If you do something long enough, it becomes ingrained. I had been an instructional designer and training manager for so long that I had crossed over to unconscious competence. I was operating on autopilot, with instructional design so deep into my psyche that it was intuitive.
I have worked in talent development since 1990, when a manager realized that I had figured out how to use those fancy new PCs in our department. She insisted I teach other people to use them. And, I quickly realized that teaching people about computers was a lot more fun than actually using them! I saw the joy of creating an “aha” moment for learners, and even more rewarding was seeing them return to work and use their new skills and abilities.
Fast forward to 2000, and I am pursuing my master’s of education. I had been working in the field for some time, having been mostly self-taught by ASTD (now ATD) resources, and decided it was time to get serious. Completing the Adult and Organizational Learning Master’s program at UT Austin, I felt elevated in my thinking. I had learned that the success of individuals and groups required more than just a good class. I was encouraged to think systemically and globally. I learned the tools of a master facilitator and how to design programs and large-scale solutions.
Fast forward again to 2018. Nearly two decades after completing my master’s, I am still working in learning and development and still fascinated by creating experiences to help people learn their way to success. I was good at it, yes. But, perhaps I had stopped thinking as deeply about it as I had earlier in my career.
ATD had always been a go-to resource for me. So, when the time came for our annual professional development requests, I went to the TD.org website and started thinking about what I might learn. The CPLP jumped out at me, and I decided to look into it. The first step was to take the online practice exam. I sat down to take the exam with confidence of my career, my education, and my intuitive understanding of what great learning requires. And, I failed the practice exam. I recall looking at the score sheet (I think it was a 52 percent) and feeling like a fraud. A successful fraud, but nonetheless . . .
I pitched funding the CPLP program to my boss, and he was happy to approve my request. He recognized that the certification would not only help me, it would also be another proof point to our clients. The ATD CPLP is the industry’s most widely recognized certification and declares a level of skill and ability across a range of talent development competencies.
I chose to use the self-study Learning System—print option (yes, I’m old school). The big book arrived in the mail and I dug in. I paced myself, reading about a chapter a month. Each chapter held reminders of why I entered this field in the first place. I was reminded of learning theory, I recognized and filled some gaps in my knowledge, and I was challenged by the “Can I Apply It?” questions to think about why we do what we do.
Studying for the CPLP refreshed me and my career. It moved me back into operating in a consciously competent manner, where I can think deeply about how to solve my clients' performance and learning needs without assuming that I know everything. I am proud to have successfully earned the CPLP certification.
Learn more about becoming a CPLP.
