Importance of Volunteer Leadership

ICF recognizes that the strength of our coaching profession lies in the leadership of our dedicated volunteers. Like the impact of coaching, your contributions ripple out to the individuals you serve at ICF. And the impact of those contributions spread further across the larger ICF ecosystem and into your communities and society.

GLF nurtures this leadership, providing the resources, connections, and insights necessary to strengthen your influence, foster a sense of belonging, and cultivate a diverse network of empowered leaders committed to excellence.

man leaning forward to put his hand on a laptop keyboard

How to Participate

GLF is an exclusive, online event for all volunteer leaders within the ICF ecosystem. Each year, volunteer leaders receive an invitation to participate in the event, and the recordings can be accessed throughout the year on the ICF Learning Portal. By participating, you can contribute to fostering a more diverse and inclusive culture that positively impacts ICF, the coaching profession, and beyond.

GLF 2025 Event Overview

Set the tone. Lead the conversation. Inspire collaboration. GLF 2025 is focused on strengthening the global coaching community’s role in creating caring communities that drive positive change in our dynamic world.

This free event is designed to equip you with the tools, insights, and strategies to lead with confidence and purpose. By participating in GLF 2025, you’ll gain:

  • Global Perspectives: Learn from thought leaders, cultural experts, and fellow volunteers to gain actionable insights on complex conversations.
  • Practical Strategies: Access powerful resources to manage conflict, encourage empathy, and foster understanding within diverse teams.
  • Elevated Leadership Skills: Enhance your ability to lead with resilience, respect, and clarity, particularly in times of challenges and change.

By clicking the button, you will be directed to the ICF Learning Portal. Please ensure you are logged into the ICF Learning Portal, and then you will be able to view the GLF content if you are a volunteer leader.

Agenda Highlights

Step into your leadership potential with GLF 2025. Through thought-provoking content, you’ll explore:

The Power of Dialogue
Great leaders foster conversations that inspire connection, even in challenging times. Discover how to model and facilitate meaningful discussions that bring people together, spark innovation, and create lasting impact.

Wellness as a Leadership Foundation
Your ability to support and uplift others starts with your own well-being. Learn how to prioritize mental, emotional, and physical health so you can lead with resilience, energy, and balance while also setting the tone for your teams and communities.

Building Teams and Communities that Promote Belonging and Unity
In a global network as diverse as ICF, fostering unity is essential. Explore strategies to create spaces where trust, mutual understanding, and collaboration thrive — empowering your volunteer teams to make a difference worldwide.

Leading by Example
As an ICF volunteer leader, you are a catalyst for change. Discover how to lead with authenticity, courage, and vision to inspire others and make a lasting impact in your community and beyond.

Past ICF GLF Events

GLF 2024 was an exciting event that engaged our volunteer leaders in conversations around building and retaining engaged teams. ICF GLF 24 included the following sessions:

  • Connect, Inspire, Lead.
  • Building Stronger Teams.
  • Leadership for a Shared Mission.
  • Building Stronger, Purpose-Driven Volunteer Communities.
  • Fostering Global Engagement and Shared Mission.

GLF 24 recordings are now available on demand to volunteer leaders in the ICF Learning Portal.

Testimonials from Past ICF
GLF Attendees

“GLF 24 allowed me to meet coaching leaders from all over the world. It was an inspiring combination of learning and connecting to ICF's broader vision for a new era in coaching.”

Jen Lewi, ACC, ICF Career Coaching Community of Practice Volunteer Ambassador

Featured Events

Looking for additional ways to connect with the ICF community and learn with fellow coaches? Check out our upcoming events.

Communities of Practice

Step into the New Year with Intention

January 6, 2026

Choose a single word that represents your vision for 2026. This word can serve as a theme for the year, reminding you of what matters most. It can also be a powerful tool to use with clients, helping them clarify priorities and set boundaries around what to do more of and what to set aside.

Communities of Practice

Silent Supervision: The Mystery of the Unspoken 

November 13, 2025

As we serve in the role of a thought partner or facilitator, in what way can the silence support supervision? Can the silence also result in unintended consequences? While we can agree that supervision is a reflective space, we can also agree on the myriad circumstances within that reflection. Join Reginald Jackson in exploring the silent spaces between the supervision conversation and what can emerge not only IN the silence but BECAUSE of the silence. This session is meant to be engaging and interactive, sourcing the knowledge and experience of the collective. Be prepared for a rich discussion.

Communities of Practice

Radical Listening For Coaches

As a group, professional coaches tend to be good listeners. Listening is so central to what we do, in fact, that it is one of our core competencies. This does not mean, however, that we can improve! In this interactive session, Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener invites you to reexamine listening from new angles. We will build on traditional notions of “active listening” to better understand the role of authenticity, assertiveness, and motivation in the listening process. You will leave this session with new attitudes toward listening, more targeted language to describe it, and experiments to try in your own coaching practice.

people standing in a circle shaking hands in meeting

Networking Opportunities for Volunteers

GLF only happens once a year, but you can connect with fellow volunteer leaders at any time via ICF Engage. This exclusive platform is your gateway to connect, collaborate, and network with peers, making it the largest and most dynamic coaching community in the world — all accessible right at your fingertips.