ATD Houston 2024 Talent Development Conference

WEST HOUSTON INSTITUE
2811 Hayes Road
Houston, TX 77082

Christopher and Michael Allen, renowned experts in learning psychology and instructional design, will equip you with the tools to redesign your learning experiences and develop content that fosters deeper understanding and application.

The focus on developing content for better communication, interpretation, and synthesis empowers L&D professionals to "Enhance" learner understanding and "Optimize" learning outcomes. By crafting content that fosters deeper analysis and synthesis of information, the conference empowers attendees to go beyond rote memorization and develop the critical thinking skills needed to apply knowledge in real-world situations.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, virtual classroom training has emerged as a vital tool for learning and development. However, the virtual environment can pose unique challenges in fostering meaningful connections, cultivating a sense of belonging, and sustaining active participation among learners. This dynamic and interactive session empowers learning and development professionals with practical strategies and innovative techniques to overcome these challenges and elevate the virtual classroom experience.

During this session, we will delve into the latest research, leading practices, and cutting-edge features that facilitate building solid connections in online training environments. We will explore methods to create a welcoming and inclusive virtual space where learners feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to engage in the learning process actively.
From interactive icebreakers and team-building exercises to personalized feedback approaches and technical training strategies, we will uncover many tools and techniques to enrich the virtual learning experience.

By the end of the session, you will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to:

• Analyze effective communication techniques and rapport-building principles that foster connection and trust among virtual learners.
• Discover interactive activities, discussions, and approaches that keep participants engaged, inspired, and motivated to learn.
• Explore innovative uses of platform features and other applications that can enhance student engagement and foster a strong sense of community.

In today's rapidly changing workplace, employee retention and engagement are more critical than ever. Alarming statistics reveal that many of the workforce, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are contemplating leaving their current positions due to a lack of career growth opportunities. This trend is concerning, especially considering many organizations prioritize career development in their training initiatives. To address this pressing issue, we invite you to discover how EBSCOlearning has successfully tackled this challenge, achieving remarkable employee tenure and engagement levels far exceeding national averages. Join us to learn how you can create a more viable career development program that will empower your employees to reach their full potential and drive your organization's success.

In this session, attendees will:

• Gain insights into the challenges and opportunities of developing an internal career growth plan that resonates with employee aspirations.
• Through illustrative examples and a compelling case study from EBSCOlearning, you will understand the key distinctions between skill development, job experiences, job mobility, and career growth.
• Walk away with a tangible, actionable plan to implement the recommendations presented and create a thriving career development program within their organizations.

Unlocking the full potential of language models and generative AI often feels like navigating a whimsical yet confounding Wonderland. This session infuses design thinking into AI prompt crafting.

Attendees will explore how the framework guides them to:

• Assess AI strengths and user needs to identify optimal interaction points
• Transform vague requests into well-defined problem statements
• Embrace playful ideation techniques to generate nuanced prompts
• Leverage iterative feedback loops between user and AI to achieve collaborative creativity

This session embraces a hands-on approach with elements inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Ideal for AI enthusiasts and those unfamiliar with AI, this presentation balances the technical aspects of prompt writing with an emphasis on igniting creativity.

After this session, you will be able to:

• Empathize with the end user and the AI tool by analyzing their needs, strengths, and limitations.
• Define a clear problem statement focused on achieving specific, measurable outcomes from the AI interaction.
• Ideate various creative prompts, drawing inspiration from Wonderland-like wordplay and playful constraints.
• Prototype various prompts, experimenting with different approaches to achieve the desired results.
• Test and analyze AI outputs, using design thinking's iterative mindset to refine prompts and improve collaboration with the AI.

In today's increasingly decentralized corporate landscape, aligning talent development with organizational goals is more critical than ever for achieving sustained success. This session will explore how talent development professionals can empower managers to create effective, high-performing teams while optimizing individual staff management.

