Hello ATD: Long Island! Summer is in full swing and our Summer Social is right around the corner. This social is being sponsored by Michele Rebetti and Crestcom, giving us the perfect opportunity to find out a little more about one of ATD's most active members. Michele is a former board member for our chapter as well, and can generally be found participating in events throughout the year. 

If you would like a chance to discuss some of her experiences, and how Crestcom can help you or your business develop their full leadership potential, swing by our social this Thursday, August 22nd @6pm.

ATD: How did you come to be a part of ATD LI?

MR: I came to ATD after starting my own business. I wanted to learn about new trends and how I can improve my own skills and process. I also wanted to be more involved with the training community. 

ATD: Where do you work currently and what does a work day look like for you?

MR: My Company is Crestcom, a leadership development company that is unique.  My work day is not typical, it’s different every day. Some days I get to do more facilitating of my workshops and other days I’m making calls and going to prospective clients to educate them about how I can help them. It’s always interesting and fun because I get to meet so many new people. 

ATD: How did you begin your career in talent development?

MR: After graduating college, I worked in sales. I did well and had the opportunity to do sales training and loved it. I went back to school for my masters in IO Psych and really loved the focus of training and development. I worked for many companies in different industries in HR and training. 

ATD: What do you suggest to new members for them to gain the most benefit from ATD LI?

MR: My suggestion to new members is to come to meetings and socialize - introduce yourself to whomever you can. Also get involved with the Board to meet people - it opens doors and creates opportunities plus you get to learn to improve your skills and give back to the training community. 

ATD: What was the best experience you have ever had in talent development, and why?

MR: The best for me is when a client thanks me for making an impact on their people and their company. The biggest compliment is when I am considered part of the company family. I often get invited to company events for the employees. It’s the best feeling. 

ATD: If you could have complete control for talent development of any existing private or government organization, which one would it be and what would you do with it?

MR: If I could control any organization it would be a government agency such as DMV. I would love to help them improve the accountability of their people and improve their efficiencies. I know I could help them be more customer focused and help their employees feel more motivated. :)

Up to $100,000 can be provided by the state of NY for your Long Island company's training and development needs! 

The Stony Brook University Center for Corporate Education (CCE) is offering assistance in planning your training initiatives and navigating the application process. Be aware, this opportunity is on a first come-first serve basis, and funds are limited. 

Another benefit to completing this application is that the state has made it a common application, which can allow you to quickly navigate and apply for other state funding, now and in the future. 

If anyone applies for and receives a grant, or has in the past, feel free to comment on how the program has helped with your training and development needs.

Good luck!

Hello and Happy Summer ATD: Long Island!

After an event filled last few months, I'm sure everyone is ready to sit back and relax. Maybe you are considering taking a little trip, perhaps even staying at a nice hotel somewhere? Well I know that ATD: LI's VP of Marketing & Communications, Lisa Privett-Wood, can recommend a few nice places.

Catch her at ATD: LI's Summer Social on August 22nd and ask how her role as a Senior Manager, Learning (Global Operations), helps to make Hilton such a worldwide success.

ATD: How did you come to be a part of ATD LI?

LPW: A career transition 5 years ago triggered my finding ATD LI.

ATD: Where do you work currently and what does a workday look like for you?

LPW: I am a Senior Manager, Learning for Hilton, supporting on-property training resources for several hotel departments globally from a home-based office. Two workdays are never the same, working on a vast array of learning projects for different audiences, always in search of the most effective training resource for the learners.

ATD: How did you begin your career in talent development?

LPW: My entire working career has been in Human Resources, beginning with my first HR assistant job out of college in a hotel HR office.

ATD: What do you value most about ATD LI?

LPW: The ability to connect with so many talent development individuals who represent all facets of the profession and to enhance my own development through our varied speakers and presentations.

ATD: What is one thing you wished you had done differently on a learning and development project, and why?

LPW: Always respect the (learning project management) process and maintain objectivity throughout.

