Day One had left us exhausted and largely disheartened.  Following a restless night on the ledge of quiet indignation, Punk Rock HR’s Laurie Ruettimann, HR Wench‘s Jenn Barnes, HR Minion and I discussed what we would do if we survived this encounter, vowing “never again!” to fall victim to the promise of an IQPC guided journey to the Talent Management Summit.  

Shaking our cobwebbed minds free of the oxygen-deprived ramblings of those around us, we attempted to remain focused on the next phase of the climb.  With heavy hands we put on our press badges, strapped into our gear and made ready to tackle the Summit.  It was a clear morning, but a storm was brewing and we had to move swiftly to avoid certain cerebral death.

Strapping into the line outside our tent, my group was immediately pulled skyward by Scott Fleming, President of dinnerware company Replacements Ltd.  Scott leapt crevasses of corporate bias with his support of the GLBT community, war-torn immigrants and the formally incarcerated.  We learned about fully paid domestic partner benefits, gastric bypass surgery, pets at work, onsite nurse care and limos to encourage mammograms.  His ice axes shattered preconceived notions and we ascended with ease.  Scott left with tremendous gratitude from our group, his parting words ringing with truth:

“The rewards of doing the right thing far outweigh the challenge of doing so.” - Scott Fleming, Replacements Ltd.

And then reality set back in.  Our smiles quickly turned sour as it started to snow.  Heavy, wet, putrid, condescending snow.  It seemed to be emitting from the gaping jaw of a speaker self-appointed from on high.  Our entire climbing group unconsciously stepped backward, resisted, and then fell back further.  Entire paragraphs of content were read, the size 6 font clouding our vision.  With covered faces, we turned inward so as to slow the mind-numbing cold of ten-year-old “advice”.  Disoriented, we saw another group of five vanish into the abyss.  I was certain this was the end.

This sensory assault made me recall that I had encouraged others to Summit with me.  I had promoted this nightmare on my web site, in my blog and to my friends.  And how could I possibly make up for my lapse in judgement, my naiveté?  If they (and I) survived, I vowed to offer any of my fellow climbers two times their price of entry in free consulting.  I must make amends and….must….stay….awake.

Then I heard the helicopter, rotors spinning wildly and clearly challenged in the thinning air.  We were going to get plucked from the frozen grasp of mediocrity and live to tell the tale.  The rope ladder slapped against the Summit and the few of us who remained grasped blindly for a rung.  And suddenly we were airborne, lifted into the sky and pulled free.  The pilot, we learned later, was Nicole Ganier-Cosme, President of Magic Workforce Solutions.  She inspired confidence in overcoming urban unemployment, created opportunities for minorities, leveraged tax credits and executed all with grace and enthusiasm.  I remembered Scott’s quote from earlier in the climb and saw it embodied in a bright and driven executive.

We landed and laughed with the nervous joy of those who had survived a near tragedy.  With negative lessons well outweighing the benefits, we walked away wiser than when we arrived.  We told stories, compared notes and promised to never forget our two days at the Summit.  

In all seriousness though, we must do better as an industry.  We cannot cajole ourselves into believing that HR’s journey will be completed by simply passively attending conferences and jotting down catch-phrases for corporate regurgitation.  We must be challenging, innovative and relentless in our pursuit of excellence.  And once you’ve done it?   Talk about it, share it, and help your peers rise with you.  And with that thought, I’ll leave you with a quote from someone I admire greatly, and hope we’ll continue to keep the conversation going.

“No matter how much you pay, even with all the assistance the [conference organizers] and the guides provide, it’s still an incredible amount of work. No one can haul you up Everest. You can’t just buy the summit. You’ve got pay with sweat and puke and maybe with your life. That is worth some grudging respect.” - Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air

As a survivor of the ill-fated IQPC Talent Management Summit, many have asked me to share my story.  By now you have likely heard from several attendees who escaped the wrath of the Summit.  It’s only been a few days and I still struggle with what part I might have played in the events that unfolded.  Where to begin….

Approximately 150 of us arrived at IQPC’s base camp on Tuesday morning.  Breakfast was served, an orientation was held and gear was passed out to help us navigate through the two-day Summit push that was about to commence.  HR attendees had assembled from all points, and hopes were high for an inspirational few days.

I arrived a bit late and hastily strapped on my harness and shoes.  I was placed in the back with a team that included Punk Rock HR’s Laurie Ruettimann, HR Wench’s Jenn Barnes and HR Minion.  We were so innocent in our ignorance of what was to come.

What started as a clear day quickly turned stormy.  We were pelted in the face with wind-whipped phrases like “HR’s seat at the table”, “strategic business partners”, “strategic asset” and other pedantic dribble.  Voices came from on high warning us about the eminent danger HR faced.  A few unprepared speakers slid quickly over a precipice, plummeting head first into micro-fonted PowerPoint chasms a mile deep.  Yet still we pressed onward, our hope not yet fully dashed.

Every so often an IQPC climbing guide would appear, the backs of their parkas slick with the snake oils that charmed us onto the mountain.  They smiled, but their acronym did not warm our minds as the temperature dropped.  No “I” for International, “Q” for Quality or “P” for Productivity was to be found.  We were on a fool’s errand but refused to stop.

The horn sounded for lunch and I realized I was no longer with my group.  Instead, I found myself sandwiched between an extremely angry magazine editor (”I got the CEO of Delta fired!”) and the group head of talent for Mastercard (”…wasting $1,400 on a conference - priceless”).  We made painful small talk and I used my growing anger to keep me warm.

