Rallying the Troops

Seems a smooth transition to my post as editorial director of Training magazine when this month's cover story plays directly into my most recent past. As the former editor-in-chief of LICENSE magazine, I understand "branding"...taking your company's most prized possession—its equity—and creating a consistent, company-wide brand message for the end-user. That user—the average consumer—also is a member of your company's team.

I'd hate to get off on the wrong foot, but isn't training essentially a "rallying of the troops"? A means to a common end-goal? Isn't the bottom line the success of your organization (meeting the bottom line) and the embracing of talent and potential future leaders? Isn't (or shouldn't) training be at the crux of every organization's overall message? In essence, doesn't training add more value to the equity of any organization?

So, whether I've minimized or maximized the "definition" of training for companies around the globe, would you allow me the opportunity to tell you a bit about Training magazine's branding strategy...its equity? With this issue, Training magazine is in its 43rd year of publication, and will mark yet another milestone this year. With this issue comes new faces—yes, mine, and that of Publisher Judith Princz—and a new face for the magazine—beginning with the cover and flowing to every page. We've created—thanks in large part to Art Director David Diehl—"a business of training" look combined with a reader-friendly, easy-on-the-eye visual appeal. Throughout 2007 and beyond, you also will see the addition of monthly columns and features that focus on "global America" and territories outside the U.S., demographic and ethnographic information, generational information, and partnerships with key companies for additional research and statistics. Hence, all the facts and figures that validate the importance of training (or lack thereof) in your organization. Plus, we'll further delve into the products and services (including technology) available to aid you and your organization in training tactics and techniques.

We'll focus on training (talent management and development across varied organizations) success stories, aiming to further provide key tidbits on training techniques that work. We'll carry that same message across our events, as both Judith and I will oversee the content and direction of Training magazine events. One brand...one message.

I'm hoping that over the next couple of months I will have the chance to meet many of you in person, via e-mail, or via phone. Hopefully, I'll be seeing you at our upcoming February Training 2007 Conference & Expo in Orlando, Fla. There, we'll announce the much-anticipated Training magazine Top 100. Plus, this year, I've added a "Top 10-to-Watch," those companies that could potentially make it into the Top 100 listing next year.

If we can't meet at the event, then don't hesitate to reach me, with suggestions, comments, future story ideas, via e-mail or via phone at 646.654.4493. Or, just contact me to say, "Hello." Until next month...