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Dave Mason is a corporate learning consultant specializing in learning measurement; david.j.mason44@gmail.com.

Dave Mason

January 2025 - TD Magazine

Stemming Gender Bias in Sales Leadership

"Creativity" is rushing in to fill the void left by "human relations" as the fad to capture die fancy of business journals. This book may be to creativity what Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends and Influence People was to human relations.

Book Reviews February 1961

While the instructional design field has been around for a long time, it is only within the last 30 years that it has emerged more as a discipline with educational courses, resources, and methodologies. Introduction to Instructional Systems Design by ID expert Chuck Hodell offers a comprehensive textbook that provides the prerequisites every instructional designer needs to get started in the profession.What made you realize that the ISD or instructional design field needed a textbook?The idea came to me when I started teaching this almost 30 years ago. There were many resources that addressed instructional systems design but no one book that an instructor or professor could use to teach a course from. There were a lot of really great books—Gagne’s, Merrill’s, and Kemp’s. But if you wanted to teach this, especially at the graduate level or for folks who hadn’t had a lot of experience in ISD, one had to amalgamate and review many different books and resources to create a reading list and curriculum from which to teach—one that would give students a solid background in instructional design.When I wrote ISD From the Ground Up, I did not intend it to be a primary or even supplemental classroom textbook, although it turns out that it is often used for that. Over the years, I contemplated what instructors really need to teach ISD and thought we could create an even better book. We can take a more traditional textbook approach with real case studies and real discussion questions and things to think about. A textbook coupled with an instructor’s guide would make a difference for instructors, making their lives much easier by providing a comprehensive resource.How has the instructional design field changed since you started teaching, and why is this the right time for this book?Whether you’re teaching one course as a one-off or putting together a program for millions of people worldwide, instructional design has not changed that much over the years. The basic processes and philosophy behind instructional design remains pretty much the same.But what has changed and what I think everybody has noticed is that the level of interest in ISD—its popularity and use—has increased. Proven ISD knowledge and expertise is almost a calling card if you want to be a professional. People are looking for certification. People are looking for degrees. There are all kinds of documentation organizations want to see before they hire an instructional designer.What is needed today to practice as an instructional designer from what was needed 30 years ago is the difference. The field has elevated such that instructional design is now considered a science, with instructional designers as scientists. We do approach ISD with scientific methods. It is important for students to learn not only where instructional systems design came from and but how it can be and is applied directly in their daily work.How will this textbook benefit instructional design professors?I designed this book as both a professor and a practitioner in the field. What I have created is a package for anyone who teaches a course in instructional design. A professor or instructor will be able to pull out the elements that they want to use. When instructors are doing assignments, whether online or in the classroom or using a blended approach, they can take the different elements between the case studies, discussion questions and reflections that are in there, and build their own course. Everything they need is in the book.If they want to branch out from that, using content from the instructor’s guide, they can certainly do that too. The beauty of this volume is that it is really 17 books in a textbook. Each of these chapters stand on their own: they each address different aspects of this field from basic eight generations of learning transfer where this all started and where it ended up, to advanced content like criticality and other parts of it.From a professor standpoint or from the standpoint of anyone who is teaching this—whether for noncredit environments, one-off courses in four hours, or courses at a doctoral level—an instructor will find that the content addresses and will work for many levels. This volume is going to make your life easier.An instructor can find what works for the situation and pick out the relevant pieces. If you want to add something else, certainly do that. But this is one of those books where you can just pick it up and use it as a professor or instructor.Why do you think no one else wrote this book?The study of instructional design has largely been focused on the two somewhat mutually exclusive areas of theory and practice. There are a number of excellent books on theory and the different foundational aspects of ISD, and there are also a number of incredibly well-written books on the practice of ISD. What has not existed, from my experience, is a text that combines theory and practice in a way that allow for a learner to move from ISD theory and the evolution of the field to then producing portfolio and work products that instructional designers use in their work every day.How does this book help newcomers to ISD?Most new designers come to the field from other areas of work and study. They have been teachers, trainers, subject matter experts, or they manage one or more of these areas. If you have lots of practical experience but limited ISD background, this text takes a learner from the basics of where instructional design came from to the everyday work products that designer use like population studies, design plans, lesson plans, and working with learning management stems in digital design scenarios. And, more importantly, it links the theory to the practice to instill confidence in designers that their work is based on research and proven research into learning and related fields.How does this book help people who are advanced in ISD but want to learn more?One bonus afforded more advanced instructional designers are practical tools like criticality and a dive into learning management systems, social media and digital design. The text also works as a reference for the theoretical and basic practical skill sets that designers sometimes need to revisit when working on new projects.If someone is not an instructor but simply wants to learn about ISD, how can they use this book?This text is a wonderful place to start for anyone who is curious about ISD and just wants to have a casual introduction to what instructional design is really all about. It is not so theoretical that a reader is required to have a solid foundation in the field. This text starts at the beginning and works its way slowly through the basic into the practical tools a designer needs on every project. If a reader is intrigued and wants to learn more, the later chapters dig pretty deep into the work that designers routinely perform. It is also a great place to start with more generalizable topics like systems, populations, workflow and other areas that are not just applicable in ISD.About the AuthorChuck Hodell has been writing, speaking, practicing, and teaching ISD for many years. His books and articles have earned him the title of The Man Who Wrote the Book on ISD. His bestselling four editions of ISD From the Ground Up and his SMEs From the Ground Up books are used internationally in academic settings and in the practice of instructional design. Chuck has designed thousands of training programs for clients including the White House, major corporations, nonprofits, numerous apprenticeship programs, and international organizations. He presently serves as affiliate professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, associate director and faculty of the learning and performance technology master’s program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and as the academic advisor for the instructor certification program at the International Masonry Training and Education Foundation. Chuck holds a PhD in language, literacy, and culture from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), a master’s degree in ISD from UMBC, and a bachelor’s degree from Antioch University.About ATD and ATD PressThe Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world’s largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations. ATD’s members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD Press publications are written by industry thought leaders and offer anyone who works with adult learners the best practices, academic theory, and guidance necessary to move the profession forward. For more information, visit td.org/books.Introduction to Instructional Systems DesignISBN: 9781952157127 | 448 Pages | PaperbackTo order books from ATD Press, call 800.628.2783.To schedule an interview with Chuck Hodell, please contact Kay Hechler, ATD Press senior marketing manager, at khechler@td.org or 703.683.8178.

