For those unfamiliar with the concept, “Carnivals” are a collection of the most intriguing blog posts over a given period of time. The carnival host is responsible for collecting, vetting, organizing and disseminating the posts in an original piece of their own. For those interested, there is a site dedicated to carnivals on virtually any topic you can imagine. For my readers, I’d recommend you pay very close attention to two in particular.

The Carnival of HR
This is the leading carnival of the HR industry. It began a few years ago under the leadership of a phenomenal voice who writes as Evil HR Lady. It is now managed by one of my favorite industry cheerleaders, Shauna Moerke (aka, HR Minion). As you might expect, this carnival rotates around the industry from HR blogger to HR blogger, and the schedule of those hosting can be found here. Inflexion was fortunate to have served as ringmaster back in June.

On November 25th, our friend Mike VanDervort will be hosting a very special edition entitled, “The HR Carnival for Global Giving“. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Mike wants to take the concept to another level while raising money for charity. He’s agreed to donate $1 for every blogger who submits a post to next week’s edition. This has inspired others to offer matching funds, including Tammy Colson, Lance Haun, Joan Ginsburg and yours truly. At last count, this collective support has raised the stakes to over $500. And if you needed a reminder as to why giving is so important, be sure to read this emotional post by Trish McFarlane.

The Leadership Development Carnival

If the name Dan McCarthy is not familiar to you, it absolutely should be. Dan has served in the field of leadership development for over two decades and currently leads the charge in this area for one of Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For”. Dan writes for the aptly named blog “Great Leadership“ and has lived up to the promise of offering thought provoking work on this important segment of the market.

Once a month, Dan hosts the Leadership Development Carnival (see November’s edition here) by collecting the most provocative posts and musings during that time. Although he doesn’t relinquish the Big Top very often, Dan has asked us to host the December 6th edition. We’re honored to do so.

So, if you have a post on leadership that you’d like to submit, please use this form and we will take it from there. This is a very broad area and Dan typically receives well over 100 submissions, so please ensure that your post is on topic so I can guarantee your inclusion.

Are Carnivals Helpful?

Do you have other carnivals that you read? Do you think the industry needs more of them? Do you find these collections of posts to be helpful? Share your thoughts below and lets keep the conversation going.

I’ve been told that I am a master conversation killer. Is it a gift? I’m not sure, but in the past week alone I have managed to single-handedly grind over a dozen discussions to a screeching halt.

Conference calls? Killed. In-person meetings? No pulse on this one. Webinars? DOA. Even drinks with friends? Call the coroner.

So why, exactly, is this something to be proud of? And how does one wield this weapon to his or her advantage? Come closer to your screen. Yes, you. Let me explain…

Why You Need This Skill

Time is your number one enemy. You know when someone sighs and says, “I could sure use another 24 hours in the day!” and you politely chuckle? Sure, you hate that saying, but it is a kernel of truth that resonates with most of us.

American Public Media drove this point home in a recent segment on “Marketplace”. It cited a Labor Department report that productivity is at it’s highest level in six years. So those of you who are employed are busier than ever.

This means you don’t have time to listen to that annoying coworker. You need the meeting to either get to the point quickly or cut you loose. You have stuff to do, you need to get to it and you no do not have the luxury of sitting through a painful and endless diatribe on a topic that is either beat to death or meaningless to your life.

And it’s not just in the workplace. It’s also at home and plaguing our children. Team sports, school work and online activities are all contributing factors. In fact, Experian Simmons just released a report stating that, “Today’s American Children Are Busier Than Ever“.

Add to these issues the fact that we sometimes tend to over-intellectualize a topic. You know, beat it to a pulp. And all the while you’re just wishing you could move on with your life! Time to bring our the verbal machete and cut to the quick.

3 Ways To Kill A Conversation

Ok, these may not work for everyone, but I believe they have broad application. The only way to know is to try them out. But like a new cleaning product, you may want to test these in an area of your life that isn’t highly visible before applying it to the mainstream:

1. “Well, there you have it!“:

This one is very effective. After a long and drawn out discussion on a topic, you simply insert yourself into the mix and state in a clear and final voice, “Well, there you have it!“.

The key to this one is to hold out through the shocked pause that will follow. Don’t crack. When in person, have a very upbeat look on your face and even nod gently as if to say, “Think we’ve got this one covered everybody”. If you loose confidence, you can follow it with a quick segue into a topic you want to discuss.

2. “You’ve been so generous with your time.“

The is the gentle let down. You don’t want to hurt their feelings, but you really must move on. This one is funny because if you’ve ever been on the receiving end, it does make you pause and think about how long you’ve been speaking. Reactions will vary, but inevitably there is recognition that time has passed and it’s time to move on. Be prepared for the, “No problem, I have plenty of time” response. If that happens, follow with a quick glance at your watch (if in person) and, “Actually, I need to run“.

It’s clean, it wraps up nicely and no one gets hurt.

3. The Final Proclamation

This one takes some serious cojones. You are about to state the final truth on this topic and need to have confidence. If you’re in a meeting, this is the time to grab your notepad and pen and stand up. If out to dinner or at a bar, this is used right as you excuse yourself for the restroom. Remember, you are powerful and about to say something that is really somewhat trite and meaningless. Want an example? Sure.

