‘Connections’ Articles at Everyday People, Page 6

Better as a Whole !!

It seems like I’ve been in HR since the dawn of time. Not really, but as a point of reference – there were no HR majors in college when I went and it was called “Personnel.”

Even though it’s been a long and exciting trip, I find that I get more and more excited the longer I’m in the field. I read a troubling post lately from an Anonymous HR pro in the UK that my good friend Michael Carty posted called “Sincerely Yours, Deeply Disengaged.” It is an all too familiar tale of how an HR pro is discouraged in how their company looks at and devalues HR. (You really should read this post and add your comments.)

It sounds like this HR pro feels isolated and on their own which is too often the case. I’m amazed that HR people, who are in an occupation that calls for them to be among people, tend to be the most disconnected professionals out there. This isn’t healthy !! It leads to the factors noted in the post above and ultimately in a person who is discouraged about Human Resources who will, in all likelihood, leave the profession.

There are healthy ways to protect yourself from disengagement and discouragement !! One key component to being healthy in HR is to surround yourself with great peers and folks you can learn from. People often tout the notion of “continuous learning” but few take the time to do it. I see more and more people longing for connections, but not knowing how to make that leap.

I’m very fortunate in many ways. I’ve always enjoyed being connected to people. It’s genuinely deep in my DNA. This isn’t unique, but there is a factor that is. Great connections are intentional. And being intentional makes us better together as a whole.

I’ve always believed in modeling the behavior you expect in others. So, I’m involved in a community that keeps me grounded, encouraged and also gives me the opportunity to learn. I’m a blogger as part of the Performance I Create team. It’s a very diverse mix of HR practitioners, and I truly dig that. Each member offers different perspectives, views and takes based on who they are and how they practice HR in their corner of the HR universe. I love reading their work on their individual blogs and on the PIC site.

These folks – Jay Kuhns, Chris Ponder, Melissa Fairman, Tiffany Kuehl, Chris Fields, Sarah Williams, Justin Harris and Dave Ryan – are truly my “Everyday People.” I encourage you to connect with each of them individually and as a whole team.

This isn’t just to highlight one group of HR pros vs. another. I want to truly see you branch out and connect across the field. There are countless amazing HR pros who will make the time and effort to see you learn, grow and succeed !!

Remember – we’re stronger together. Make it happen !!

Image courtesy of tfisherart.com

Being there !!

One of the coolest outcomes of being involved in social media is meeting the folks behind their avatars. The vast majority of folks I’ve met rock and the “connection” we had on-line has turned into friendships that have relevance and meaning.

Today we are celebrating one of my dearest friendships that came from the various forums, and that is with Paul Hebert. Last year a tradition of #TimSackettDay was started for the inimitable Tim Sackett. To have it be #PaulHebertDay this year is just as cool !!

Paul reached out one day when I mentioned that the HR Roundtable that I facilitate in Cincinnati was going to be on Incentives and Recognition. For those of you who don’t yet know Paul – he is THE go to resource in this area in the country !! (Not an embellishment. It’s a fact !!) He wanted to Skype in or call in to be part of the discussion. I said that I hadn’t had that type of request before because it’s better as a live forum. He asked when it was happening. I told him and he said, ” I’ll be there !! ”

Now, the commute from Greenville, South Carolina to Cincinnati, Ohio takes a bit of time – say 6 1/2 hours or so. He gets the prize for longest distance traveled to be at a Roundtable to date !! When he popped out of the car, I ran to hug him because that’s what I do when I see a friend. He was a bit taken aback for a sec, but he knew it was what brothers do.

First time we met in person. First, now of many !! We saw each other at HRevolution in Atlanta, SHRM National 2012, Ohio SHRM (where he rocked it as a speaker) and most recently at GCHRA in Cincinnati. We always make time to catch up, share ideas and most importantly challenge each other !!

You see, I dig Paul because he’s very intentional about life – as am I. I think that’s one of the key elements that ties us together. Most people shy away from folks who are fully intentional, but not Paul. He is always willing to mold thoughts, give various perspectives and hone our conversations. I don’t get mad about this. I CHERISH IT !!