Intro to Instructional Systems Design: Q&A With Chuck Hodell

Mark Marone is the director of research and thought leadership for Dale Carnegie, where he is responsible for developing research programs and creating assets to build the organization’s brand and support business development globally.Prior to joining Dale Carnegie, Marone worked as an independent sales and customer experience consultant with global clients across a variety of industries. He also served as the director of research for AchieveGlobal, a global training and consulting company.He has frequently written on leadership, customer experience, and sales effectiveness, and co-authored two books on sales strategy. He holds a doctorate from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and was an adjunct professor of business management at the University of South Florida.

Mark Marone

Mason Holloway has an extensive professional background, including 15 years in senior management and consultative positions working in business consulting, business operations, sales, and human performance improvement (HPI). He is a senior analyst, performance technologist, and experienced practitioner of the HPI processes. He has demonstrated skills and expertise in assisting companies in meeting and exceeding aggressive and competitive organizational goals and improving overall business results through HPI processes. Holloway's clients have included The U.S. Navy, National Technical Information Service, L.L. Bean, Social Security Administration, Accelera Corporation, ServiceMaster, and Microsoft. Early in Mr. Holloway's career he focused his skills in the development of marketing and sales programs working with Cellular One (now Cingular). Holloway went on to found and develop a nationally recognized publishing company, serve as digital content delivery consultant to a major content provider, and work with a team developing a contextual learning management system for the United States Government, among other achievements. As a respected consultant in the areas of training delivery and performance, Holloway applies the combination of his extensive real world business experience and acumen with a deep understanding of the fundamental principles of performance in the service of accomplishing business goals. Spanning the disciplines of performance, learning, and development, Holloway's work has included performance-based information taxonomies, performer-centric call center interface design, the development of a contextual learning engine, extensive front-end analysis, online content development and delivery, and performance-based curriculum development. Most recently, working with partner Dennis Mankin, Holloway led the design and development team in the creation of Performance DNA, the most comprehensive and effective tool set for analyzing human performance. Performance DNA has been co-copyrighted by Platinum Performance Group and ASTD and is the only methodology taught in the prestigious HPI certificate program. He graduated with from University of Maryland with B.A. in English and business and continued his graduate studies in management at James Madison University.

