The worldwide talent development community is diverse. Our members bring a wealth of experience and insight to their work. We're spotlighting their stories.

Josh Pavek has been a member of ATD since 2014. Here's his story in his own words.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I like to think of myself as a pretty simple person that happened to wander into the L&D field by accident. If you asked my wife I think she’d tell you that I’m quite easy going, a bit of a knowledge geek, realistically optimistic, and stubborn. She’d also let you know that I need coffee in the morning.

What are your personal and/or professional goals?

My personal goals are to spend as much time as I can with my family, to raise a kind and principled young man, and to help make this world a better place through my actions; large and small.

My professional goal is to show the value of L&D through ROI analysis of learning programs. I’m also passionate about making sure that we are using the most modern learning science available to design our learning programs and deploying vetted technology to enhance the learner experience and analyze the impact of our programs.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve gained or experienced during your membership with ATD?

Industry-specific knowledge, competence in my field, and the confidence and authority that this will instill in you.

Could you share any professional tips, specific to talent development, that you have picked up along the way?

Be very curious, flexible, and interested in all the things happening in L&D and business. Get to know the value of business acumen. Find a method to effectively manage your day and your email and stick to it. Be persistent. Listen more than you talk.

What’s a common misconception you see when it comes to talent development?

That what’s trained on will happen on the job and that people will remember everything that they are taught.

Do you have any advice for people looking to further their careers?

Become an active member of ATD national and your local chapter. This will allow you to start utilizing all the things that ATD national and your local ATD chapter have to offer. There is so much useful and insightful information available in a variety of different formats.

What is your personal definition of talent development?

The ongoing pursuit, use, and sharing of knowledge that will allow you to be successful and have a positive impact on society.

How do you stay motivated?

By reminding myself of the importance that L&D plays in a person’s life. This profession allows me to help others by having a positive impact on their quality of life. It’s important to stay patient with what you share because there are many times where the learner won’t realize the importance of what you’ve taught them until a later point in time. When the time is right and when they remember is when people’s lives are changed.

How do you find meaning in your work?

I strongly believe in what the company I work for does and that aligns very nicely with what keeps me motivated. Working at a place where your values don’t align with what you are teaching is toxic.