face events due to geography, budgets or personal circumstances. We are now reaching more people than ever with nearly 2,000 different people participating in an activity with The Forum this year.

Face to face Conference event

During November it was exciting to be able to hold our first face to face conference for two years. It was fantastic to see so many of you again and hear that buzz when like minded people get together. By having the virtual conference as well, this freed up our Community Connections day to focus on the things that work best in person. For me this was the best conference I have been involved in.

Before the end of the year, why not put some time aside to think about your highlights, and how you can use these experiences to do even better in 2022.

Author: Ian Robertson

Date Published: 15/12/2021