Maine ATD thoughts, News, & Happenings

  • Monday, March 14, 2016 2:24 PM | Anonymous

    Don’t forget to sign up THIS WEEK for the April 1 ATD New England Area Conference sponsored by Kineo and save $50! The Advanced Registration rate ends March 20th for “Charting the Future of Learning”, this year’s 6th Annual ATD New England conference, conveniently located at the Radisson Conference Center in Chelmsford, MA. If you can only attend one conference this year, don’t miss this one.

    Experience our Opening CLO Keynote Panel, over 20 leading-edge Concurrent Sessions, and our Business Improv Closing Keynote – all focused on sharing new, innovative approaches to learning & development. This dynamic conference offers a full day of professional development and networking. Each registration also includes free entry to our popular jazz networking social event on Thursday evening, March 31. This year, our Sponsor Gallery and Exhibitor Hall is bigger than ever, offering you exposure to some of the finest learning & development products and services. 

    On Monday, March 21, pricing goes up $50 – don’t forget to sign up today for the conference attendees have rated the “best learning & development conference in New England”.

    Tickets: http://www.atdnewengland.com/registration.html

    Conference Website: www.atdnewengland.com

  • Friday, February 05, 2016 3:56 PM | Anonymous
    Writing with Clarity

    Ken O'Quinn is a corporate writing coach and the principal of Writing With Clarity. A former Associated Press writer, he now teaches internal classes on professional business writing for such clients as Facebook, GE, Chevron, Visa, Unum, L.L. Bean, Reebok, and Dunkin' Brands.  Ken will be at our February 16th event if you would like to learn more about his services. 

    Sign Up for Ken’s Monthly Writing Tip: www.writingwithclarity.com/sign-up-now   
    Phone:  207‑767‑0112
    Email:  Ken@WritingWithClarity.com


  • Monday, January 11, 2016 1:36 PM | Anonymous

    Maine ATD and Our Mission

    At its core, the Maine Chapter of the Association for Talent Development promotes work-related learning. This is the first in a series of profiles featuring leaders who, acting out of their core values, make positive professional change happen.

    - Bill Maxwell


    We thought, “Why not start with our President”? Despite Sally’s protests (and her suggested list of more worthy MATD members), we eventually agreed on having a brief conversation. But before we get to that, let’s review some of the facts.


    Brief Bio

    Sally Wilson is the Learning & Development Manager and Innovation Team Leader at Androscoggin Bank. She is also in a Board advisory role for Literacy Volunteer Androscoggin. She is an instructor with Northern New England for Financial Training Center, a non-profit organization. Her business experience includes a career at LL Bean as an Operational Manager, Project Manager and Corporate Senior Learning Specialist.


    A Brief Conversation

    Sally started on the board at Maine ATD after she responded to a flyer advertising a volunteer opportunity.

    “I saw the flyer asking for someone for helping out with finance.  I knew some of the people on the Board, and I wanted to get involved – so I volunteered.”

    In her finance role, Sally accomplished an operating budget and developed a close working relationship with the board – a board she calls “welcoming.” Two of the people she worked with became mentors, Peggy Page and Katie Vaillancourt. Peggy was the President at the time Sally first volunteered, and Katie became President later on.

    I asked her about the most satisfying part of being Maine ATD President.

    “It’s very rewarding getting work done through volunteers. It requires different strategies compared to working with organizations with employees. Motivation is different. The Maine ATD board is a team of people who have diverse reasons for doing the work. Success comes when you are genuine, and you treat people with respect. The people on the board embrace that thinking; there’s no need to pretend you’re something you’re not.”

    Mostly, Sally says, “It’s the people on the board who make it rewarding.” Sally agrees with Jim Collins’s line: “Great vision without great people is irrelevant…” She suggests that “People need to associate authentically. It’s all about finding the truths that feel right to you and living out those truths the best you can.”

    Sally believes one of those truths involves taking care of yourself in order to be of more help to others. She knows firsthand the difficulties of balancing time as you navigate a professional life. Along these lines, I asked her to respond to a Brené Brown quotation.

    “Crazy-busy is a great armor, it's a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we're feeling and what we really need can't catch up with us.”

    Sally’s reaction was honest and quick.

