Value of belonging - President's Page - American Society for Training and Development - Brief Article

T+D, July, 2002

How do you define the value of belonging to a professional society?

Many members tell me that they find great value in building strong relationships with like-minded individuals; others say they value access to information, experts, and thought leaders: and still others find value in the resources and professional development that help them grow personally and professionally.

But the value of belonging to a professional society such as ASTD reaches beyond the traditional benefits mentioned above. ASTD leads the dialogue on workplace learning and performance, and ASTD represents a 70,000-member worldwide community on several fronts.

When ASTD communicates with policymakers about the crisis in human capital or how to reduce barriers to implementing e-learning, those policy-makers take note. The same is true for the media. ASTD's insightful data and analysis of training expenditures are quoted online and in magazines and newspapers. ASTD members also represent the society, and the workplace learning and performance industry, to external audiences and influential organizations worldwide.

Nowhere is that influence more meaningful than in the companies and organizations for which ASTD members work. By tapping into the ASTD community and accessing vital research and analysis, many of our members are leading and implementing enterprise-wide learning strategies linked to the performance measures of their businesses. Now, that's adding real value!

ASTD is the authoritative and impartial voice for the workplace learning and performance profession. But ASTD's staff doesn't do this work alone: We rely on you, our members, to share your knowledge, insights, and best practices for the benefit of the entire community. Together, we have the power to help organizations gain a competitive edge and achieve results.

President and CEO ASTD