CTDO Next at ATD24.

On Tuesday, May 21, 30 talent development executives convened in room R05 of the New Orleans Convention Center in Louisiana to share practices, insights, and ideas to advance the profession. This invite-only program brought senior leaders together from a variety of organizations and industries to discuss current transformations in the field, the human implications of those changes, and the necessary adjustments and new capabilities required for success in the future of work.

The Association for Talent Development’s CTDO Next membership consortium hosted the exclusive afternoon—called CTDO Next at ATD24—to teach guests about the group’s charter and to introduce them to current members. CTDO Next is a network of global learning leaders who are passionate about transformations that are impacting the field. Through its work, members explore a variety of forward-focused topics—such as how to build a new model of work and the future skills required for success as a TD executive—with the goal to take a position and lead the profession.

Learning, discussion, sharing, and experiences

This year, CTDO Next attendees kicked off their afternoon with a networking lunch, followed by 75 minutes with Steve Cadigan, talent strategist and company culture expert. Cadigan has been at the forefront of global talent strategy and company culture for the past 30 years. Most famous for scaling LinkedIn’s workforce from 400 to 4,000 in 3.5 years, he led the development of the social media site’s legendary company culture, helming the talent function for its period of highest growth and through its initial public offering.

In New Orleans, Cadigan facilitated a conversation about how the psychology of the workforce has changed and its impact on TD leaders. Following Cadigan’s session, Tony Bingham, ATD president and CEO, joined attendees to discuss the most pressing issues for their organizations and to determine the topics on which CTDO’s upcoming content agenda will focus.

CTDO Next at ATD24 also included members-only experiences. On Sunday, May 19, 13 members had dinner at New Orleans landmark Pêche; and on Monday, May 20, the CTDO network gathered for a sharing, learning, and ideating session.

Highlights included ATD Best of the BEST Award winner, TELUS, facilitating a discussion about how attendees can remain at the forefront of the profession, and what the company forecasts for the TD industry’s immediate future.

Monday afternoon, members became songwriters. Guided by Team Harmony’s Song Division, they crafted a tune about how to earn a seat at the executive table.

Taking a position to lead the profession

One of ATD’s goals in creating CTDO Next was to harness the collective thinking of the group and help shape the future of TD. Toward that effort, the group publishes a variety of resources (such as blogs, webinars, conference presentations, research, and advice) for the broader TD community based on key transformation topics.

Most recently, CTDO Next published its Skills-Based Talent Development Maturity Model, which provides a structured approach to assessing, planning, and improving an organization’s skills-based TD efforts. It aligns training departments with the business’s strategic goals, fosters continuous improvement, enhances accountability, and drives long-term success.

The TD field has benefited from CTDO Next members since the consortium’s founding in 2017. From their thought leadership as a collective membership to their individual contributions to their organizations and the field, members champion the strategic value of TD as well as address challenges and opportunities in their own work.

If you would like to discuss how you or an executive at your organization might join CTDO Next, please contact Ann Parker, the associate director of talent leader consortiums, at [email protected] for more information.