Two weeks ago I was speaking with a financial analyst about our market. We were running in circles. He kept stating the same facts and spoke for fifteen minutes without a breath. Having had enough, I took the phone off mute and declared, “This market is fascinating, complex and frustrating.” He paused. Thirty seconds… then nearly a minute. He finally agreed. Conversation over.

Well, there you have it. You’ve been so generous with your time.

Be sure to let me know if these (or other tips and tricks) work for you by sharing in the comments section below. I have brilliant and sly readers and I know your techniques are top notch. Good luck killer and let’s (not) keep the conversation going.

Hopefully you’re not bored by reading countless posts about this past weekend’s HRevolution un-conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Let me say that you shouldn’t be as my fellow attendees have done one hell of a job capturing the event in all of it’s glory. But if you’ve had enough, stop reading now and save yourself from further eye-stabbing. For those of you seeking “More HRevolution cowbell!”, please stick around.

What Is/Was “HRevolution”?

For the uninitiated, HRevolution was an ‘unconference’ organized by four terrific voices in the industry - Trish McFarlane, Steve Boese, Ben Eubanks and Crystal Peterson. It began with a single message on Twitter and grew into an event that drew HR pros, recruiters, consultants, service providers and bloggers into a mashup of ideas, perspectives and passionate pleas for change.

Even before I arrived, I wasn’t sure if this was meant to be billed as an “evolution” or “revolution”. Several days after the event, I think it hit the core tenets of both. Here’s why:

The Evolutionary Discussions

You’ve likely heard of Darwin by now so I won’t bore you with a primer. In a nutshell, generational differences accumulate over time to cause the population to substantially shift, eventually resulting in the emergence of a new species. In our market, think of this in the context of the shift from personnel to HR (proving that this can be painfully slow).

Session 1: Social Media and HR

One thing that did crawl out of the primordial ooze was a discussion on social media and what I’ll paraphrase as natural selection.

During the early morning session discussing the somewhat tired (in my opinion) issue of social media and it’s application to human resources/employees, I wondered aloud whether we shouldn’t view those who properly leverage new media tools as having a competitive advantage on their peers.

What’s the balance between teaching those who ask about social media versus forcing it down HR’s throat while convincing them that the taste shouldn’t be bitter?

The challenge is this - if the same “new media” people keep having the same discussions while remaining frustrated by the lack of progress or adoption, shouldn’t we simply stop pushing the agenda and let nature take it’s course? If we’re very generous and assume 50,000 HR pros are leveraging new media, do we need to take it as our goal in life to proselytize to the other 1.4+ million?

This session triggered supporting discussion on whether the term “social media” is off putting and thereby creates barriers to entry, how early adopters might be making the unconverted masses feel stupid, and whether media type really matters at all since these were the same questions posed when email - the first social media tool - arrived on the scene. It was a healthy and spirited discussion that made people think. Lots of notes were taken. Some old favorites such as “the business value of social media”, “HR social media policies” and “non-recruiting real world examples” were battered about. It spun off it’s axis a few times, but all-in-all, I think attendees found it to be valuable.

Session 2: Blogging

We then segued into basic and advanced blogging sessions. These were good discussions on how people can convert their passion for ideas into either the creation of a new blog or extension of a preexisting blog. The session leaders covered tools and technology, discussed the pros and cons of advertising and affiliate links, and opined on the slippery slope surrounding sponsored posts, disclosure (or lack thereof) and brand management.

The facilitators were rock solid and highly credible. I’d recommend you follow up with Michael Long, Lance Haun or Paul Hebert for more details. Hangovers set in around this time though and coffee runs were frequent and without apology (as they should be at an unconference).

Session 3: Recruiting (or) HR Technology?

How do you choose between these two terrific topics, especially when they are being led by Jessica Miller-Merrell and Steve Boese respectively? Channeling their inner-Sophie, attendees parted ways.

Although I missed it, I heard that Jessica’s session was a high-energy affair replete with a takeover attempt by Monster’s Eric Winegardner. If you don’t know Eric (yet), he is a passionate, fun and highly vocal Jack Black-like dancing fool who is attempting to enlighten the world on the positive aspects of Monster.com (he was also a sponsor of HRevolution). From all accounts, it sounded as if this was a very unconference-like experience and the discussion was solid. Perhaps others could comment on the content.

I chose to stick around for “Professor” Boese’s HR technology session. What was somewhat funny to watch is how quickly attendees assumed the student role - politely raising their hands, allowing Steve to get through his lesson plan, and (much to Steve’s dismay) letting him do most of the talking. A litany of tools and technologies were touched upon, ranging from the enterprise streaming service SocialCast to the highly regarded Twitter-for-business tool Yammer. There was also a great deal of interest surrounding Google Wave, the newest collaboration tool that is currently in limited release.

The conversation was peppered with a lot of wisdom for those considering the deployment of these tools, much of which is painfully obvious (in retrospect) but often ignored. An example? How about thinking through what the business problem is that you’re trying to solve before choosing a tool? Or that although work is evolving, we still need to be able to show an ROI! There was an interesting sidebar on the fact that although many of these tools are technically “free”, the real issue is the opportunity cost associated with learning, deploying and adopting new solutions.

So, looking back, did we address a wide variety of evolutionary topics for the industry? Absolutely! But a sense of revolution was afoot.

