From Farm Chores to Future-Ready Leadership

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Who are the more than 5,000 talent development professionals who have earned the APTD or CPTD credential? Get to know the talented and diverse community: David Elser is an Organization Development Advisor. He earned the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD®) credential in 2019.

Who are the more than 5,000 talent development professionals who have earned the APTD or CPTD credential? Get to know the talented and diverse community:

David Elser is an Organization Development Advisor. He earned the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD®) credential in 2019.

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Why did you pursue the CPTD? I set out to uncover the things I never knew I didn’t know about talent development. After working decades in the same organization, I knew how easy it was to stay “inside the box” and miss the bigger picture of the industry. I wanted to step out, explore what’s next, and learn from future-focused professionals. Earning my CPTD through ATD not only validated my knowledge, skills, and attitudes, but also gave me the credibility and confidence to bring fresh ideas back to the profession and organization I love. How have you benefited from the credential—professionally and/or personally? Successfully achieving my CPTD certification has been highly beneficial both personally and professionally. It enhanced my ability to clearly explain to executives and directors how talent development is essential, not only for achieving business objectives but also for helping our employees deliver meaningful value to the business, our customers, and the community. On a personal level, the certification gave me the confidence to write a talent development book, Doing the Chores: Creating the Groundwork for Success. It pioneers the concept of smart followership while focusing on the 21st century definition of leadership. It focuses on helping those in nonmanagerial roles learn how to step up, manage, and lead. Completing my CPTD provided valuable instructional design insights for organizing the book to highlight farming chores I learned years ago. It was also invaluable in learning how to emphasize important areas such as coaching, mentoring, knowledge management, and more. What advice would you share with others considering certification? Don’t put it off. Start your learning journey today. It is better to say, in a year from now, “I have my CPTD,” than to say, “I want to earn my CPTD.” How do you think certification helps the talent development field? The CPTD certification process brings consistency and clarity to the talent development profession. It goes beyond mastering best practices and theories. It ensures a deep understanding of how talent development can drive both organizational and individual success. Being certified shows others that you speak the same language, making it easier to align learning initiatives with real-world challenges and deliver measurable results. It also builds trust and demonstrates your commitment to helping the company and its people achieve their purpose. What does having your credential mean to you? In one simple word—credibility! How did you get into the talent development field? One week after graduating high school (and I will avoid noting the year to avoid dating myself), I started unloading trailers for a large transportation company. Within two months, I was promoted to my first training position as a package handler trainer, mainly due to my work ethic and my ability to follow safety and operational procedures in ways that consistently exceeded management’s expectations. They wanted me to share and develop these skills with others. Applying the lessons I learned early on the farm and this early opportunity to work as a trainer opened the doors to a promising career in talent development. I have served as an operations and corporate trainer, human resources training manager for the US and Canada, and an organization development advisor focusing on executive education. Most importantly, that first job training other package handlers created the awareness of what I wanted to do for a career, helping others achieve their career dreams. What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Always strive to create a great memory for someone today! What is a great book you’ve read recently? Power of Followership by Dr. Robert Kelley What is your favorite hobby or pastime? Being a continuous learner. What is the most unusual job you’ve had? Walking up and down the hot, scratchy rows of cornfields, detasseling corn to help create hybrid seed.

Why did you pursue the CPTD?
I set out to uncover the things I never knew I didn’t know about talent development. After working decades in the same organization, I knew how easy it was to stay “inside the box” and miss the bigger picture of the industry. I wanted to step out, explore what’s next, and learn from future-focused professionals. Earning my CPTD through ATD not only validated my knowledge, skills, and attitudes, but also gave me the credibility and confidence to bring fresh ideas back to the profession and organization I love.

How have you benefited from the credential—professionally and/or personally?
Successfully achieving my CPTD certification has been highly beneficial both personally and professionally. It enhanced my ability to clearly explain to executives and directors how talent development is essential, not only for achieving business objectives but also for helping our employees deliver meaningful value to the business, our customers, and the community.

On a personal level, the certification gave me the confidence to write a talent development book, Doing the Chores: Creating the Groundwork for Success. It pioneers the concept of smart followership while focusing on the 21st century definition of leadership. It focuses on helping those in nonmanagerial roles learn how to step up, manage, and lead.

Completing my CPTD provided valuable instructional design insights for organizing the book to highlight farming chores I learned years ago. It was also invaluable in learning how to emphasize important areas such as coaching, mentoring, knowledge management, and more.

What advice would you share with others considering certification?
Don’t put it off. Start your learning journey today. It is better to say, in a year from now, “I have my CPTD,” than to say, “I want to earn my CPTD.”

How do you think certification helps the talent development field?
The CPTD certification process brings consistency and clarity to the talent development profession. It goes beyond mastering best practices and theories. It ensures a deep understanding of how talent development can drive both organizational and individual success.

Being certified shows others that you speak the same language, making it easier to align learning initiatives with real-world challenges and deliver measurable results. It also builds trust and demonstrates your commitment to helping the company and its people achieve their purpose.

What does having your credential mean to you?
In one simple word—credibility!

How did you get into the talent development field?
One week after graduating high school (and I will avoid noting the year to avoid dating myself), I started unloading trailers for a large transportation company. Within two months, I was promoted to my first training position as a package handler trainer, mainly due to my work ethic and my ability to follow safety and operational procedures in ways that consistently exceeded management’s expectations. They wanted me to share and develop these skills with others.

Applying the lessons I learned early on the farm and this early opportunity to work as a trainer opened the doors to a promising career in talent development. I have served as an operations and corporate trainer, human resources training manager for the US and Canada, and an organization development advisor focusing on executive education. Most importantly, that first job training other package handlers created the awareness of what I wanted to do for a career, helping others achieve their career dreams.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Always strive to create a great memory for someone today!

What is a great book you’ve read recently?
Power of Followership by Dr. Robert Kelley

What is your favorite hobby or pastime?
Being a continuous learner.

What is the most unusual job you’ve had?
Walking up and down the hot, scratchy rows of cornfields, detasseling corn to help create hybrid seed.

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Have you earned the APTD or CPTD? Share your story with the community.

Have you earned the APTD or CPTD? Share your story with the community.