• Enhance Team Effectiveness through Manager Empowerment: Equip managers with the essential tools and strategies to build and maintain high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, innovation, and productivity.
• Align Talent Development with Organizational Goals: Discover effective methods for aligning talent development initiatives with broader business objectives, ensuring that team capabilities directly impact organizational success and drive growth.
• Integrate Individual Well-being into Talent Management: Learn how to incorporate a holistic approach to well-being into talent management practices, encompassing physical health, mindset, social connections, nutrition, and career development.
• Promote Inclusivity in Talent Development: Explore techniques for tailoring development programs to meet the diverse needs of early-career recruits, seasoned professionals, and veterans, fostering an inclusive environment that supports comprehensive leadership growth for all.

Large-scale organizational changes like buyouts and reorgs are becoming increasingly common, leaving many individuals overwhelmed and uncertain. However, some people survive these changes and emerge even stronger and more successful.
This session will explore why this happens and equip L&D professionals with the knowledge and tools to help themselves and others navigate change successfully. We'll delve into the challenges faced during organizational transitions and uncover the key factors contributing to individual resilience and career advancement.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand: The accelerating pace of disruptive change and its impact on organizations and individuals.
• Identify Seven crucial reasons certain employees are retained and promoted during reorgs and buyouts.
• Influence: Three key factors within your control to improve your chances of thriving during change.
• Develop: Four essential skills proven to make a significant difference in navigating organizational transitions.
• Strategize: Determine your goals and aspirations amidst the change and align them with the evolving landscape.
• Empower: Discover how L&D professionals can play a pivotal role in preparing themselves and others for success in times of change.

This interactive session will feature small-group discussions and activities to foster collaboration and generate practical solutions for L&D professionals to implement within their organizations.

Get ready to unleash your inner comedian and revolutionize your coaching skills! In this laughter-filled session, we'll dive into improv comedy and discover how its core principles can transform your coaching conversations. Through interactive exercises and engaging discussions, you'll learn how to harness the power of active listening, embrace "yes and" thinking, and cultivate a playful, spontaneous approach to problem-solving. Whether you're an experienced coach or a talent development professional, this session will equip you with a fresh set of tools to build trust, foster collaboration, and inspire positive change in your teams and organizations. So come prepared to laugh, learn, and unlock your potential as a coach!

In this session, you will:

• Master improv comedy techniques like active listening, "yes and" thinking, and accepting offers to transform your coaching conversations.
• Experience interactive improv activities and discussions to gain a fresh perspective on supporting individual and team performance, fostering collaboration, adaptability, and positive change.
• Develop a repertoire of improv-based coaching techniques, strategies for building trust and rapport, and a creative approach to problem-solving.
• Leave with the skills, insights, and confidence to enhance your coaching game, whether you are an experienced coach or a talent development professional.

Ready to unlock the power of Generative AI and revolutionize your L&D workflow? Join us for an interactive, judgment-free exploration of this cutting-edge technology. We'll guide you through the basics, share real-world examples from our learning team, and put the tools in your hands for practical experimentation.

In this session, you'll:

• Discover some publicly available Generative AI tools transforming the L&D landscape.
• Explore practical L&D use cases to inspire text and image generation projects.
• Practice drafting, refining, and chaining prompts to maximize the impact of your AI-generated content.
• Learn how to evaluate and rank different AI outputs to ensure the highest quality results.
• Leave with the knowledge and confidence to integrate Generative AI into your daily work, saving time and delivering exceptional learning experiences.

The term "Artificial Intelligence" (AI) may evoke images of futuristic robots or complex algorithms, but the truth is that AI has been part of our lives for decades. From the voice assistants on our smartphones to the personalized recommendations on our streaming services, AI is quietly powering many of the tools and technologies we use daily. AI is making its mark on the talent development industry, transforming how we create, deliver, and experience learning.

More than 15% of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) already incorporate AI functionalities like content creation, analytics, and translations. This means learning professionals have a unique opportunity to harness the power of AI to enhance training and development initiatives, resulting in improved learning outcomes and faster results.

This session will demystify AI for learning professionals, providing a clear understanding of its capabilities and practical applications. We'll delve into how AI is currently being used in the industry, explore innovative ways content creators can leverage AI tools, and discuss the crucial role of prompt engineering in achieving successful AI outcomes.