Revolutionary Discussions

Unlike evolution, revolutions are massive changes in power/structure that take place in a relatively short amount of time. And like any revolution, you’d expect discussions to be held in hushed whispers at seedy pubs over drinks with strange characters.

Okay, we didn’t meet all those criteria, but I will submit that the most revolutionary conversations occurred offline in small groups with participants holding drinks. And since I don’t have anyone’s permission to share those, I will simply say that there are a lot of very smart people thinking about some very innovative ways to bust up the status quo in our market.

The Lunch Break

Many folks were testing the revolutionary waters during the lunch break. You’d be in the middle of you boxed chicken sandwich when someone would run up with a cell phone and beckon you to the hallway outside. Was this an overthrow in the making? Did you need to make an emergency call to a loved one? No, it was just the already-revolutionary live recording of The HR Happy Hour.

HR Happy Hour is a radio show hosted by the always-pleasant Shauna Moerke and the aforementioned Steve Boese. If you haven’t heard of it, I’d encourage you to check it out. It’s a freewheeling, no holds barred weekly program where anything (and I mean anything) goes. The best way to experience it is to listen to the live HRevolution episode and get a sense of the energy and excitement of the crowd.

The Remote Video

We’ve all seen movies where the new ruler suddenly takes over the television to make their proclamation of power, right? Well, the most unassuming character of them all did just that at HRevolution.

Alicia Arenas (another HRevolution sponsor) was unable to make the trip to Louisville due to an important birthday celebration, so she submitted this video instead. Your first impression will be that she is anything but an overlord with an evil laugh. Instead, I wanted to point out that she covered three important issues that are relevant to driving any revolution - curiosity, honesty and commitment. This video was intended to be played at the very beginning of the day but instead was slotted prior to the final session of the day. Be sure to give it a look.

Session 4 - The Future of HR

Now, before you accuse me of having a big head and trying to self-promote, it’s important to note that this was the session that I led. The reason I put this in the revolutionary category is because I wanted it to be this way. The same old boring seat at the table discussion would have killed me slowly, so I purposefully wanted to be provocative and shake up the room a bit. In all honesty, I may have taken things a bit too far. The entire discussion would take me three more pages to cover, but let me hit some highlights. Other have covered some of this in their posts and anyone can expand on this in the comments below. I know I’m missing some valuable content here.

We began by diving right into what Lisa Rosendahl described as, “a foot in both worlds”. This is the ever present divide between the transactional and transformational side of HR. In finance, this is often described as the difference between the CFO and the controller. So, does HR need to divide/”bifurcate” itself into two distinct functions? Some said yes (”outsourcing does this to HR already”), others no (”I’m a one person HR department - do I split myself in half?”), and others weren’t sure. Great discussion on this one.

We also covered whether HR needs/wants to change at all. Who’s driving the agenda? Is HR fine as it is? Is this a brand/reputation/PR problem for the function? And the wheels of the bus flew off on this one. Lots of heated and emotional responses. Voices raised. “Debbie Downer” accusations that this was a verbal bashing of HR. Good examples of people doing terrific transformational work. Other examples of people being put in a box. One local VP positing that perhaps it’s because HR is incented to be transactional by the C-suite. Meanwhile, I ran around and tried to keep us going and ensure that everyone got a chance to be heard over some over the more dominating speakers in the room.

We then covered whether HR needed to be completely reinvented. What did we want HR to be? Is HR there to represent the interests of employees? (”Yes!”) … the interests of the employer? (”Yes!”) So what’s the current or desired balance between these two parties? What about what happened during the recession? How does HR overcome some of these issues? Again, a very, very spirited discussion ensued and perspectives were broad and varied.

We closed with a “what do you want to do about it?” discussion. This one was difficult. I suggested that “do nothing is an absolute option”. People agreed and disagreed. It was suggested that maybe things aren’t as bad as this group was making it out to be. I then went off (on a rant) and asked why we’ve been asking for a seat at the table after nearly twenty years? My point was that if everything is peachy, let’s stop complaining and just move on with our lives. If it’s not okay, let’s do something about it.

There was a great discussion on how people need to quit their HR jobs if they are that miserable. In other words, stop complaining and lamenting your non-strategic role and instead find a company that values your contribution. It was wild.

Closing Thoughts

Unfortunately, I had to run to the airport immediately following my session. I missed what happened next, the dinner conversations and the drinks. Others will have to add color to those moments.

My one regret for this first HRevolution was that we didn’t wrap up the day. We didn’t discuss what we liked and didn’t like. What worked and didn’t work. And most importantly, we didn’t follow Alicia’s advice and make a commitment right there on the spot. That would have been a capstone to an otherwise fascinating event.

And because we didn’t do that, I left feeling unfulfilled. I believe my feelings had everything to do with expectations. You see, I thought I had come in with no expectations whatsoever, but apparently that was wrong. In fact, everyone had some level of expectation that went unspoken for most of our time together. And sometimes, that lack of personal or professional clarity can be very disconcerting.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! In addition to everything I describe, the opportunity to take these online relationships offline made the trip worth its weight in gold. The people that took it upon themselves to travel the country to participate in an experiment should be commended. Sure, there are things that could be done better, but I’m certain we’ve all taken note for the next time around. My one measure of success is that literally every single attendee participated in a meaningful way. When was the last time you could claim that?

