Engaging. Dynamic. Meaningful. These are all words we see within the professional development and adult education world. Providing training and education to today's association leaders is an essential part of continued growth to meeting organizational needs. But how do we give adult learners the necessary tools for success with such a large and growing generational variance?

In other words, how do we answer the question, "What's in this for me?"

After all, there have been numerous articles written on professional development and technology, commonalities between adult learners, and creating a relevant learning platform across generations. Then, there are the endless how-to ideas related to professional development that seem to say a lot without really being all that impactful on how we approach it.

There is a common thread though. The driving force behind the articles and how-to ideas is that we all agree it's important to make professional development relevant. Adults need opportunities to add their experience to what's being taught. They need the why experience: The creation of deeper questions that will then lead them to an evolved, innovative thinking practice.

Because associations serve learners of all different ages and career stages, designing education can be something of a daunting task. So, what's the best way to approach professional development course design? There is no one way that works across the board. But, the good news is that there are a few things you can do to make your courses, no matter the topic, appeal to the adult professional learner.

Create the experience. Of all of the ways we connect now, the person-to-person experience is still the most powerful. When we interact on a personal level, we bring our life experiences and our stories to each other in a way that creates an incredibly meaningful learning experience. In his TEDTalk, "Where Good Ideas Come From," author and startup creator Steven Johnson notes that real innovation doesn't happen on an individual, separated level. Rather, he says it happens "where you have lots of different ideas that are together, different backgrounds, different interests, jostling with each other, bouncing off of each other..."

Adults need opportunities to add their experience to what's being taught. They need the why experience.

Creating an environment of collaboration, even if the topic may be a bit dry, opens the door to deeper learning and more meaningful experiences for adult learners. In the association world, we are all about creating meaningful connections, and professional development should be no exception to this rule. Delivering material in a lecture style may result in a failed attempt at truly educating adults because they typically want to experience learning—not just be handed content.

Create instant applicability. No matter which generational demographic they belong to, adult learners value their time and don't want to waste it. We all have something on our list of to-dos – whether it be for work or personal edification. HighRoad Solution notes that "adult learners want information to be relevant to their professional goals and therefore lean towards practical information they can obtain and implement quickly." Make sure you're shaping your topics in a way that gives adult learners the most return for their time investment. Best practices for engaging working professionals are an ever-evolving topic, but creating learning with immediate applicability drives interest for association members and provides them with resources to empower their employees and to grow organizationally.

Create passion. Adult learners typically don't embark on an educational journey because they are required to. But sometimes it can be difficult to engage adults on a level that gets them to not only retain what they learned, but also be grateful—yes, grateful—for what they're learning. How do we foster that?

Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth Revisited, says that the passion for learning and growth—beyond just being satisfied with what you know and doing an OK job—starts within the leadership of an organization, not outside of it. "The best way to find exceptional people is not to find them, but to create them," he says. Making learning relevant is a start, but it isn't enough. In order to people to care about what they're learning, you need to think "deeper meaning" and reaching your audience on an emotional and personal level. Use personal stories, create opportunities to research and question, and focus your design on inspiring your audience to take the learning beyond the material. When learning becomes personal, it becomes something more significant. It creates a sense of real investment and involvement.

While associations need to deliver on a wide range of learning needs, creating environments for adult learners where there is a balance between relevant learning, innovation, and connection to the material allows you to create programs that generate interest and promote successful organizational growth. Encouraging professional growth for adult learners and gratitude in learning raises the bar on continuing-education engagement and value in the association world.