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Entries in future of HR (2)

Wednesday
04Nov2009

HRevolution and the Wonder That is Social Media

This weekend, I had the honor of meeting 50 friends - for the very first time. Other than HR_Minion, there were 49 other people I had never met before, yet it was like we had known each other for a long time. And in a very real way, we had. From the minute I walked into the hotel on Friday and saw Steve Boese and Joan Ginsberg in the lobby, my Twitter stream starting coming to life.

Many of you get what I am saying - you've experienced it and you know it to be true. Others are shaking your heads. For you I say, stop trying to rationalize it, minimize it or explain it away. Accept it. Embrace it. Seek it out. What is it? It is the wonder that is social media.

Social media connects people and 50 social media connected people converged  on Louisville, Kentucky for HRevolution, the unconference about the future of HR. Who are the fabulous 50? Jessica Miller-Merrill developed this HRevolution Twitter List, check it out! What do we do? We manage HR departments, teams and functions. We own businesses, consult and write. We source, recruit, and retain. We are on-line, off-line and in print. 

The conference discussions were thought provoking and hum of the room was unmistakable. We were in motion, unsettled and inspired. The air was charged with possibility and passion and we are changing the way we do business.  Couldn't make it to the conference? Well, HR Happy Hour is bringing it to you with HR Happy Hour, Episode 18, Live From HRevolution.

Now that the conference is over, that challenge is to continue the conversation in our companies and communities. In my little corner of the world I am going to start by joining Recruiting Blogs, talk or meet with someone new from HRevolution, Twitter, or a blog commenter each week, and SEO optimize my website with the assistance of some yet to be identified SEO savvy person. My kid is my passion and there is a kid-writing-blogging-social media thing for me to do with her that I haven't quite figured out yet so I'll ponder that some.

But first, I unpack and rest up. What are you going to do to change the world today?

Wednesday
07Oct2009

Do I Look Like a Dinosaur to You?

I am going to take you back to the 1st grade and one of my favorite books, Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct.

Everyone in town knows Edwina. She is the dinosaur who plays with the kids. She is the dinosaur who helps little old ladies cross the street. And best of all, she bakes yummy chocolate-chip cookies. Everyone loves Edwina except for Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. Reginald knows dinosaurs are extinct and is ready to prove it. 

Edwina knew that, in the eyes of others, she was extinct. And here is the cool thing about Edwina . . .she just didn't care. So what you ask? Ok, here's the HR connection.

I don't bake yummy chocolate chip cookies and I am not loved by everyone. However, like Edwina, there are Reginald Van Hoobie-Doobies out there predicting my demise. Well, not my demise but HR's demise. And like Edwina, I really don't care. Ok, I care about the future of my profession but I don't care about the prediction.

From HR Gumbo, the Big Bend Society for Human Resource Management, 

"This is an exciting time to be a human resource professional.  Whether positive or negative, there is a huge spotlight on our profession, forcing our leaders to ensure all the 'ducks are in a row' so to speak.  From monumental changes in employment law to health care reform, HR pros are on a first name basis with the business community."

No doubt about it, HR is in the sea of change. The sea of change is pretty rough these days and not for the faint of heart. What is an HR professional to do?

EVOLVE.

You've heard the conversations and the predictions. When that little voice in your head says, "What the heck do they know?" "Sounds great for you but that's not happening in my organization - ever" "Don't tell me how to do my job" or some version of the same theme, quiet it down. Tuck away the fear. Listen. Consider. Try it out. Challenge, question, research and counter. Do something. And don't do it alone. Bring others with you. Share.  

Is HR dying? asks Laurie Ruettimann, Punk Rock HR. HR is not dead yet responds Mike Vandervort, The Human Racehorses Blog. Read the posts, read the comments (all of them!) and add your voice to the mix.

Together, let's show the Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobies of the world just how evolutionary HR can be and maybe, just maybe, they'll be making chocolate chip cookies for us.

While you are thinking evolution, think about joining me at HRevolution where we can continue the conversation.