If you’re still reading, thank you. I wanted to try and convey why we’re all so excited and uncomfortable (in a good way) from this experience. This is probably the longest post I’ve ever written, so I appreciate your patience. If you want to gain more perspective on this fascinating experience, the illustrious Trish McFarlane will be hosting an “HRevolution Carnival” on her blog which will feature all that’s been written post-event. And if you have something to add, please share your thoughts below and let’s keep the evolution/revolution conversation going.

News flash - sourcing talent can be tough. Sourcing talent across international borders can be even tougher. And as many of you are painfully aware, coping with immigration and visa processing for talent is just not something that gets HR professionals excited. It can be complicated, time consuming, and the application process can be very competitive.

And given today’s environment, it’s unclear whether demand is increasing or decreasing. Just last week the Wall Street Journal ran a story about the economic downturn causing a slump in H-1B applications, while this week BusinessWeek countered with a piece stating that the H-1B lull in visa applications is only temporary. Confused yet? I know I am.

Like many traditional HR processes, this one may be ready for something new. So over the past few months we have been exploring the immigration processing world in intimate detail.

I know you’re jealous.

Perhaps not surprisingly, we’ve found that the majority of services in this area are provided by law firms. And although there are many such firms offering services, there seems to be little variation in what’s provided.

So this is where you come in. If you’re an HR professional who deals with visas and Green Cards for your organization, we’d love to get your thoughts and opinions on the process. As an added bonus, we’ll donate $5 to a selection of charities for each survey completed.

Click here to take the survey

It should only take you ten minutes to complete (I promise!). This is your chance to be heard and mature the market while helping those in need. If this isn’t your cup of tea, please feel free to forward this link to your (lucky) colleagues  - http://bit.ly/imsurvey.

Stay tuned as we’ll be posting an update on our initial findings in the next few weeks!

While we’ve been working on that, a fantastic group of thought leaders have been putting together an event which embodies pushing the status quo - HRevolution. It begins today and I’m honored to be a participant and facilitator on “The Future of HR”. So don’t forget to follow HRevolution on Twitter over the next few days. It’s going to be a great event.

Thanks again for taking the time to participate in our survey. Let’s keep the conversation going.

It’s that time of year again. Yes, Halloween, when the office environment starts to convert into something that may be scariest of all to HR. Fortunately, my fellow bloggers have done a tremendous job covering parties at the office, your favorite spirits, dressing up at work and even memories from childhood. If you work in an office, you’ve probably already heard about the “awesome” and “crazy” ideas that your colleagues have planned for Friday. Some will love it, some will hate it, and some could really care less.

All this talk about Halloween made me think about this annual tradition of pretending to be something we’re not. But here’s the dilemma. As much as we like to believe that this is relegated to late October, most employees tend to wear a costume to work every single day.

For some, it’s pretending to be passionate about things we are not. We clap (not too loudly and maybe sarcastically) during the new product launch. We smirk (but never smile) at the “exciting” initiatives cascading from above. We participate because we must. We silently suffer, visibly forcing our eyes not to roll every painfully dull minute. And we have a sneaking suspicion that in the quiet moments even the office cheerleaders don’t buy what they’re selling.

For others, it’s a superhero-like double life. At work, we are the Marketing Manager. The IT Director, The Project Lead. The VP of Benefits. We have a title, we have a job, and we promised the organization that we would do it. But as the cubicle lights dim and the drive home begins, we quickly shed our office skin and morph into our alter ego. The Chef. The Gardener. The Adventurer. The Writer. Sure, some would call these hobbies, but if we could somehow support ourselves full-time in these activities, we’d resign in a heartbeat.

For nearly all, however, it’s the painful reality of daily betraying your true sense of self. The pressure of agreeing to something you know to be wrong. The tongue-biting when you wish you had the courage or opportunity to speak your mind. Putting up with subtle (or overt) racism, sexism and discrimination of all types. The wondering of how you ended up in this position and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles to change it.

At times, you wish you could scream. You wish you could curse. You just wish - from the bottom of your heart - that you could just be happy. But alas, that just seems too difficult. Too risky. You can’t afford to change your path. What if you get fired?…and in this economy? No, you’ll just keep your head down, hope things improve and earn your paycheck. It’s called “work” for a reason, right? So tomorrow morning, you’ll get up, put on your costume and try and get through another day.

Unfortunately, this is a sad reality for so many employees. And chances are that each of you have experienced this to some degree. Which begs the question…

What costume are you wearing?

Share your thoughts below and let’s keep the conversation going.

Let’s face it people. When it comes to fundamental change, many of us are not self-starters. Unless we know that there is some impending event that will result in overt embarrassment, financial duress or physical peril, we find it difficult to get off our duffs and dig into many of those perpetual issues that plague us.

This is on my mind as I prepare to lead a session at the upcoming HRevolution. My enviable topic? Just a little something called, “The Future of HR”. No biggie. You know me….  I’ll just dust off the ‘ole crystal ball and help facilitate a discussion prognosticating the fate of the industry. No problem. We’ve got this one covered.

