Same presenters, new perspectives: here's a look at how some of the premier presenters have shifted their focus and roles in response to changes in their field, their personal lives, and world events

T+D, May, 2004 by Geri McArdle, Cheryl A. Hanson

The authors revisit a few master presenters to learn how their professional roles have changed since they were profiled in the October 1999 issue of T D.

Initiating a change to grow his business, Bob Pike now consults and coaches in addition to training. Due to more effective conversations, Pike works with clients to deliver what is needed, not just what is requested. Geri McArdle made a deliberate decision to reposition herself in the field. By bartering her design skills for opportunities to learn about technology, she's now involved in integrating HR theory and practice using new techniques. In addition to book writing, Dianna Booher has been encouraged by her clients to work with senior executives to address corporate initiatives or develop solutions to organization-wide problems. Doug Malouf wanted to cut back on his travel schedule, so now he spends time developing the skills of people in his company and designing his company's course offerings. A nontraditional trainer, Tom Cram encourages people to work together in a spirit of harmony rather than emphasizing their own agendas, in order to create a more productive, supportive, and balanced organization. Fran Solomon's role has stayed the course: She still provides an entertaining and educational session. But post9/11, she feels changes in herself and her clients.

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Defining the role of trainers has been the subject of many debates and discussions. This year in T D and other publications, a number of articles have appeared that have prompted practitioners to think about their craft. What is training? Is that even the appropriate term anymore? What or who is a trainer? Where is the practice going?

GO TO "The Future of the Profession Formerly Known as Training" (December 2003 T D) and "Where To, the Field?" (page 34).

During the past decade, workplace learning and performance professionals have faced corporate demands, economic uncertainty, and personal needs and dilemmas that have significantly affected their tasks and role. Trainers are now referred to as performance analysts. Instead of working full-time in large corporations, many have joined consulting organizations that outsource their expertise. Instead of working in traditional roles of instructors, mentors, or coaches, they assist managers to become instructors, mentors, or coaches with their employees.

What causes a trainer to experience a shift in his or her role? Is it luck, being in the right place at the right time? Is it self-driven? Customer-driven? Is it forced by the ongoing changes in the corporate and academic communities, or is it sometimes other factors that cause people to make personal role shifts?

Let's look at one cornerstone aspect of training in particular: presenting. We revisited some of the master presenters profiled in the October 1999 issue of T D to learn about the changes, if any, that have occurred in their professional roles since the article was published. We explored who had experienced a shift in roles, who initiated the change, and how those changes came about. Last, we asked why the shift had occurred.

Bob Pike

Bob Pike initiated a change to help improve and grow his business. At the same time, his clients were beginning to see the value of his programs. His desire to provide more than just training opened the door for consulting and coaching--something his clients requested. This new approach to working with clients has resulted in having more effective conversations with clients when they make a request rather than just deliver what they request. Bob likens it to being a doctor "who doesn't simply provide drugs because that is what the patient is asking for." Rather, by carefully exploring together the sources of the problem, the consultant can develop the right prescription to solve the client's needs.

Geri McArdle

It was a conscious and deliberate decision for this author, who made a left-hand turn in my career. I wanted a position that would enable me to make it easier for adult learners returning to school. I studied everything I could about e-learning, Web training, and distance learning so that I could more effectively support adult learners in advancing their education. In my role as coordinator of the PhD-HRD doctoral program at Barry University, I've been able to combine my newly developed technology skills with expertise in accelerated learning principles and problem-based learning. As a result of this new direction in the academic world, I'm deeply involved in research that integrates HR theory and practice using new techniques, thus enabling new and developing practitioners to become more effective.

Diana Booher

Although Dianna Booher continues to write one or two books a year, her focus has been working with senior executives to address corporate initiatives or develop solutions to organization-wide problems, versus working as a trainer with small groups. Did she initiate the change? No, according to Booher, her clients did. She has become a business partner who guides executives to translate their business objectives into specific performance and learning goals. She says that "the results are immediate and geared for use the next day to reach the client's business objectives." Once she and the client together figure out the changes to be made and set the process in place, then the trainers work the plan.