IFMA Component Leaders

Build leadership that lasts. Explore how chapters can plan ahead to develop future board leaders through mentorship, recognition and a clear path to the presidency. Learn how one chapter is successfully growing its presidential pipeline.

Takeaways:

• How to inspire volunteerism and a growth mindset
• Ways to strengthen community through leadership initiatives
• Steps to define and support the path to chapter president
• Recognition strategies that motivate and retain leaders

Learn how to embed AI into component operations using the Cyborg Mindset™ a model for ethical, transparent adoption. See how ChatGPT can streamline agendas, events, and communication, freeing leaders to focus on strategy and connection.

Takeaways:

• Integrate AI ethically into leadership roles
• Improve clarity, productivity, and planning
• Align AI use with IFMA standards

Running a chapter with no administrative support is challenging, but achievable. This session offers practical tools and strategies for volunteer-led chapters to operate smoothly, engage members, expand programming and stay visible. Leave with ready-to-use ideas to streamline operations and increase your chapter’s impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategies to manage and grow with limited resources
• Smarter event planning, communication and sponsorship tactics
• Tools to support volunteers and ensure continuity
• A clear path for sustainable growth and engagement

How do we turn first-time attendees into dedicated leaders? This panel explores the full IFMA member journey from first event to volunteer to component leader. Learn what’s working across components to deepen engagement, boost retention and inspire leadership. Panelists will share effective strategies and real-world examples that foster lasting involvement and community growth.

Key Takeaways

• Map the path from member to leader
• Identify key touchpoints that drive involvement
• Apply proven strategies to grow and sustain engagement

Jon Bassford

Best-selling author, TEDx speaker and Founder of Lateral Solutions

Jon Bassford will deliver a keynote entitled The Curious Advantage, followed by an interactive workshop that brings the ideas to life through discussion, reflection, and practical exercises. Together, the session explores how curiosity—when applied intentionally—can fuel better thinking, stronger operations, and more effective leadership.

Participants will examine how curiosity influences decision-making, team dynamics, and day-to-day execution, and how it can be used to navigate complexity, drive improvement, and lead through change. The workshop component invites attendees to apply these concepts directly to their roles—whether leading chapters, managing facilities, or guiding teams—making the session both engaging and immediately relevant.

Attendees will leave with practical insights and actions they can use to rethink how they lead, how work gets done, and how stronger connections and clearer processes create momentum.

Participants will learn how to:

• Apply curiosity as a practical leadership tool to improve decision-making and problem-solving
• Identify where habits, assumptions, and fear limit innovation and operational effectiveness
• Use better questions to strengthen communication, trust, and collaboration across teams
• Rethink processes and workflows to reduce friction and improve execution
• Translate insight into action by applying curiosity to real leadership and operational challenges

While especially valuable for Component Leaders, this session is open to all attendees. More details coming soon!

Bio: Jon Bassford is a best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and leadership expert who helps organizations turn curiosity into a catalyst for innovation, growth, and change. Jon shows leaders how asking better questions—and trusting the process—creates clarity, momentum, and stronger cultures. He challenges leaders to change how they think, work, and connect. 

Join IFMA volunteer leaders to share best practices in membership, communications, programming and collaboration. Explore new ways to connect, exchange resources and strengthen partnerships across the IFMA community.

There are strong synergies and great opportunities for mutual benefit through even closer collaboration between IFMA Chapters, Councils, and Communities. In this interactive session will we together explore how Communities and Councils can support Chapters to strengthen member engagement, expand professional development opportunities, and enhance IFMA’s overall impact.

Join us and participate in this interactive discussion where a panel of Community and Council leaders will share cross-functional collaboration ideas and give real-world examples of how they can support chapters in their growth and thought leadership strategies, followed by a joint ideation of collaboration strategies forward across Chapters, Communities and Councils.

IFMA component leaders often present without formal public speaking training. This session provides practical tools to structure clear messages, engage audiences, manage nerves, and deliver confident, impactful presentations in any setting.

Key Takeaways:

• Structure presentations for clarity and impact
• Engage audiences and open and close with purpose
• Present with confidence and handle questions effectively