There has been an incredible amount of chatter lately regarding HR’s future/fate and it makes for a very good read. In the past few weeks alone HR was declared dead and then rose from the ashes. Maren Hogan wrote a nice post with the catchy title, “Slow dancing in a burning room“. And don’t forget when the smart folks at Harvard Business tackled an age-old missive by asking, “Do HR managers have the skills they need?“

The underlying assumption by each and every writer is the premise that HR must fundamentally change. That may be true, but my sense is that “do nothing” is not only an option, it’s a likely outcome. Here’s my logic:

1. The Drivers For Transformation

HR is not being pressured to evolve from within, and when it does “transform”, it tends to be largely tactical in nature. Take Deloitte’s HR Transformation Survey as an example. They interviewed C-level executives from 150 of the world’s largest corporations. The findings that concerned them (and me) were this - “HR transformation is still about systems and processes. The business driver are still cost savings and effectiveness. These are not “bad” or unimportant drivers; they are merely solutions in a vacuum.”

The other item of note was that when a trigger was pulled for improving HR, it was largely due to external factors imposing themselves on the function. These include:

• A New Executive: 24.6%
• Corporate Restructuring: 22.3%
• Mergers & Acquisitions: 9.2%

2. Plenty Of Work To Do Already

Don’t get me wrong, HR has a lot on it’s plate these days. Dealing with the recession, layoffs, employee dissatisfaction, changes in benefits programs, social media, outsourcing, talent management, branding and a globalized workforce is enough to keep any HR exec on her toes. This is, of course, in addition to risk mitigation, compliance, labor relations, compensation planning, learning, development, performance management and 50,000 other things that keep HR running to stand still. And don’t forget all the technology and systems that need to be constantly updated to make the transactions run smoother.

So who has time to think about what HR should be, could be or will be?

3. “Don’t Fix It If It Ain’t Broken”

It has been the rare occasion to find a senior HR executive who feels the function is off the rails and decides to do something about it. A lot of the chest beating and cry for evolution comes not from the senior most, but instead from those who are service providers, consultants, analysts, bloggers or pundits.

But do take note. I’m also seeing entry level or middle management HR pros starting to wonder where their career path will lead, and my bet is that if HR does fundamentally change, it will have to come from the bottom up. Like any change, there are some early adopters who “see the light” and want to preemptively strike and change the largely negative and parodied image of HR. But the mass of HR executives who drive the daily agendas do not appear to be leading the charge beyond the much-belabored “seat at the table” discussion.

4. No Push From Associations

Associations are intended to serve as the representative and collective voice of their membership. However, in this instance, it’s my belief that reacting to the professed needs of the current constituency will only serve to hamster-wheel this needed evolution. Organizations like SHRM must continue to serve the current needs of it’s population while simultaneously forcing a difficult conversation surrounding what’s next for our industry. And when I say “force”, I mean it. The catalyst for an overhaul of our function must be driven by those with the resources, clout and certifying entities to make people stop long enough to self-reflect, agree to change and get into motion.

So Now What?

In my opinion, HR can and will continue to serve an important role, but this evolution must gain mindshare and begin now. Many people will likely take issue with what I’ve stated above and I’m sure I’ll catch an earful in the comments section. I’m not an HR basher and hold no hatred for the function. Moreover, I admire those who have put themselves ahead of the languishing pack.

However, like many, I want to see a “new HR”. Whether that requires a name change (such as the move from personnel many years ago) and a new face or brand may be up for debate. Some of my colleagues have had very interesting discussions about the face of HR lately. And truth be told, there isn’t a strong spokeswoman/spokesman who represents the aspirational nature of what HR could be. Maybe you’re that face. If so, welcome aboard! We’ve been waiting for you.

I look forward to spending time on this issue next month at HRevolution. In the meantime, what do you think? Is “do nothing” an option? Please share your thoughts and let’s keep the conversation going.

I have the flu. Despite combing through CDC materials and surfing way too many other sites, I’m still uncertain whether it’s the garden variety seasonal flu or the more “exotic” H1N1/swine strain. No matter. It’s winning and I don’t consider myself an easy target.

You see, I’m a stubborn employee. I’m one of those fools who is under the mistaken belief that my active little cog in the wheel of commerce cannot stop moving. I don’t take sick days. I don’t miss business trips. I push and push and push because “I’m needed”. Employers and clients tend to like people like me because we will get things done come hell or high water. But let’s be honest, we’re sickness morons, and that’s what makes us the most dangerous type of flu carrier.

Given this issue, I’ve prepared seven tips for your most pig-headed (pun intended) employees during this unusual flu season:

Flu Tip #1: Do not pretend to be “ok” and participate in public activities. The flu Gods will laugh at your ignorance.

Feel like a tough guy/gal for working through the pain? Ready to jump on that airplane, rush to a client site or lock yourself in a conference room with your beloved colleagues? Well that’s what someone did to me and I’d love to get their name and address about right now. Stay home big shot.

Flu Tip #2: You’re not that important. Somehow the world will revolve without you, so take a sick day.

I said a sick day. Not a “work from home day”. Not a “I’m just checking a few emails and voicemails” day. I’m talking a regressive return to childhood day where you doze in and out of consciousness. And the rest of the world? As one of my wise Twitter followers said to me yesterday, “When I think I’m too important to take time for myself, I remember that graveyards are filled with irreplaceable people.“

Flu Tip #3: Buy a TiVo. This is the one time you’re allowed to watch TV in a zombie-like state. Take advantage of it.

One of the only benefits of being sick is the ability to watch TV. Wondering what all the fuss is about Mad Men? Watch an entire season in one day. You feel awful so try to be entertained as opposed to wallowing in silence. Your family would rather hear the clink of three martini lunches over your quiet moaning.

