Adaptability in Talent Development

Boost Your Adaptability
Adaptability is a critical skill for leadership capability, career potential, and working relationships. Therefore, it is vital for talent development (TD) professionals who face countless situations that test their ability to adapt—from reacting to unplanned modifications in the training they design, to implementing new learning technologies, to adjusting to their organization’s shifting needs.
Part of the ATD Soft Skills Series, Adaptability in Talent Development will empower you to build career resiliency by matching your technical expertise with newfound soft skill abilities. TD expert Esther Jackson takes you through a process of raising your self-awareness and developing an adaptive mindset. This means embracing feedback, recognizing your mistakes, and turning them into learning and development moments. You will discover ways to get out of your comfort zone, welcome chances to innovate or disrupt and embrace new projects. By the end, you will be equipped to level up your TD efforts and adapt your career for whatever comes next.
Included are guiding questions and tools to build your adaptability value proposition for whatever TD role you may hold.
Other books in the series:

Emotional Intelligence in Talent Development

Creativity in Talent Development

Teamwork in Talent Development

Influence in Talent Development

Esther Jackson is a project manager, local college instructor, speaker, instructional designer, and trainer. She has been able to focus on the evolving learning needs and expectations of today’s multigenerational workforce. Esther has a proven track record of equipping people with the skills and knowledge to face challenges in the midst of constant change by addressing the employee experience, workforce engagement, performance, and professional development.

Esther has more than 20 years of combined experience in HR leadership, project management, talent development, and diversity and inclusion. Her dedication and commitment to the development, productivity, and performance success of others has helped propel her in multiple roles in the public and private sectors. She has also taken the stage speaking at multiple national and local conferences in addition to writing articles on talent development and diversity topics.

In addition, she serves as a National Advisor for Chapters with the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Esther was previously president of the ATD Detroit Chapter, and is currently involved with Detroit SHRM, NAAAHR-State of Michigan, and other ATD chapters across the US.

Esther has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in education from Wayne State University. She has a doctoral degree in higher education and adult learning from Walden University. Her doctoral study on technology preferences of multiple generations in the workplace classroom has received nearly 1,000 downloads since its publication three years ago. In addition, she holds an Adaptability Quotient (AQ) Certification.