He’s facing a serious health issue right now, and true to nature, he put up a blog to share about his experience and I love it. In spite of the blog, I call him because talking to him is more intentional and that is what we’ve come to expect from each other.

He’s pulling through this challenge and then he’s launching into his new business relationship with Symbolist. I’m geeked for him and for the great work that is going to come from this partnership !!

When Paul wrote about coming to Cincy for the HR Roundtable, he used the Proclaimers fab one-hit wonder – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles). In the lyrics they state how the person would be there for his friend no matter what. That’s what #PaulHebertDay is to me.

I will be there for him no matter what !!

Make sure you get to know Paul. You’re life will be more intentional and only brighter because of it !!

My Christmas Wish !!

One of the best things about Christmas time is that people come together. Whether it be families or friends, people make time out of their hectic lives to be with each other. I know that I’m looking forward to our family’s “Big Christmas” where all of my
Aunts, Uncles and cousins gather in tiny Luckey, Ohio at the American Legion Hall.

We’ve been gathering as a family for over 50 years now and it is something that I treasure. When all of us are in the same room, it is quite like a company. Four generations are gathered, and the interests, skills and talents are all very diverse. There are white collar, blue collar, small business, corporate, urban and rural representations.

The key to all of it is that we have the common bond of being family. This brings me to my “Christmas Wish.”

Our profession of HR is like my family. We come from all generations, from all walks of life, from all types of industries and from all areas of Human Resources. The gigantic difference is that we aren’t all together. I honestly don’t understand that !! There isn’t a good reason for us to be separated, isolated or divergent !!

So, help me by being a part of this wish. I have this crazy, hairy goal to truly connect all HR pros from around the globe. You may ask why someone would even desire something like this.

I see it this way . . .

We are only better if we’re together. We can learn from each other. We can come together on issues to make the workplace better for both employers and employees. We can make our professional associations stronger and relevant. Instead of rallying against them, let’s work together to make them better !!

With technology especially, we can be more and more connected. I cherish the times to see and meet HR pros in real life because then the connection really takes on a new life of its own.

We can’t keep trying to improve HR being isolated. It has never worked, and it won’t work in the future. I also hear from friends who are stating that even HR blogs are lacking “new” ideas, or things that are fresh.

Let’s take our cue from my favorite Christmas song ever because of who did the duet. It’s the Little Drummer Boy sung by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. It happened on a 70’s Christmas special and I remember watching it live with my family. My Dad asked who the “freak” was and I said, “Dad, you know that’s Bing Crosby !!” After running away from him, we both sat down to listen and it was beautiful.

Here’s my challenge . . . Join in !!

Threre are great new efforts by Charlie Judy on HR Fishbowl and Paul Smith on Welcome to the Occupation for HR folks to share their voices. There are also great collaborative groups you can learn from like: XPertHR, Women of HR, Fistful of Talent, Performance I Create, The EO List and Talent Culture.

Instead of nodding at this post and saying that you’re in or supporting this effort to be more intentional and connect with other HR pros, write a comment on the blog to let me know it.

Seriously. Step out (including you uber social folks who RT, but rarely comment) and join in. If this was on Facebook, people would rally. This takes a bit more of an effort. Join in. Be intentional and starting now and through 2013 – connect !!!

HR in the Five One Three !!

This blog post is part of a collection created by various Human Resources professionals that was the brainchild of Victorio Milian (@Victorio_M). This “Carnival” of HR posts centers around the theme of HR and Home. To read the rest of the collection click here. You’ll be glad you did!

I am a Cincinnatian. It’s not where I “started,” but having been here since 1986, I can say proudly it’s my home. Being an HR pro in a conservative city has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s safe and stable, for the most part. But, the struggle for innovation took some time to blossom honestly.

You see, HR has deep roots in Cincinnati !! Back when SHRM was the American Society for Personnel Administration, two local SHRM HR chapters gathered. The Butler/Warren County SHRM chapter, just north of Cincy, has the designation of chapter “001” and the Greater Cincinnati HR Association (GCHRA) , my home chapter, is designee “008.” So, we were in on the ground floor once chapters started forming.

