ATD26 in the Books: The Expertise Was Already There
- Amy
- May 22
- 2 min read
Updated: May 22
#ATD26 is in the books. Four days, dozens of sessions, and a whole lot of thinking from a living room surrounded by moving boxes.
I came into this conference asking: where does human expertise still matter most, and where are we just protecting our comfort zones?
After a week of sessions, here's what I'm taking away. The expertise already exists. The positioning already exists. The advantages already exist. The problem isn't that we lack what we need. The problem is that we keep treating our strengths like limitations.
Tory Hord showed me that my introvert instinct to prepare deeply for every conversation isn't compensation. It's strategy. I'm done apologizing for needing processing time and done treating recharge as a weakness instead of a boundary I set intentionally.
Megan Torrance made the case that L&D professionals are already positioned to lead AI adoption. Not because we're technical experts. Because we have cross-organizational networks, process improvement instincts, and the ability to notice who's being left out. Those are the exact capabilities organizations need right now and most departments don't have them.
JD Dillon reminded us that the most valuable voice in the room isn't the manager's favorite. It's the frontline worker who will tell you how things actually happen.
Sarah Mercier challenged us to stop building an "interactive version" and a separate "accessible version" and start innovating one design that works for everyone.
Mel Milloway gave us permission to hack a test before waiting for the perfect plan.
And Zach Kass said something I keep coming back to: optimism is not naive. For those of us who build learning experiences for a living, believing things can get better isn't wishful thinking. It's the whole point.
So here's my challenge to every L&D professional who attended this week, virtually or in person. What's the one thing you heard that you're actually going to do differently? Not think about. Do.
For me, it's two things. I'm owning my introvert strengths instead of managing around them. And I'm walking into my next role knowing that my L&D skillset isn't adjacent to AI adoption. It's central to it.
Your turn.