Flu Tip #4: Take a shower. You’re sick and you smell like it. And yes, those sweat pants will be burned.

Sick people stink. Clean yourself. It will require some effort but you’ll feel better for at least a few minutes. And remember that you own more than one loose-fitting set of garments so try and work the rotation. Be prepared for your favorite college t-shirt to be incinerated in the interest of public safety.

Flu Tip #5: Don’t apply your limited energy to work and leave nothing for your family.

Your family loves you and has tremendous empathy for your situation. However, if you pretend to be alright for a conference call and then collapse into a whining heap afterwards, this will not go over well. If you have enough energy to put on a happy face, save it for your caregivers or pay the price.

Flu Tip #6: You are not an extra in “Outbreak 2“. Cover your mouth/nose/face (head if necessary) and have some manners.

Somehow you’ve managed to live this long and never understood the basics of how illnesses spread. Be sensitive to the poor saps that come across your diseased path and control your coughing, sneezing and exposure. Wash your hands often. Stop touching stuff that others have to touch. Use your brain and try and stem the growth of this little monster called the flu.

Flu Tip #7: Just when you think you might be better, you’re not, so stop pretending otherwise.

This is one nasty virus. It’s a tease. You’ll be like, “O man my fever seems to be coming down and I’m ready to go back to work”, and the flu will be like, “Really? Have you checked your stomach ’cause I’ve got big plans for later today.” Be prepared to take whatever time is necessary to get this thing out of your system.

I know I’m writing a blog post while I have the flu, but I felt a surge of irony overcome me today. I’m a giver.

What tips would you add to this list? Have you joined the ranks of the infirm? Do you have stubborn coworkers that you wish would go home already? Share your tales in the comments section below and let’s keep the (disease free) conversation going.

In my mind, the difference between a good conference and a bad conference is staying power. Ask yourself this - How long do the issues discussed, the ideas generated and opportunities for growth stick with you post-event? By that measurement, the 2009 HR Technology Conference was a rousing success.

Before I jump into my final thoughts, I’d like to point you to the musings of some of my fellow blogging attendees:

• Steve Boese offers three good conference related posts worth reading. You can find them here, here and here.
• Lance Haun reminds us that “Being Effective in HR Isn’t About Technology“.
• Kris Dunn covers the Talent Management Shootout.
• Kevin Grossman summarizes cool technologies and marketing challenges.
• Bradford Thomas reports on where talent and technology intersect.
• Trish McFarlane provides her closing thoughts.

Many of my opinions on the event can be heard in a special live edition of the “HR Happy Hour”, a wonderful new show hosted by Shauna Moerke and Steve Boese. Despite the initial background noise, what was so impressive about this particular episode was the ability for online conversations to break the digital divide, resulting in meaningful real-world dialogue. In addition to fellow panelists Jason Seiden, Laurie Ruettimann and Lance Haun, nearly fifteen other callers and conference room participants were part of the discussion. I’ve included the show below and encourage you to take a listen.

Ok, enough setup. Let’s get to it.

The Conference Itself

Bill Kutik and company did a tremendous job organizing this year’s event. As I mentioned in my prior post, logistics were a bit challenging, but participants seemed to be quite pleased overall. Not surprisingly, attendance was a bit down on both the service provider and HR buyer fronts, but those who made the investment were quite purposeful and highly focused.

Panels Rule

Here’s my suggestion for HR Tech 2011…. all panels all the time. The panel discussions were not trite, run of the mill, predictable, robotic regurgitations of the obvious. Sure, there was some of that, but by and large we witnessed meaningful dialogue on a whole host of topics, some of which had no bearing on HR technology explicitly.

A quick note for the unseasoned. If you do attend a panel discussion, expect to witness Bill Kutik rising like a ruffled Phoenix to interrupt the flow if things get too “cozy”. This isn’t a criticism. Bill generally keeps the conversation loose and - like a mailman - ensures the envelope gets pushed.

There were three panels of note.

Wednesday’s was moderated by Jason Averbook and included senior HR leaders from KeyBank, Nike, Target and Dell. I spoke to this in my prior post but it’s worth discussing again. All seemed quite bullish on the application of social media for their organizations, with Nike stating that as an industry we may miss an “avenue of engagement” if we don’t get on board. I also enjoyed the discussion on HR service provider demonstrations and on this point the panelists could not be more crystal clear. “Show us the good, the bad and ugly” and be “transparent about what features you currently have in production and which are aspirational”. KeyBank even stated that this approach would help improve your score in a competitive environment, with Nike adding that this is your first opportunity to “share your culture” and “values”. Take heed here people.

Thursday morning began with the industry analyst panel, featuring:

• Josh Bersin of Bersin & Associates: “Dinosaurs don’t tend to die. They get acquired.”
• Naomi Bloom of Bloom & Wallace: “You own your own professional development, not your company.”
• Lisa Rowan of IDC: “The cage match is for the profile of record versus the system of record.”
• Jim Holincheck from Gartner: “Use data as a strategic weapon.”