Like most areas of SHRM, the chapters kept to themselves, but then a group of HR pros began stepping forward. When you look at the history of the Ohio State Conference and the State Council of SHRM, you’ll find many Cincinnatians who were Conference Chairs, State Directors and Regional reps for SHRM. These great folks laid the groundwork for what’s happening now in the Queen City.

You see, we started reaching out and connecting HR pros before Social Media came along. We didn’t know that we were going to be “ahead of the curve,” but it appears that we were. The HR Net was started through GCHRA back in 2001 to try and get HR pros more connected. It started as a simple e-mail listserv tied to an internet message board with 200 people. Now, in 2012 it reaches over 6,000 HR pros worldwide and allows them to post questions and events that are HR related. Two things that differentiate this forum from most is that it’s free (and always has been) and each week people can sing along to a song parody about HR !!

As Social Media started to be born, Cincinnatians jumped in with both feet !! It was like people were just waiting for the mechanism to get more connected. Some of the early adopters (who are still active and visible) include Jennifer McClure (@JenniferMcClure), Margo Rose (@HRMargo) and Benjamin McCall (@BenjaminMcCall). One of the things that “put us on the map” was when we “won” the most active HR community as the (513), our area code, on an episode of Steve Boese’s (@steveboese) great HR Happy Hour blog radio show !!

More and more HR practitioners and consultants from Cincinnati jumped into the Social Media HR space and began phenomenal blogs and started reaching out to become part of the larger HR community. When I was asked to finally jump into the Social Media pool, I brought the platform of reaching HR pros that we started with me and then things exploded !!

One of the genuine positive outcomes of Social Media is that it has taken communities that only existed in their hometown and started intertwining them together. Many of the great things we had done in Cincinnati were being done in other pockets around the country. Being in Cincy, you are in a place that exudes that hometown feel. We are doing our best to make others from around the Social Media space and the HR profession join us and make that hometown feel permeate throughout all we do !!

So, now I’d say, looking back at things that we have been innovative and the future only looks bright !! I hope that we are a catalyst that continues to bring HR folks together for years and years to come !!

Image Courtesy of Zazzle

An Intimate 13,500

Had to sit down to write about my experiences at #SHRM12 in Atlanta !! It’s hard to capture some thoughts when you just spent the last four days with 13,000+ HR professionals in one place !!

The sessions were full of tangible content that ranged from entry-level HR material to edgy, thought-provoking strategic forums that were extremely relevant. Three that stood out personally were from Jennifer McClure, Jason Lauritsen and former SHRM Chair, Sue Meisinger.

The keynotes from Jim Collins, Condoleezza Rice, Malcolm Gladwell and Tom Brokaw were spectacular !! Each had a connection to HR in a broader sense. They pushed us to think far outside our normal boundaries.

As a SHRM volunteer (on purpose), a true highlight for me was having time to network, discuss and share with other SHRM leaders. It’s humbling to be the State Director for SHRM in Ohio. Being in this role has great opportunities to move the profession of HR forward !! To also be with others who share this passion is fantastic, and I always look forward to it.

The work of Curtis Midkiff (@shrmsocmedguy) on connecting HR and Social media was incredible. To see many peers in the Dice Blogger’s Lounge as well as the educational area called The Hive, was promising. To see HR start to understand these forums and see where it’s best to connect for them was a key success for the Conference !!

But . . . the TRUE highlight for me was knowing people at the Conference from around the country and then meeting amazing new people !! Everyday I’d be in the Conference Center and here “Hey Steve !!” being shouted down the hall. People from Ohio, Virginia, North Dakota, Illinois, California, Louisiana, Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, Alaska, and many other places. It was so cool !!

I noticed that several of the other attendees also had pockets of people they knew, but most of them kept to people they knew from their State. In the past, I was one of those people too, but things are changing for the better.

HR people are starting to make more connections because they understand that we really do have a ton in common. What is key to this is that there are connectors (like Malcolm Gladwell highlights in his Tipping Point book) who are reaching out and showing folks that being connected results in meaningful relationships. This movement will not only improve HR, it will reshape it.

Next year is Chicago and (for the first time I can say) I can’t wait !!