Mason Holloway

July 2018 - TD Magazine

Not All Leaders Buy Into the Power of Culture

Prioritizing everyday acts of kindness in education is critical to support individual well-being, societal impact, and organizational success, and we are all a critical piece of the solution. George Mason University launched the Mason Chooses Kindness initiative in 2020 to inspire its community to engage in intentional kindness by doing caring and generous deeds every day. They are now working tirelessly to encourage others outside our community to do the same. Why? Kindness is always the right thing to do for society, especially in a world that has been termed “on fire,” and research links kindness-centered cultures to positive business outcomes for society, indicating that fostering inclusive, kindness-based cultures is an essential leadership skill. At the Costello College of Business at George Mason University (Costello), they passionately believe leaders educated in environments where kindness reigns are more likely to carry that value into the workplace and navigate a complex and diverse world in ways that benefit society at large. An extensive (and growing) body of research has revealed direct correlations between kindness-centered corporate cultures and positive business outcomes. For example, Mandy O’Neill, professor of management at Costello and senior scientist at George Mason’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, has conducted research on this topic. She and her colleagues have found that organizations with cultures of “companionate love” (affectionate bonding between co-workers) can weather higher levels of collective anxiety without incurring increased operational costs or experiencing greater employee burnout, which can have a societal ripple effect. Education can and should happen everywhere — thank you ATD for accentuating this point— therefore our ask for each of you is to intentionally embed kindness into your daily interactions personally and professionally. We challenge you to think when you see less-than-kind behavior, to stop and ask yourself “If not ME, then who?” and act to lead with kindness to affect those around you. The following is excerpted from George Mason University’s 30 Days of Kindness Calendar.An Individual Roadmap to Kindness:Give someone a genuine compliment.Take a break to prevent burnout.Ask someone what they enjoy doing (and consider doing it with them).Practice active listening.Give thanks before a meal.An Organizational Roadmap to Kindness:Identify kindness champions.Align with strategy.Secure commitment from leadership.Foster true engagement.Measure progress. For more details, refer to our article in AACSB Insights. The ripple effect of doing so is proven. And as Adam Grant so nicely stated in his book Think Again, “When we think about how to plan our lives, there are few things that take priority over happiness…it’s one of the three unalienable rights in our Declaration of Independence.” Yet how many of us intentionally create steps to make this happen in our personal and professional lives? If not you, then who? Be the change. 

An Approach to Intentional Kindness: “If Not Me, Then Who?”

Explore how you can prove the vital link between L&D and business success in this webinar. Join the founder and CEO of Cognota, Ryan Austin, as he delves into how L&D can demonstrate its role in strategically shaping outcomes, turning knowledge into success, and leading businesses to brilliance. Gain insights into the transformative power of education and innovation, and understand how a LearnOps approach acts as a catalyst for growth.
After this event, you will have a better understanding of:

The strategic impact of L&D: Understand how L&D strategies directly influence and shape business outcomes.
The role of L&D as a catalyst: Recognize the pivotal role of L&D as a catalyst for explosive growth within an organization, propelling it toward new heights.
Navigating uncharted territories: Learn how L&D mavericks lead the way, paving the path to business brilliance through innovative learning approaches.

Parimary Capability Covered: Talent Strategy and Management
Participation in this event, either live or recorded, can be reported for one (1) professional development point toward initial certification or recertification requirements for the APTD or CPTD credential.
 

Powering Learning Operations: L&D’s Impact on Business Outcomes

Innovation is imperative today. In the face of global competition and the explosion of technology, businesses must decipher the clues that unlock innovation potential. In the new ATD book Solving the Innovation Mystery: A Workplace Whodunit (ATD Press, October 2016), seasoned leadership authority and former FBI agent Steve Gladis solves the innovation equation.Innovation = Talent + Environment + Process. Gladis’s Solving the Innovation Mystery presents this formula for systematic innovation, paving a straight path to commercializing creative workplace solutions. Gladis’s clients at public companies, government agencies, and nonprofits rely on this methodology to remain productive and adaptive.The formula is simple. Take a promising idea; gather talented people who are cognitively diverse, engaged, and have a growth mindset; and put them in an environment that is safe, supportive, and purposeful. Then give them an effective and efficient process that is reliable and repeatable. This precise combination of coaching, problem solving, and entrepreneurial models works.Gladis’s innovation equation has been adapted by government agencies, corporations, and nonprofits of different missions and sizes. “The ‘Innovation Equation’ is simple in its components, but the potential it creates when applied is staggering,” writes ATD president and CEO Tony Bingham in his foreword to Solving the Innovation Mystery.Woven throughout the book is a detective start-up story of sorts to illustrate Gladis’s innovation thesis that a safe, trusting culture is essential for creativity to thrive and for innovation to take root.“It’s time to stop counting on eureka moments that may or may not come and examine the slower-moving truth about how innovation actually happens,” explains Gladis. Solving the Innovation Mystery presents the proven innovation equation that empowers any company to reliably and consistently innovate and adapt to change.Solving the Innovation Mystery is available to librarians, career centers, and other reviewers on NetGalley through October 31, 2016. Professors are invited to request a desk copy from the publisher at www.td.org/DeskCopy.About the AuthorA leadership speaker, author, and executive coach based in Fairfax, Virginia, Steve Gladis is an authority on the subject of leadership. CEO of Steve Gladis Leadership Partners, a leadership development company, he is the author of 21 books on leadership and a professor at George Mason University. His company works with businesses, associations, and U.S. government agencies, and he speaks regularly at conferences and corporate gatherings. A former faculty member at the University of Virginia, Gladis also served as an FBI special agent and was a decorated officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. His company donates a significant portion of corporate profits back to the community. Among his most recent books are Positive Leadership: The Game Changer at Work; Smile. Breathe. Listen: The 3 Mindful Acts for Leaders; and this, his latest, Solving the Innovation Mystery: A Workplace Whodunit.About the ATDThe Association for Talent Development (ATD), formerly ASTD, is the world’s largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations. These professionals help others achieve their full potential by improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities.ATD’s members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports the work of professionals locally in more than 125 chapters, international strategic partners, and global member networks.

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