Moderator Bill Kutik asked this panel to predict which HR service provider will be the most influential in ten years. I’m not a fan of this question because it’s difficult enough to ponder what will happen in ten months, but the answers were telling nonetheless. Holincheck and Rowan put their money on Oracle (in Holincheck’s case, because of M&A activity), Bersin bet on SuccessFactors and Bloom doubled down on Workday. Maybe I’ll stick around long enough to see who was right…

The final panel I attended was focused on recruiting technology, featuring moderator Gerry Crispin and senior HR/talent panelists from Intuit, Research in Motion (BlackBerry), Deloitte and Southwest/Yahoo’s former CHRO, Libby Sartain. There were a number interesting topics of discussion, but the focus on social media really caught my attention. When asked, nearly half of the audience admitted to policies which block social media sites, and even BlackBerry stated that this was an issue for them until recently (ironic, I know). Deloitte was the most direct about the issue, stating that social media is “not a technology problem, it’s a management problem.” Intuit added that these concerns really need to go away, especially with the younger generation of workers given we know that “they’re bringing their lives into their work and their work into the lives.” Crispin then shared a tale about a very intelligent young man who refused to accept a job offer because the organization blocked FaceBook, and I think this is a great cautionary tale for those who are leveraging social media to recruit applicants and then blocking access to those same tools. The final item of note was by Libby Sartain when she spoke to the issue of “applicants”, preferring instead to think of these people as “consumers of work”. I like it.

Shoot the Shootout

The “Second Annual Talent Management Shootout” was held on Thursday evening. This is a scenario-based competition that requires HR service providers to demonstrate their wares and approaches to prescribed (and common) HR scenarios. Much to my surprise, the room was packed at the outset and the mood quite light. This year’s competitors included Lawson, SAP, Salary.com and Plateau. Salary.com was the victor.

Here’s the problem I see with this format. Senior level executives rapidly run through their scripted paces while curtained solution wizards pull the strings on their respective software packages. The temptation is to focus exclusively on the user interface, which given the speed reading and tiny print makes colors and pictures seem superior to outright functionality. It’s really a 75-minute demo without the benefit of asking questions or pausing for processing. I don’t think it works and would like to see it either go away or replaced with something else.

I might be wrong… it happened once.

Conclusions

I believe HR Tech worked because the organizers focused on engaging the audience where it matters. Panels are superior to talking heads because conversations are what we seek to further our learning. “Talking with” versus “talking to” seems like a no brainer, but sadly it’s a miss for most event planners.

As I mentioned previously, HR buyers were there to make some tough decisions with their precious 2009 and 2010 budgets. However, I believe the Expo floor was wrought with mostly empty booths staffed by intelligent (and senior) people who suffered from a lack of volume. Sure, there were transactions that occurred and HR buyers who made decisions based on a service provider’s Expo presence. But the numbers are difficult to justify given the investment (both hard and soft dollars) required. Having worked the floor of many a conference, this issue is often the most challenging to reconcile once you return to the office and answer the inevitable CFO question - “So how was the conference?” The conference was great, but the leads were few relative to the number of sponsoring companies.

Final Thoughts

George Bernard Shaw once said, “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live it is my duty to do for it whatever I can.” The 2009 HR Technology Conference lived up to this spirit. I’m better for having attended and continuing to built both old and new relationships.

My challenge to the organizers is to continue to think about how this community can be furthered. How do we ensure that it is not an annual event that drives important innovation and dialogue, but instead a constant flow throughout the calendar year? I look forward to the next evolution in our field. If you’re still reading, I owe you a pint. Please share your thoughts below and let’s continue to keep the conversation going.

Welcome to the Windy City! In addition to 2016 Olympic fever, Chicago is host to the 12th Annual HR Technology Conference & Exposition (aka ‘HR Tech’)! Let me begin with a shocking and uncharacteristic statement:

“This has been a very impressive event.” ~ Mark Stelzner, Cynic

Given the state of the economy and the somewhat disappointing turnout from other industry events, I fully expected to walk into a very ho-hum, run-of-the-mill HR industry melee replete with disinterested buyers, bored suppliers and desperate consultants. Note the date and time readers… I was wrong! So why was this a good day? Let’s jump right in.

The Keynote

Following some general housekeeping from HR Tech ringmaster Bill Kutik, we began with a very impressive data driven presentation by “Grown Up Digital” author and nGenera Insight Chairman, Don Tapscott. Don used self-deprecation and real world examples to convey why the “Net Generation” (ages 12-30) is going to run circles around the rest of us. Over $4 million was spent studying thousands of Net Gen-ers around the world and the results were very interesting. My favorite bits from his session:

• 69% of the Net Generation would rather be smarter than better looking. (The exception?? England!)
• “Social networking is the 21st Century operating system.” (Quote of the conference so far.)
• Generation X is “demographically puny”. (Size doesn’t matter… apparently.)
• Net Gen-ers face real problems, including safety, balance, quality of schools, the digital divide, a generational “firewall” and significant privacy concerns.
• The “8 norms” of the Net Generation are freedom, customization, scrutiny, integrity, collaboration, entertainment, speed and innovation. These must be taken into consideration when employing, supporting and developing this group.
• They live in a unique cycle, defined as work=collaboration=learning=fun (rinse and repeat).

The audience was very engaged and I applaud Don for getting things off on the right foot. And if you want to get a sense of Don’s approach, check out his sarcastic bit entitled, “The Dumbest Generation“.

