Posted by

Barry Siskind

UFI’s Community Manager

UFI’s 81st Congress in Bogota, Columbia, is only a few short weeks away. From October 28 to November 1st , UFI members will have a once a year opportunity to network with colleagues and peers, share ideas and learn from industry experts. This year’s keynote speaker is Gérard Houllier who has managed Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Olympique Lyonnais, and Aston Villa, as well as the French National Team. Currently he is the Head of Global Football for Red Bull.

What does a football coach have to teach us? The answer is that there are direct parallels between what it takes to coach a successful football team and a team of professionals who plan and execute an exhibition.   Sports metaphors have always been a powerful motivator and keen teacher of principles that can be applied to everyday life and business. The exhibition industry has gone through some challenging times during the past few years, one of the messages Gérard will bring us is that “Nothing great is achieved in life without effort and enthusiasm.”  This applies during both good times and bad.  What the exhibition industry and sporting events have in common is the same strategy which Gérard concisely states as, “Fail to prepare…prepare to fail.”

Football games are not won by a single player and neither is an exhibition. Gérard says that both sports and exhibition industry players “win as a team and lose when played alone”.

If you’re interested in seeing the full 81st UFI Congress programme, take a look here: www.ufi.org/bogota2014