I’m super excited for tomorrow’s Central Ohio ATD’s Learning Technology Day. Conferences and events like this always inspire and energize me. Often they are opportunities to meet online friends in person for the first time. For example, my wonderful online friends Jac Hutchinson (@jachutchinson) and Kim Lindsay (@kimlindseyOH) will be there.
I’m honored to give the opening Keynote speaker this year, and I’m taking this opportunity to share a little bit about what it takes to be a great modern workplace learning professional. As I reflected while trying to unpack the essence of this, I realized that the key is learning. It may seem obvious, but I don’t think this is the prevalent view of most Learning & Development professionals yet. Is that just me? What are your thoughts about that?
I agree with Mark Britz (@britz) (and others) when he says that the time has come for L&D to move from a few people creating content for many to many people continuously creating, consuming and learning together.
Organizations can’t scale learning when only a few people create content for the many to consume. The expectation has to change to where many people create and consume, learning together continuously.
— ᴍᴀʀᴋ ʙʀɪᴛᴢ (@britz) September 9, 2018
As I reflected on this idea, I realize how fortunate I’ve been to have found super smart people openly sharing their thoughts and ideas. The fact that they are scattered all across the world and that I’ve never met most of them in person makes it even more amazing.
People like Harold Jarche (@hjarche) and John Stepper (@JohnStepper) have provided insanely valuable contributions. For me, Harold’s Personal Knowledge Mastery and Networked Learning Model along with John’s Work Out Loud principles are complementary ideas that can help anyone improve the way they work, learn and live.
Beyond Harold and John, there is a very long list of others I’ve been fortunate to find, follow and connect with. I can’t imagine where I would be without people like Jane Hart (@c4lpt), Mark Britz, Allison Rossett (@arossett), Arun Pradhan (@arunzpradhan), Helen Blunden (@activatelearn), JD Dillon (JD_Dillon), Bianca Baumann (@BiancaBaumann), Jo Cook (@lightbulbjo), Tom Kuhlmann (@tomkuhlmann), David Anderson (@elearning) and way more than I have time to list here, but you get the idea.
I am grateful for everyone who is generously sharing their knowledge and allowing me to learn along with them as well as grateful for you taking the time to read this.
P.S. If you’re interested, consider yourself officially invited to jump in on the #COATD18 hashgtag or check out the slides and relevant resources over on this presentation page.
Mike Taylor 