ATD: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the learning and development field?

LPW:

1.    The sheer volume of existing learning resources becomes overwhelming for the learner.

2.    Providing target learners with easy access to just-in-time learning resources, especially for those who do not work at a desk.

3.    Measuring training effectiveness.

4.    Sifting through new and tested delivery methods to identify which one is right while remaining innovative.

Hello ATD: Long Island! As we head into summer I can honestly say that I feel the ATD: LI events have been keeping me engaged and informed. While attending the Career Journey Open Mic night last week, I had the good fortune to meet and receive some advice from this month's highlighted member, Simone Wilson.

Ms. Wilson is another great example of how the professionals who make up ATD: LI step-up and contribute their uniques insights and talents, helping our members to achieve further career growth and success. 

Read below for some talking points the next time you catch Ms. Wilson at an event, and perhaps you can learn some more about getting the best value from learning & development in your organization!

ATD: How did you come to be a part of ATD LI?

SW: I learned about ATD LI (ASTD at the time) while I was in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology Master’s program at Hofstra University. When I entered the workforce, I was re-introduced, attended a few meetings and joined ATD LI.

ATD: Where do you work currently and what does a workday look like for you?

SW: My current work situation is two-fold. I serve as Talent and Organizational Development Leader for United Methodist Women, a nonprofitorganization headquartered in NYC. In addition to this role, independently through 

Wilson Rose Solutions, I provide career coaching and facilitation services to help individuals and teams achieve results. My workday at United Methodist Women varies, with the commonality of regular meetings with colleagues in different roles across the organization. I oversee the organization’s newly rolled out Learning and Development Communities and collaborate with our Senior Leadership Team and Human Resources Director on strategic initiatives to help strengthen the organization.

ATD: How did you begin your career in talent development?

SW: My interest in talent development began while I was in the Master’s program at Hofstra University. Years later, I secured a training specialist role which allowed me to hone my skills and gain more in-depth experience. Prior to that it was self-education and connecting with individuals already in the field.

ATD: What do you suggest to new members for them to gain the most benefit from ATD LI?

SW: I would suggest to new members to not only join ATD LI, but really engage with other members and get involved in events. It’s an opportunity to engage with people with common interest, and the added benefit of different levels of experience and perspective. A suggestion that I am currently practicing.

ATD: What was the most challenging experience you ever had in talent development, and why?

SW: The most challenging experience I’ve faced is navigating the gap that can exist between a stated desire to develop talent and the actual resources that are available to help drive successful implementation. I’ve found it beneficial to outline what’s needed and critical to success and to get support on the front end, not just in words but in action.

ATD: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the learning and development field?

SW: In some spaces, learning and development is viewed as an add-on versus a component of the organizational strategy. The best value will be seen when it is tied to the overall culture of the organization.

Great article by my favorite leadership expert Dan Rockwell on core competencies for success and interview with Jim Harter, Ph.D. Gallup researcher and author of It's the Manager and 12:Elements of Great Managing. It's all about relationships. 

7 Universal Competencies for Success in Any Role

Great article to celebrate International Coaching Week on the critical elements you need if you are looking to grow a coaching culture.

4 Ways to Foster a Coaching Culture

Hello ATD: Long Island! With just a few weeks until the Career Journey Open Mic Night & Disrupt HR 4.0 Long Island, I am happy to give you some insights from Sy Islam. Try to catch him at one of these events and find out more about his experiences, along with how he plans on turning the NY Knicks into a dynasty!

First, a little background on ATD: LI's VP of Programming:

Sy Islam, Ph.D.

Sy has over 10 years of experience in a variety of corporate, academic, and applied settings. He completed his Bachelors in Economics from Rutgers University, his MBA in Human Resource Management and a Master’s of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He completed his PhD in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University. 

