My family and I just rented (yes rented) The Hunger Games. We were enthralled !! No one had read the books, so we had no preconceived notions. It was intense, dark, dramatic and hopeful !! If you haven’t seen it, please do.
In the story, Katniss, the heroine, goes through an adventure none of us would venture to volunteer for or dare to endure. One of the incredibly moving images of the movie is from the inhabitants of her District. She hails from District 12 which is a mining area and the poverty is devastating.
The people watching her compete in the Games all lift their hands in a three-finger salute of solidarity supporting her and against the State. It is moving and causes them to rise up in action to fight the oppression they are under.
Sorry to be so geeky – but there is a point to all this.
As HR professionals, we often find ourselves in the middle of “everything”, but still on our own. HR folks are one of the few professions who continues to try and perform in isolation within companies.
It’s time for us to raise our three-finger salute in solidarity. Not “against” anything – but FOR each other !! Too many of us feel like Katniss in the Hunger Games out surviving for ourselves and doing our best to fend off the fires that we rush to put out.
We need to be more connected as professionals and as a profession. In doing so, we will be better able to lead in our companies, mentor others and move things forward. If we keep trying to do things in isolation, then we’ll be picked off and no longer be in the Games at all. (Read the books and see the movie – shameless plug.)
So, if you have a chance to go to an HR Conference – do it.
If you have a chance to reach out and attend an HR chapter meeting or professional development event – do it.
If you can connect with people on Social Media forums like Linked In, Twitter, etc. – do it. Don’t be afraid of these. See how to use them best !!
And most of all, if you can personally connect with other HR pros “in person” by phone or face-to-face – then don’t pass up that chance !!
As you are reading this, my right hand is raised in a three-finger salute looking for you to join me as we stand together in HR !!
Damn right Steve – just do it. In part motivated by you I reached out to Susan Avello recently and we had a great time chatting on Skype about SHRM and the conference vibe. A super call.
Just a few days and a few thousand miles until our first in person. Let’s do it!
Inspiring Steve!. Reading this has got me thinking I should step out of my comfort zone and start attending HR conferences to meet the HR Pros out there in real life 🙂