She's kind of nervous. Not because she's timid or lacks confidence. But she's already been to several meetings like the one she's about to step into, in hopes that she'll find her people. She hasn't found them yet. She's a manager of a technical writing team who keeps venturing into talent development. She can't help it. She believes that developing people is the key to changing organizations. She wants to make a measurable difference in the business. She's had a hard time connecting with others who have that same drive. She needs a community that understands her and connects her to opportunities. She wants to increase her skills so she can develop others effectively. She has some amazing ideas, but no one to share them with. So she's hoping...hoping that her people will be in that room.
Who is she and who is in that room? Those of us who volunteer for ATD Dallas know exactly what's going on here. We've stood outside the door of a Special Interest Group meeting or a chapter event, for the first time, hoping that the people on the other side of that door will be our people. Because deep down inside we are driven to empower others. And it sure would be nice to do that with a community that had that same drive.
A lot of us were like this woman. I was. And when I stepped through those doors, I was greeted by everyone...everyone! Leaders of talent development functions in large corporations, one-person training departments, professionals in organizational development. Managers, practitioners, consultants. All of us gathering for the purpose of connecting and learning from one another through this amazing organization: ATD Dallas. I found my people.
ATD Dallas members know exactly why they renew their membership year after year. Because we are a community of thriving professionals who are pushing talent development boundaries. Yes, a community. In the metropolis of Dallas, where more and more businesses are setting up shop, there is a growing community with the singular vision of:
Becoming the talent development capital of the world.
It's my commitment to you, in 2019, to push our boundaries as a chapter, and to make sure the ATD Dallas story is told in a way that compels the best of the best to join and partner with us in our vision. The board and I will use this webpage as a platform to communicate our strategy and to make sure you know how to take advantage of every member benefit available to you.
Connecting with your people is about to get a lot easier. During the first quarter, every member of ATD Dallas will receive a free account to Degreed, where our in-person connections will blossom into a vibrant online community, centered on skills you are interested in cultivating. Check out a Degreed intro video here and download the app to use the free version.
Once you've been added to the ATD Dallas account, you'll receive access to an enormous amount of Freemium content, including Harvard ManageMentor, edX, Business Insider and all of ATD Dallas's content. Initiate discussion around articles, videos and courses and learn from other TD professionals who are part of our community. Get credit for everything you're learning, like workshops you attend, articles you read and speakers you hear at our own chapter events.
Get an inside view of some amazing organizations and hear renowned speakers at our monthly chapter-wide meetings. You can kick off your year by joining us at Southwest Airlines University as we welcome Jack Phillips of the ROI Institute on January 22. He's excited to partner with us to speak on The Value of Innovation. As part of our partnership, Jack is offering a registration for an upcoming certification course in ROI at a greatly reduced price. You can place a bid to receive that workshop here.
Expect deeper skill building opportunities at our Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings, which will be recorded and posted to Degreed, in case you can't make the live event. Each SIG—L&D, Leadership and Learning Technologies—will meet once a quarter, beginning in February, with pre- and post-session dialogue taking place in groups on Degreed. Career Development monthly meetings will continue to offer support for members who want to advance their own careers, break into talent development or search for another opportunity.
Our annual conference, the Southwest Learning Summit, in August, will continue to be one of the premier regional talent development conferences the United States, attracting over 400 professionals and some of the best speakers on what's most relevant to our industry. And the AXIS Awards, in December, will expand its reach as more and more corporations and organizations look to ATD Dallas for recognition of their innovative work in talent development.
There's so much to look forward to in 2019. More access to our community in person, online, any time, anywhere. More recognition on a personal and a corporate level. And targeted expertise to build the skills you want to master. I anticipate every encounter you have with our community to empower you to change your organization for good. Most importantly, you get to do all of this with your people.
Rance Greene
ATD Dallas Chapter President
January 1, 2019