Sy has served in management, consultant and research roles in a variety of organizations. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Industrial Organizational Psychology at Farmingdale State College. In addition to his role as a professor, he is a co-founder and a Principal Consultant with Talent Metrics. In his role at Talent Metrics, he collaborates with organizations through consulting engagements in his areas of expertise (training and development, selection, survey design, performance management, and team building). He is a passionate advocate for the fields of I-O Psychology and training. He currently serves as the Vice-President of Programming for the Long Island Chapter of the Association for Talent Development.

Follow him on Twitter: @IOSyIslam and LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sislam

ATD: How did you come to be a part of ATD LI?

SI: I joined ATD Long Island after I graduated from Hofstra University. I had been a member of ATD in NJ prior to beginning my PhD and after I graduated and started my consulting practice Talent Metrics, I rejoined the local chapter. Linda Berke, the ATD LI president at the time was so welcoming that I knew I had to be a part of this local chapter. Soon after I took a board position with my friend Hector Martinez.

ATD: Where do you work currently and what does a work day look like for you?

SI: Currently, I wear many hats and split my time between a few different roles. My first role is as an Assistant Professor of Industrial Organizational Psychology at Farmingdale State College. My second role is as a Principal Consultant and founder of Talent Metrics, a boutique people/learning analytics consulting firm that specializes in using data to deliver human capital interventions. My third role is as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University where I teach training and development. My typical workday starts with a review of tasks to be completed that day and then a generous dose of social media (mostly Twitter) and then teaching and conference calls. My wife makes fun of me and says that my consulting work is mostly conference calls or sitting in front of the computer reviewing datasets. She’s not wrong.

ATD: How did you begin your career in talent development?

SI: I began my career in talent development by happenstance. At Rutgers University, I became a trainer for the peer counseling group that I volunteered with. That was my first training position and I enjoyed it. After I graduated with a degree in economics, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life and economics degree, so I ended up teaching SAT test prep courses for Kaplan Test Prep. I eventually became a manager with Kaplan and most of my work was recruitment and training. After a couple of years as a manager I decided that I wanted to pursue my MBA in Human Resources Management. My first MBA course at Fairleigh Dickinson University was Organizational Behavior taught by an Industrial Organizational Psychologist named Dr. Dean Robb. He suggested that I pursue the dual MBA-HR Management/MA-I-O Psychology program that FDU offered. Eventually I decided to pursue my PhD and ended up studying at Hofstra University.

ATD: What do you value most about ATD LI?

SI: What I value most about ATD LI is the sense of community. ATD Long Island has some of the best professionals in the field as members and everyone feels like a true community member. New members can make the most of this group by engaging with the community by attending events, reaching out to board members and letting the board know what they want out of the organization. If you’re new to the field, be open to the community, be ready to learn and don’t make connections hoping for a transactional relationship. You’re going to get what you put into this organization. That’s what makes ATD LI such an enjoyable group.

ATD: What was the best experience you have ever had in talent development, and why?

SI: There are a couple of experiences that would qualify for the best experiences I have had in talent development. The first would be in some executive coaching work that I did. I was working with a VP in an organization and after reviewing some of the pre-coaching assessments and discussing her goals for coaching I discussed with her the possibility that she could be a CEO for an organization. She was floored and it was great to explain to someone who had never seen that potential in themselves before that she had that potential. This is the catnip of training and development.

The second example would be when we were working on a harassment training for a municipality. We received some feedback from the organizational members that the training was well received and that employees were experiencing healthier interactions within the workplace.

The third example of a wonderful experience was when we worked with a Fortune company for whom we did a training evaluation. We were able to identify the effect of their training program on organizational outcomes (NDA’s of course prevent me from going into further detail on these projects).

ATD: If you could have complete control for talent development of any existing private or government organization, which one would it be and what would you do with it?

SI: This is not really a traditional answer but if I could control the talent development for any organization it would be the NY Knicks. God knows they need the help and need the support to become more data driven. Analytics could help the team make better decisions about draft picks about how best to train and how to manage line-ups for the team. James Dolan call me!!