Carnival of HR – What’s Good About Edition

To say I’m geeked to host this edition of the Carnival of HR would be an understatement !! I asked great HR folks to send posts this time that were positive. Therefore, the “What’s Good About” theme.

Too often we get caught up in what’s not working in HR. I wanted this edition to take a break and reflect on the amazing things that happen in our field and with our people.

For those reading this . . . I’d like you to take a new approach as well !! I look at the Carnival as a great resource connecting me with folks that can help me do HR even better in my little corner of the HR universe. I make sure to read these folks work all the time and have their subscriptions in my Google Reader.

I have some new voices that I’ve added because of hosting the Carnival. Any time I can get more input, I’m good. So, sit back, read the teaser below of each entry and then go out, get to read their good work and make sure to connect with the authors through Twitter, Linked In, etc. !!

There are a ton of submissions below, and I encourage you to take in each and every one because they ROCK !!

Peace to one and all – Steve (It’s ALL good !!)

Starting things off is Naomi Bloom (@InFullBloomUS) with Reflections on a Long Career – Part IV – great list of “to-do’s” to keep you viable and active !!

Ian Welsh (@ianclive) adds a strong post with Passion for Human Resources and our Voyages of Discovery! – any time someone combines “passion” with “HR” you get my attention !!

This post from Daniel Crosby (@incblot) shows you how he always makes the mix of Organizational Psych and HR so cool ! – Career and Happiness: How They Relate.

I can’t wait to meet the next contributor, Doug Shaw (@dougshaw1) in real life this Fall at Ohio SHRM !! Until then, I can enjoy his post – Olympian – great take on teamwork !!

The rally cry from Cathy Missildine-Martin (@cathymissildine) gets you pumped up in HR Has Its Game Face On!

The folks at i4cp chime in with a solid post about Stragegy in Action. Make sure you follow this intriguing group on Twitter @i4cp.

Fellow #HR rock music freak, Paul Smith (@Pasmuz) brings our profession to life with It’s What You Know In HR.

I love the perspective from Mike Haberman (@MikeHaberman) because I am a storyteller myself !! Check out – A revisit to Storytelling: A Key HR Competency?

A new voice to me, but one I now subscribe to is Sandrine Bardot who’s blog Compensation Insider hails from Abu Dhabi !! How cool is that for global HR ?? Great read from her with her summary from the Middle East Human Asset Summit.

This post from Matthew Stollak (@akaBruno) brought back great memories about “Must See TV” when NBC ruled the television world – One True Passion.

Nancy Saperstone, another submission from the UK (awesome !!) – gets right to the theme with Happy in HR.

The prolific author Paul Hebert (@IncentIntel) entered a great post that was featured on another great resource – Fistful of Talent – HR Should Run Volunteer Organizations.

The driving force behind the scenes of the Carnival of HR, Shauna Moerke (@HR_Minion) takes a fresh look at What’s Good About Job Hunting.

Jessica Miller-Merrell (@blogging4jobs) did the coolest thing by submitting a person who guest posted on her site, Lisa Bonner. Really cool perspective from her in How Do You Stay Sharp & Focused?

The title of this post, Assume the Best, is a great reflection of its author Ben Eubanks !! Make sure you connect with him on Twitter at @beneubanks.

Another post about passion with an “ad lib” twist from Chris Ponder (@Chris Ponder) is really a cool approach. Could you do it ?? Can You Speak About Your Passion Ad Lib?

Michael Carty (@MJCarty) popped in from his holiday (vacation to us) to share his Best of the HR Blogs from May – all great reads !!

Stephanie Thomas (@proactivemployr) makes the EEOC cool and fun !! Check out her conversation with the EEOC Commissioner !!

A true genuine heart, Brad Galin (@bradgalin), gives a great post in Good Will in Bad Times.

Always showing how leadership and HR are intertwined, Jay Kuhns (@jrkuhns) adds his submission of You Have the Power.

Mervyn Dinnen (@mervyndinnen) nails the theme with this gem – reasons to be cHeeRful – Love it !! Very creative !!

