Let Me Tell You Why - by Guy Wallace, CPT and Lifetime ISPI Member

Why ISPI?

People have been asking me that a lot lately as I and Dick Handshaw have just formed a new ISPI Chapter in Charlotte NC. People want to know why ISPI and why not one of “the other” professional affinity groups.

My answers are typically: It’s been my professional home for 30 years. It has provided me with a wealth of valid models, methods, tools and techniques that have enhanced my professional practice of my version of HPT- Human Performance Technology. It has enabled me to see and hear from some of the world’s top professionals in this field at conferences and to read about them and their approaches to HPT. It has enabled me to personally meet and work with, in the numerous committees I’ve worked on since 1983, some of those gurus. And it was a place where, back in the day, I and my business partners would send our entire consulting staff – up to 13 one year – to the conferences for their edification and enlightenment.

But most of all, although not perfect, ISPI is about “valid” practices and avoids many of the fads of today and the fads of decades ago that just won’t go away.

It’s where I learned to mistrust MBTI, and designing instruction to address Learning Styles, and designing instruction to address Multi-generational Differences. And that media isn’t a key differentiator in the effectiveness of instruction (it’s still all about valid ISD). And that instruction is often the last thing one needs to address when approaching a performance problem/opportunity. Instruction is often involved ultimately – due to changes in other process variables – but it alone will often not adequately address the root issues.

That’s why!

Guy Wallace, CPT

Guy W. Wallace, CPT joined ISPI (then NSPI) at what is now the Michigan Chapter back in the fall of 1979. His boss immediately signed him up for the Newsletter Committee - and he has been an active member ever since. He has served on Committees and Task Forces continuously since 1983, has published with ISPI and presented at Conferences over 125 times since 1984. He has presented over 20 times at 12 local chapters - and he has been a member of 4 Chapters. He is currently the President-Elect of the forming ISPI Charlotte Chapter. He may be reached via email at: guy.wallace@eppic.biz.