The Breakouts

Today was a Knowledge Infusion lovefest. KI’s Jason Corsello and Jason Averbook tag-teamed a morning session focused on Twitter and other free technologies that HR pros need to be using now. Although they tried to get the audience fired up with an ambitious interactive presentation (complete with real-time tweets and surveys), many seemed to shy away. Keep in mind that cell service was pretty spotty so it’s quite possible that many were prevented from playing. However, I was impressed with what they were trying to convey. Namely, that social media isn’t going away, it’s important to your business and you need to have a strategy for participation. Some of the Q&A didn’t quell fears from the uninitiated, but all in all I felt this was a good discussion.

The afternoon session was much more compelling. Averbook led a group of senior HR technology and talent management executives through a discussion that went to the heart of real issues facing the Fortune 1000. The panel included Nike, KeyBank, Target and Dell. You know… really small companies without complex infrastructure. All of them are in the throes of significant transformational initiatives, ranging from moving off a homegrown HRMS (Dell), seeking a new talent management solution (KeyBank), streamlining a hugely fragmented HR tech environment (Nike), and rationalizing 100+ HR systems (Target).

This panel addressed a number of very important topics. For example, when asked about vendor selection processes and product demos, all agreed that transparency is key. How vendors handle this process is a reflection of their character, culture, integrity and collaborative stance with their clients. Thus, the good, the bad and the ugly are desired, and the panel stated that you wouldn’t be “dinged” for being honest. After years of disingenuous or aspirational demos, this was music to my ears.

Two other keys takeaways I’ll point out. One is a problem and the other makes me hopeful:

1. The Problem: Executive level understanding of talent management issues runs across a broad continuum. Thus, HR is often “pushing” these issues up the corporate food chain versus “pulling” from a well supported C-level initiative. It’s getting better, but we’re not there.
2. The Hope: All four panelists were extremely bullish about the strategic application of social media to their workforce and talent strategies. Beyond the obvious uses for recruiting, application examples included onboarding, skills inventories, mentoring and internal collaboration. We’re getting there folks.

The KI team prepped for their sessions quite well, have clearly engaged their clients and are helping to drive significant HR technology transformation among some of the largest organizations in the world. Again, very impressive stuff.

Everything Else

I was fortunate enough to be briefed by some pretty innovative HR service providers, but it’s getting late and they deserve their own post. So, let me summarize with a few other Day 1 observations:

1. The Expo: There were quite a few booths with sales people standing around doing a whole lotta nothing. One thing that really irked me this year was the inclusion of “Exhibitor Raffles & Giveaways” in the program brochure. Quoting Jason Seiden, “If you are at a conference and hang around for freebies rather than sell, go ahead and charge yourself for a vacation day.” Amen. However, I wanted to do a shout out to Stephen Mazza and Andy Murray of DataDimensions. These two really knew how to draw people in with pure personality and a fun attitude. The coolest move? Sharing popcorn with a woman who crashed the expo floor. Nice work guys.
2. The Layout: McCormick Place is a massive place, so having the general sessions/meals held about a mile away from the rest of the conference made for a bit of a logistical challenge. In fact, you had to walk through the “Motivational 2009 Conference” to get back and forth. However, if you wanted to get some high-fives and “woo hoos!” in between sessions, it wasn’t all that bad.
3. Getting Business Done: What most impressed me about the HR practitioners at this show is that they are here for a very specific reason. These are motivated buyers and most had active and funded projects. That alone raised my perception of HR technology spend in late 2009 and early 2010.

That’s just about it for Day One. I skipped the parties to bring you this post, so please reward my “sacrifice” with a tweet or comment. I’d encourage you to please join us tomorrow evening (10/1) at 8pm ET for a live HR Tech edition of the HR Happy Hour radio program. In the interim, share your thoughts and let’s keep the conversation going!

If you’re not already a fan, I’m certain that you’ve heard chatter regarding ‘Mad Men‘, the highly acclaimed and Emmy award-winning series on AMC. As an HR professional, I will tell you that there is no better representation of cringe-worthy employment practices than those exemplified by the hallway conversations, office meetings, client presentations and seven martini lunches of the fictitious Sterling Cooper.

But perhaps Sterling Cooper is really not that fictitious after all. The early 1960s environment of Mad Men takes place a few years prior to the passage of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964). So as you watch the overt racial, religious and sexual discrimination, you’ll understand that we’ve come a very long way in five decades.

One absolutely crazy example of the Sterling Cooper culture can be seen in a clip from this past Sunday’s episode. Can you imagine this scene at your office?? (SPOILER ALERT! Skip the video and the paragraph afterwards if you are just getting into the show.):

Secretaries on laps. Everyone three sheets to the wind. A John Deere lawnmower in the office (with blades attached). And best of all? The new British COO Guy MacKendrick getting his foot run over in the process, resulting in his prompt termination and an end to his promising career. It’s a modern HR practitioners “dream”!

Fifty years seems like a long time, but for some of us, this show represents a superset of the workplace experiences of our parents and grandparents. Yes, some things have changed, but there are other negative examples that remain recognizable among the cubicles and conference rooms of today.

So my question is this… What will the next 50 years bring? Which of today’s policies and practices will be parodied in the 2060s? What will our children and grandchildren say when they proclaim, “I can’t believe they used to do _______ in the workplace!”? Look into your crystal ball, share your comments below, and let’s keep the conversation going.