Cool archive post from Buzz Rooney (@TheBuzzonHR) that I just had to stick in – The Founding Fathers Would Have Loved HR

I love when Tim Gardner (@TimJGardner) shares about his family. I love doing this too and it always shows me what’s good !! – Heritage

Dwane Lay (@DwaneLay) offers compelling and down-to-earth advice with this great post – What’s Good About a Bad Boss

A great post that pulls us all together from Susan Avello (@susanavello) – What’s Good About Community

Closing out this phenomenal compilation of HR voices, is Chris Fields (@new_resource) with the appropriately titled – Let me tell you what’s good about HR

ENJOY THE CARNIVAL !!!

We’re Everywhere !!

I just returned from an incredible conference in San Antonio, Texas for the HR/TD group of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). This was my second time with this group of HR professionals and I have to say that, as a whole, they are some of the most welcoming folks I’ve met in our field !!

I never take it lightly when I get the opportunity to speak in front of any group – especially peers in my field. I know the challenges they face in their organizations, how others outside of HR view the field and that working with people can be tough. However, I also know that they have the ability to be amazing in what they do and where they work !!

It was truly fascinating to be inside an HR group within an industry. Because, you see, most of us don’t even know these great HR pros exist !!

The majority of people in HR have a very narrow focus. You can read all you want about being “broad,” but most people have either a comfort zone or a personal capacity where they keep their HR community pretty close. Be honest, we tend to look for HR “voices” either in Social Media or through SHRM National, or local chapters. These are all great avenues to connect with HR people, but it’s not the only place we exist. The fact is . . . HR people are everywhere !!

Since that is the case and HR people are everywhere, what keeps us from connecting? Let me throw this out to you . . .

We’re surrounded by people every day, and we lose site that there would be an advantage to get to connect with other great HR pros. The “negative” voices rear their ugly head like – “They’ll probably want something from me.” “What if they’re creepy?” “I really don’t have time for more people in my already busy life.”

We’ve bought into the myth that our current relationships can provide all we need to be effective HR folks. In fact, some companies HR people NEVER leave the confines of their own organization because they’re gigantic and they feel they have all the resources they need internally.

Don’t buy it !! I can give you countless stories of great HR people I continue to meet, interact with, and connect to others. I’m glad this faction of the HR world asked me to venture to Texas. I told them that I was writing about them and hope to see more of them get connected in the greater HR universe.

My hope is you do this as well !! This week, step out. Meet one new HR connection. I guarantee it will only improve what you do and how you look at HR !!

What we gain through loss . . .

This past week I lost a large part of my past. The church I grew up in, Ada 1st United Methodist, burned to the ground.

NOTE: Now, please know that I’m well aware that the “church” is not the building. I hope you read on to see what I’d like to talk about . . .

Many memories happened at this church. Weddings of my cousins and friends. Funerals of dear people from Ada including grandparents. Making pumpkin pies and hard tack candy for our youth group fundraisers. Holding hands with my first girlfriend while I was supposed to pay attention to the service. And most of all, tons of experiences that shaped me as a young man and helped define my faith.

Also, this past week, I learned of a friend’s, Dawn Hrdlica-Burke, loss of her father. Three others facing serious, if not life threatening, health situations. A continued group of people who remain jobless, and several folks near me recovering from the devastation of recent tornadoes.

Now, if you read my blog with any regularity, you know that I’m generally an extremely positive person !! It’s not a facade or on-line persona, it’s who I really am. So, when significant things hit home they really hit home. It made me think . . .

You see, when I posted on Twitter and Facebook that my hometown church had been destroyed, I received messages of empathy and encouragements from literally around the globe. That floored me !! I was so thankful that I had people that cared enough to reach out and give a kind word. And then I thought again . . .

Every day in the workplace the people around me are going through “stuff” just like this or worse. Do I take the time to see if they’re truly okay? Or, do I do the obligatory “Hi, how are you?” waiting for their inevitable answer of “Fine.” We continue to be polite with each other because that next e-mail or task is really what we’re focused on vs. taking the time to see how someone truly is.

The fact of the workplace is that we want people to focus on the “stuff” we think is truly important like processes, projects and time frames. We don’t want to deal with people’s “stuff” because that takes too much time, and what if they truly want me to care?

