Perspectives     Dallas Chapter of ASTD     Membership Newsletter April 2008     Table of Contents


President’s Pen: Delivering Value to our Members

I value my Dallas ASTD membership for several reasons.  

First, I value the educational opportunities it gives me.  I look to Dallas ASTD to offer programs that keep my training and development skills current.  I expand my talent and contribute many fresh ideas to my employer.  I share the nuggets of knowledge I take away from our programs with my training department co-workers.  By applying the education I gain, I continually increase the value of Dallas ASTD to myself and my employer.

The second reason I value Dallas ASTD is the networking relationships I’ve enjoyed through the years.  I face many unique and time sensitive challenges in my daily work.  There is always someone I can connect with who can help me with an idea or a project I am working on.  And, of course, there are the genuine friendships and support I enjoy every time I am greeted by warm smiles and hugs at our meetings. Dallas ASTD feels like home to me.  

My third reason to value Dallas ASTD is the opportunity to get involved in work I find meaningful and enjoyable.  I have been on many different teams during my career, but volunteering on the Dallas ASTD Board allows me to focus on the skills and activities of my choosing.  Ultimately, I can apply what I gain from these experiences in other areas of my life.  Dallas ASTD is my personal career university.

But value, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.  Each of us values different things and in different ways.  For me, it is the combination of education, experiences and relationships that represents true value to me.  I will never give up my membership.  

So what represents value for you?  Is it the special interest groups that allow you to work with a small group of folks who share your passion and interests?  Is it the networking opportunity to share best practices with other workplace learning professionals? Is it the opportunity to interact with other professionals to conduct a job search in the training and development field?  

Your 2008 leadership team wants to know what you value so we can continue to create and deliver value to our customers: you, the Dallas ASTD members.  What challenges do you face, what career journey are you on, and where can we help? What can we do so you never have to think twice about renewing your membership because it is so valuable to you?  I encourage everyone to give us feedback, not only on the quality of the programs and activities we offer, but also about what else we can do to add value to your membership.