I’m a long-time member of the Association for Talent Development (ATD), going back to 1992, when I joined the student chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) at Sac State. Back then, we were still using transparencies on projectors to share content, and VHS was state-of-the-art for multimedia. (Things have come a long way.)
Last month I visited San Diego for the ATD International Conference and Exposition (ICE) for the first time since 2016. My goals were twofold: As a solopreneur, I wanted to network as much as possible and connect with like-minded people. I also wanted to understand what “state-of-the-art” is for my craft today, and get ready for what’s coming tomorrow. ICE did not disappoint.
Meeting Passionate L&D Professionals
In all my sessions – and even in random meetings on the concourses – I met amazing folks as passionate about Learning and Development as I am. I also attended some great networking meetings, including Andy Storch’s Talent Development Think Tank. As a result of the conversations I had there, I joined Andy’s community and was immediately welcomed by a well-organized team.
I attended sessions hosted by Darren Nerland, of Amazon, and Betty Dannewitz of Blanchard, and learned about the future of skills and the future of augmented reality. I also learned a ton about Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT, from which I walked away wary, but relieved to know machines can’t out-human a human. At least not yet. Empathy and caring are still the domain of people, and we need to double down on that. (That was big Takeaway #1)
The keynotes by Adam Grant and Priya Parker were inspiring – I left each feeling better about my field and where we’re headed as an industry.
The only downsides, if you can call them that, were the event’s sheer scale and size. The San Diego Conference Center is a 2.6-million-square-foot facility…walking it from end to end, day after day, I punished my feet inside shoes never meant for those kinds of distances. (Takeaway #2 – wear comfortable walking shoes). The other downside was the noise, especially in the Expo, which was a cacophony of smart people exchanging stories and ideas. It could be overwhelming, but fortunately, there were quiet places to take breaks, have a coffee, sit, and regroup.
Outside the conference proper, The Gaslamp District has its own vibe – it’s a fun spot to have a meal and take in the sights of San Diego.
Overall, I was thrilled with this year’s ATD ICE, and am already planning for 2024.
Authored by Eric Girard, CEO at Girard Training Solutions