As I mentioned before, I was floored at the responses I received and am thankful that I have people who feel close enough to share their thoughts. However, I truly feel that many people walk through the doors at work every day with life’s struggles in front of them, and they may have few, if any, people supporting them through what they’re facing.

It’s time for HR to be the model and break this distant approach with people. People DO matter and it SHOULD matter to us how they’re doing. It may get messy and you may have to act, but isn’t that great? We need to be the ones taking the time to see how people really are. It may be the ONE thing they’re looking for – a genuine connection at work.

This week, break the mold. Be the Human that others need. Take the time to get involved with their “stuff.” It will change the world !!

A Sort of Homecoming . . .

This past weekend I was at the SHRM Regional Council Summit. It sounds like a very formal name, but it’s not that kind of event. It’s where the State HR Council Directors get together to get updates from SHRM, share best practices and meet others that are in similar roles from all over the country.

I have to say that going into the weekend, I didn’t know what to expect. However, at the end of the conference I was even more assured of how amazing HR really is !! You see, I was able to meet friends from all over the country that I had never met. We had much more in common than we even imagined. I’m not talking about being SHRM volunteers. I talking about great HR pros who are making a difference in the profession and in their companies.

I continue to be amazed that when you experience this kind of camaraderie and energy, that HR people still don’t want to be connected because it takes too much effort or time. Trust me, being more connected to other great folks only gives me access to more resources and insight into what HR does.

Most of you know that I’m a gigantic U2 fan !! When I was thinking of putting this together, the song A Sort of Homecoming came to mind. It talks about a person who’s searching because they’re isolated until they come home.

When I go to events like this at the local, regional and national level, I feel like this by “coming home” to friends who I don’t get to see that often, but I know they’re always there. I saw the same reaction from others that I met. We WANT to be together and need to be both as people and as professionals.

I saw many folks get connected on Twitter and social media this weekend because they met others who find it successful. I saw people share incredible resources from SHRM and their states that make HR better in every aspect from Employee Relations to Advocacy to Compliance to Culture and Professional Development.

So, this week, quit trying to do HR on your own. Reach out and get connected !!

Try a conference, attend a local HR meeting, or send an e-mail to Link In or join Twitter. You are part of an amazing community who wants to be connected to YOU !! Take the step and make that happen.

Put a Little Love . . .

This past weekend I was at the University of Indianapolis with my daughter who decided after this visit to join them next year as a Freshman. It’s a time of transition for me, my family and my daughter. Why should that matter to anyone but us ??

Good question. You see, I’m experiencing a “transition” in my personal life and it just hit me because SEVERAL of my friends have been facing transitions as well. Just this past month the following has happened: four HR friends lost their jobs, one HR friend lost her father and another his mother-in-law, three HR friends are struggling with their marriages and/or divorce. It shouldn’t matter . . . but it does !!

As HR people we don’t take time to know what’s really going on in people’s lives because we think it takes too much time. Also, if we know about what’s happening we might have to DO something with that information. Another pressure we face is we have managers who think that personal situations just get in the way of work that REALLY matters. Ironically, if a personal situation comes up that involves them personally, then they want us to take note. Huh !!

What would happen if we did take notice of people’s personal situations? I don’t mean to take it to a creepy level. Instead, I propose this. Take note of the various highs/lows that people choose to share and SHOW GENUINE INTEREST instead of passing glances and quick “Hello’s”. We keep asking people to handle change, and yet we ignore the transitions and changes that are happening to them everyday. Just by listening, we may relieve the anxiety, pressure and uncertainty of what they’re facing. I take great joy in laughing with, crying with and rejoicing with people I work with and know that because those events truly matter to them, they likewise matter to me.

You can’t keep asking people to put the “H” back in HR if you aren’t willing to model it yourself. It made me think of the great 70’s song “Put a Little Love in Your Heart.” I love the Annie Lennox/Al Green version (in this link).

So, I’m excited about the new transition about to happen as my daughter continues to grow and head off to college next year. I’m excited about your transitions too because it truly makes “the world a better place for you . . . and me . . . you just wait . . . and see !!”