…And all who heard should see them there, 

And all should cry, Beware! Beware! 

His flashing eyes, his floating hair! 

Weave a circle round him thrice, 

And close your eyes with holy dread 

For he on honey-dew hath fed, 

And drunk the milk of Paradise…

 

<Knock, knock>

 

"Come in."

 

"It's a person from Porlock here to see you, sir."

 

So the story goes, when Samuel Taylor Coleridge returned from speaking with a person from Porlock, Xanadu had vanished. He could not remember the next line or finish the poem. Kubla Khan has a thrilling beginning, but, though regarded as a masterpiece, it remains incomplete.

 

That was in 1797. It's February, 2019 now…about the time when resolutions have weakened and daily work has more people from Porlock banging at the door than one can count, interrupting our hopes for innovation and change. It would be easy to hang up strategies as idealism and file away our goals until Q4. It's prime distraction time! And we, the talent development professionals of the world, should know better than anyone just how vital it is to know where we are heading and build out an executable plan. I hope you have set some lofty, crazy goals for yourselves, your teams, your organizations. And I hope you're taking the next steps of careful planning so that even when the person from Porlock comes knocking, your masterpiece will have an ending.

We're doing exactly that with ATD Dallas. Two Saturdays ago, about thirty of us, all volunteers, gathered to build an execution roadmap that aligns with our strategy. The expertise among those thirty people was diverse and impressive. There's never been a more exciting time to volunteer with our community. And it's not too late to get in on the action. If you want to connect more powerfully with our value proposition of Access, Recognition and Expertise, volunteer with us. You won't regret it. (At the bottom of this post, you'll see a short list of volunteer opportunities.) 

 

During our January community meeting, Dr. Jack Phillips, of the ROI Institute gave us the whirlwind tour of The Value of Innovation. Insightful, witty, incredibly wise. Jack closed out his session with this:

Hope is not a strategy. Luck is not a factor.
Doing nothing is not an option.

 

If anyone knows the value of defining your destination before you start the journey, it's Jack. ATD Dallas members can watch an interview I conducted with Jack. Just log in at the top of this page and click here. Also on this webpage, for a limited time, members can download Jack's ebook, Beyond Learning Objectives.

 

Today (February 1), a sell-out crowd is joining the Management Special Interest Group with Dr. Lisa Bevington, an expert in change management (and a member of the board), to learn the small actions you can do to make a big difference in organizational change, during her session, The Neuroscience of Change on February 1 at lunchtime. Lisa's sessions are a must-see. I'm looking forward to it. If you missed it or you'd like a refresher on the NeuroLeadership Institute's SCARF model, watch this video with David Rock. 

Our community meeting this month is a time of meaningful networking at The Rustic. Register to let us know you're coming. We'll be there to greet you with a drink, apps and great conversation. It's free! If you're looking for a community of talent development professionals, this is a great way to meet some of the best in Dallas.

 

If career development is on your list of resolutions (isn't it always?), join the Career Development monthly evening session on Feb 25. Whether you are obtaining a new job, transitioning to a new career, snagging a promotion, branching out into contracting or building new skills, Laurie Barnett delivers an amazing workshop experience that will give you actionable steps to take you to the next level. 

 

In addition to our monthly events, ATD Dallas has partnered with Degreed to augment the community experience and your own personal development. Look for more information to come on Degreed's launch how you can be in on the action. Southwest Learning Summit is coming in August and the AXIS Awards will continue to expand recognition to the most innovative businesses in Dallas. 

 

Coleridge's Xanadu was a fantasy. ATD Dallas is empowering real people to make real change in their organizations. We are your partner to keep you focused, equipped and ready to handle any distraction from Porlock. Let's dive in together and make a measurable impact on Dallas' businesses. After all, we are becoming the talent development capital of the world. 

 

Short list of volunteer opportunities. Complete a volunteer form here. 

• Project manager for Southwest Learning Summit
• Technical support for Southwest Learning Summit
• Other leadership roles for Southwest Learning Summit
• Career Development leadership role
• Member Liaisons for all live events
• Registration for community meetings
• Graphic designers for MarCom
• Event organizers for Programs 

Rance Greene

ATD Dallas Chapter President

February 1, 2019