We'll also address potential watch-outs and risks associated with AI-generated content, ensuring you can navigate the ethical and practical considerations. Finally, we'll guide you on becoming an AI leader within your organization, positioning yourself at the forefront of this exciting technological revolution.

Let's embark on this journey to uncover the potential of AI in revolutionizing the learning experience and empowering talent development professionals to achieve new heights of success.

Do fear, perfectionism, and burnout feel like constant roadblocks in your career? This empowering session will help you understand the emotional triggers behind self-sabotage and provide practical strategies to break free. Discover how to cultivate self-compassion, embrace your strengths, and create a more fulfilling work life.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify and address the emotional roots of self-sabotaging behaviors.
• Build resilience and develop a healthy relationship with failure.
• Manage perfectionist tendencies and set realistic expectations.
• Prioritize self-care and create a sustainable work-life balance.

Do you ever question your accomplishments, even when others recognize your success? If nagging doubts whisper that you're a fraud, you might be experiencing imposter syndrome. This common phenomenon can affect anyone, regardless of their achievements or qualifications.
In this session, we'll explore the signs and symptoms of imposter syndrome, develop strategies to overcome self-doubt, and empower you to embrace your accomplishments confidently. You'll leave with practical tools and a renewed sense of self-belief, ready to silence that inner critic and reach your full potential.
In this session, you'll:

• Unmask your imposter: Learn to recognize the signs of imposter syndrome within yourself and others.
• Develop your monster-fighting toolkit: Discover proven strategies and coping mechanisms to silence self-doubt and build confidence.
• Help your team: Gain coaching techniques to support direct reports who struggle with imposter syndrome.
• Create your action plan: Leave with a personalized plan to conquer your imposter monster and achieve your full potential.

The human skills necessary for successful collaboration in organizations are essential, perhaps even more so as the future of work evolves into a hybrid model. These skills are unique as they cannot be acquired through a single training course but require constant practice and coaching to achieve mastery. One-to-one coaching with communication experts is a viable solution for many individuals and organizations. Still, this model is difficult to scale, depends largely on the coach's availability, and, in some contexts, may be cost-prohibitive. This session suggests a limited number of digital solutions that enable learners to practice collaboration-related human skills in safe, relevant simulations. These immersive learning experiences incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and other technologies to avoid the temporal and scalability limitations of human coaching. They provide an effective supplement to conventional training.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

• Identify the top human skills necessary for effective collaboration
• Assess and select AI/VR-enabled learning experiences that strengthen collaboration skills based on organizational context and need

Successful leaders understand that creating a positive and productive work environment is essential in today's fast-paced business world. This session will give you the tools to build a psychologically safe, high-performing culture based on empathy and emotional intelligence (EQ). You'll learn how to foster trust, collaboration, and innovation within your team and develop a personalized roadmap to empower your employees and drive outstanding results.

Key Takeaways:

• Craft a personalized roadmap for building a psychologically safe and high-performing culture.
• Develop a communication style that fosters trust, collaboration, and innovation within your team.
• Master the five pillars of empathetic leadership and learn how to apply them in your daily practices.

Our world is changing in profound ways. Fundamental shifts are occurring that redefine how we view the world and our place in it – what we expect from both the work we do and the lives we live. To meet this moment, L&D must move beyond swirling hype cycles and reimagine itself as a modern, adaptable, and nimble practice connecting the changing landscape of business to a highly productive and satisfied workforce. In this discussion, Brandon shares lessons learned on how to build a flexible L&D playbook that delivers a transformative approach to the practice while enabling a strategy of continuous learning. This session is packed with practical insights and paints a positive picture of the remarkable future for those in the talent development field.

Brandon shares how to:

• Focus your L&D practice on the fundamentals that enable scalable learning
• Embrace the new workplace operating model that fuels significant productivity gains
• Link business and human performance to build a sustainable workforce

RSVP: 
https://tdhouston.org/event-5842762