In Search of Excellence

By Tim Webster, FIA Flame Conference programmer

Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer. Sometimes the improvement is just 1%, but that 1% is often the difference between winning and losing, between the good and the great. Blindingly obvious isn’t it?

This year’s FIA Conference is all about celebrating the fact that we have come a long way as a sector, indulging in a little “what-if” thinking, challenging what we currently do and asking if it could be done better, differently, more efficiently, more cost-effectively or not at all?

Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Do one thing every day that scares you.” This is of course much more difficult than it sounds but if we are to grow our sector we must challenge our own thinking and that of our colleagues each and every day.

As Tom Peters says: “Doing what worked yesterday is always the default option. Thing is, that doesn’t work anymore.”

In my opinion, in order to challenge our thinking we must look outside our own sector at businesses that are doing things differently and so this year’s conference features non-industry speakers from top-to-bottom. That’s a risk in itself, but there’s no point in challenging you to think differently if we aren’t prepared to do the same.

Over the coming weeks and months we aim to bring you some of the thoughts of our speakers at this year’s conference, starting with our keynote speaker, SAS hero Chris Ryan later this week.

FIA Conference and FLAME Awards 2010

Well. FLAME has come and gone and I personally feel that all I want to do is find a hole somewhere and sleep for a week.

A fair number of the 700 plus attendees have told me that it was a great success – complimenting everything from the calibre of the speakers, to the new ‘fruit & food grazing’ feeding arrangements.
For me, it was (as always) great to see and meet up with so many old faces - and new. But what really excited me was the attendees’ hunger for knowledge for information on subjects which, even a couple of years ago, would have only attracted enough people for a five-a-side team, let alone pack a room. Topics ranging from applying psychology to our delivery models, to the importance of data, the value of social media and the whole issue of ‘exercise as medicine’ filled session after session.

Thinking about this, as well as the calibre of FLAME Award winners and runners up suggests that there is a real and very tangible sea change in our industry. Everywhere I looked and every conversation I had gave me the feeling that people are taking everything we do and improving it by 50% - whether it’s the graphics on kit or its phenomenal capacity to record and interpret data: whether it’s new programmes which are reaching deeper and more consistently into communities, or the phenomenal work currently being done by a handful of organisations with GPs and health professionals.

Now, this isn’t a cheap plug for the TwentyTen Commission, but there are pockets of excellence throughout our industry; just think of the contribution we could make to the nation (and our own bottom line), if we collated best practice, shared it and used it as a springboard for improving what we do and how deeply we engage with our respective communities. The catalyst to that is the Commission, but the drivers to that are you.

Thinking about drivers makes me think about ‘Movers and Shakers’ ... wait ‘till you see the pics from the Awards ... think Strictly Come Dancing ... then think John Sergeant!
Need I say more ... I don’t think I should, or there will be no greeting of ‘old faces and new’ next year.

Click here to see a sample of the photo's from the event.

David Stalker, Executive Director at FIA

The FIA Flame Conference

Most will be aware that the FIA recently pulled off the mammoth task of launching the first ever Flame Conference. As a first attempt I think all will agree that it did what it said on the tin and was a success. Granted, there were hiccups and unexpected episodes, but all in all people were educated, fed, watered and serenaded by none other by the legend that is James Brown (who knew he was a white guy?). So, moving forwards the challenge is to replicate, improve and exceed expectations for the Flame Conference 2010… suggestions anyone please? I have recently discovered that squeezing 900 fit and healthy people into one room for a formal occasion is not something that many venues aspire to, thereby making the search for a conference and Ball of Fire venue something of an obstacle. But obstacles were made to be overcome and it is somewhere on the way over that hurdle that the epiphany of a “marquee” presented itself – how exciting! So it would seem we are getting there and bit by bit the plan for 2010 is coming together and looking rather attractive at that! However, I would like to make a plea to all hotels, stadiums, racecourses and universities across the UK – BUILD BIGGER ROOMS, THE FITNESS INDUSTRY NEEDS YOU!

Hayley Bevan - Events and Sponsorship Manager