    “I completely lost my balance one time in my work life. I kept saying ‘yes’ – and I really don’t know the reason why I kept accepting responsibilities. I’m not sure what I thought I had to prove. I know though that getting through this loss of balance made me stronger. After that I became more focused – with a purpose. I don’t want to repeat that experience. Of course I still can have tough times, but I really learned from the episode. I have compassion as a leader in part because of my going through all of that.”

    Quoting Brown again: “Showing some vulnerability makes you a stronger leader.” I am thinking she would applaud Sally’s story, a story emphasizing authenticity and collaboration rather than command and control. Sally believes that talent development depends on “a time for reflection with colleagues.”  She also believes that “Leadership involves creating an environment where you take time for learning moments.”

    I asked her if she had ever experienced this sort of learning environment. Her first thought was of a manager who supervised her at LL Bean.

    “She was open to different ways of thinking,” Sally said. “When we had one to ones, it was a safe place. She listened – and I remember her asking one question at every meeting: What have you learned since we last met?”

    Sally’s manager always had the time to listen and to give appropriate feedback. “One of her strengths was her self-awareness. And her inquisitive listening was at the right level, not too much and not too little. Comfortable, but focused on the job at hand.”

    Sally, it seems to us, mirrors those same traits in her role as Maine ATD President:collaborative, authentic, outcome focused. Sally believes “Each leadership story is unique.” To this we say true enough. As evidence, we offer up what can happen after you respond to a Maine ATD flyer.

  • Friday, October 30, 2015 5:05 PM | Anonymous

    All interested presenters are urged to apply at http://www.atdnewengland.com/presenters.html.


  • Friday, August 14, 2015 8:20 PM | Anonymous

    I want to thank all Chapter Members who participated in our annual Board election. I am very pleased to announce the voting results for our ATD Maine Chapter Board positions. Please join me in welcoming our new and renewing Board members. It is their commitment and leadership skills that ensures our Chapter remains sustainable and our mission continues.

    Tricia Richardson, President Elect

    Michelle Winn, VP of Finance

    Stephanie Horr, VP of Operations

    William (Bill) Maxwell, VP of Special Projects


    I want to recognize both Kristin Wheelock, past VP of Operations and Libby DeMille, past VP of Programs for their contributions, dedication, and their work in the role of Chapter Board members.

    Kristin Wheelock did a fabulous job in setting up our Board meetings with meaningful agendas, scribing at our meetings capturing our discussions and our decisions. Since her role as VP of Operations, Kristin has taken our resource table to a higher level - researching relevant articles to have available based on the monthly learning event, contacting National ATD for materials and resource listings for our Chapter members. 

    Libby DeMille has been an active Program Committee volunteer who took the leadership role of VP of Programs for the past year. She has worked steadily with her committee volunteers to find and offer a variety of speakers and learning event topics that has delighted us all. She read and shared the event evaluations and used the feedback to ensure the learning programs offered met our Chapter members’ expectations.

    I personally want to thank you both for stepping up to help lead our Chapter! 

    Best regards,

    Sally A. Wilson, President

  • Tuesday, April 21, 2015 9:00 AM | Anonymous

    We had a great time at the New England Area Conference, and now you can see some of the fun in our new online photo gallery. Just follow the link, or check it out under the "About Us" section above.

  • Friday, March 20, 2015 3:58 PM | Anonymous

    Do you want to see the Appreciative Inquiry questions that each table came up with during our March meeting? Check them out in our Resources section!

    Make sure you're logged in as a member to check them out! Go to Resources

  • Thursday, March 19, 2015 10:13 AM | Anonymous

    You've heard us talking at our meetings about volunteering, but did you see our helpful Become A Volunteer brochure at the Resource Table? Download a copy for yourself!

  • Thursday, March 12, 2015 3:17 PM | Anonymous

    Our virtual resource table has been updated with links about Appreciative Inquiry, including:

    • What is Appreciative Inquiry
    • Positive Questions and Interview Guides Detail – Appreciative Inquiry Commons
    • Appreciative inquiry – Solving Problems by Looking at What’s Going Right
    • Coaching for Improved Performance
    • Seven Steps to coaching Your Employees to Success

    Make sure you're logged in as a member to check them out!  - Go to Resources

  • Tuesday, February 17, 2015 10:40 AM | Anonymous

    Just a reminder - if you're a Maine ATD member and logged in, you have the Members Only tab at the top of the page.  There you'll find our Resources page where we load links and articles every month that relate to our breakfast meeting!  It's like having part of our Resources Table available 24/7! 

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