Regrouping with my team, we saw the storm break in the early afternoon with the arrival of Harrah’s VP of Talent, Susan Hailey.  She was funny, pragmatic, engaging and did not bullshit the audience or talk to them like five-year-olds at a birthday party (”Now Johnny, you know it’s not time to eat recruiting cake yet…”).  Susan was from Silicon Valley and embodied the entrepreneurial spirit.  We resumed climbing with vigor and a sarcastic smile.

The day dragged on as darkness quickly set in.  If not for the yellow font against the white background of a presentation (I wish I were kidding), we wouldn’t have realized we were backsliding down the mountain of progressive thinking.  I tried to get my ice-axe to grab hold of an original thought and stop my team from mental free-fall.  

Exhausted, disheartened, frustrated and angry, we finally hit a ledge and slept off the first day’s events.  I’ll let Jon Krakauer paraphrase my group’s feelings post-Day 1:

“I’d been fantasizing about this moment, and the release of emotion that would accompany it, for many months. But now that I was finally here, standing [at the Talent Management Summit], I just couldn’t summon the energy to care.” - Into Thin Air

In Part II we’ll talk through the second day of the Summit push, highlight a few speakers who brought oxygen to the dying, and take personal responsibility for the calamity that was this God-awful conference.  Until then, let’s keep the conversation going.

I’m a fan of most celebrations (and rarely concern myself with the underlying purpose), but National Bosses Day ranks among the most ridiculous holidays ever concocted.

What?  You didn’t know that today is National Bosses Day?  Well perhaps your groveling peers did.  And in fear of losing their jobs during a time of economic crisis, they likely applied their limited wages toward the purchase of an unneeded bauble for presentation to the person who - by definition - already has more than them.  (Of course, the irony of the situation may be that the boss attributes the gift to excess wages, thus justifying a further reduction in pay.)

So how did National Bosses Day come to be?  Like all great stories, it began with the nepotistic dreams of one person:

“Patricia Bays Haroski registered ‘National Boss’s Day’ with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1958.  She was working as a secretary for State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Illinois at the time and chose October 16 because it was the birthday of her boss, who happened to be her father.  Four years later in 1962, Illinois Governor Otto Kerner backed Haroski’s registration and officially proclaimed the day.”

• National Wait in Endless Line at the DMV Day
• National 20 Items in the 15 Item Grocery Lane Day
• National Disinterest in the Customer Day
• National Your Call is Very Important to Us Day

Sometimes a gift from the heart is the only answer, so take some time today to speak with your boss and thank her.  And when she looks at you sidewise (because she didn’t know it’s National Bosses Day), you can be ensured the circle of kiss-ups will continue.  Let’s keep the conversation going.

I know, I know…not much of a subtle play on words. 

We are just over ten days away from the 11th Annual Talent Management Summit and host IQPC has extended a final incentive to Inflexion Point readers.  Simply mention code “TMIP04” and you’ll receive $400 off the main conference (a 20% discount) or the all-access pass for $2,599 (a $1,000 savings).  

With the overwhelming coverage of the economic crisis, I’m certain you will benefit from the wisdom of your peers and colleagues.  All are experiencing similar challenges, but many view today’s climate as a fantastic opportunity to upgrade your talent.  Learn from some of the best and brightest in the talent management industry and come home brimming with ideas and confidence for those emergency executive meetings.

Plus, you’ll get a chance to meet and greet some of our most talented and innovative HR bloggers!  In addition to myself, I’ll be joined by HR Wench (aka Jenn Barnes), Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR and the elusive and lime-green HR Minion.  We’ll all be covering the conference live via Twitter and our respective blogs.  I hope you’ll join us and help keep the conversation going.

Our good friend Dan McCarthy has published his fourth edition of the Leadership Development Carnival.  This month’s theme is devoted to National Bosses Day (October 16th).  Although Dan isn’t sure if a gift would demonstrate gratitude or groveling, he’s assembled some fantastic posts to help you wrestle with the leaders in your life:

“We’ll start off with Amazing Things Are Happening Here! posted at Michael Lee Stallard. I’ve just exchanged blogroll links with Michael and really like what he has to say.

Next up is Steve Roesler, award winning leadership and talent management blogger, presenting How To Reduce Your Influence In A Few Easy Words posted at All Things Workplace.

Mary Jo Asmus makes it to the featured post list this month with Hit the Pause Button posted at Intentional Leadership.

Another newcomer, who I just started reading, is Prem Rao, with 7 Things Leadership Isn’t About posted at People at Work & Play.

Art Petty writes a nice piece on the fine line between leadership arrogance and confidence, with The Hubris of Leaders posted at Art Petty on Management.

I always enjoy reading what Nina Simosko has to say on the topic of leadership. Here she gives us Leadership Is About Skills Not Gender posted at NinaSimosko.com.”

So channel your inner Steve Carell and decide if you’d rather be Michael Scott (The Office) or Dan Burns (Dan in Real Office).  Let’s keep the conversation going.

Reflecting our government’s inability to progress toward 21st century human capital management practices, the Department of Homeland Security was forced to announce the untimely death of pay-for-performance Wednesday afternoon.  In his memo to employees, DHS Chief Human Capital Officer Thomas Cairns described the cause:

“The reason for this change is due to the Department’s appropriations act for fiscal year 2009, which prohibits spending funds to operate our new DHS human resources management system.” 

Tim Kaufman of the Federal Times offered a fuller explanation in his article yesterday:

“The final nail in the coffin came Tuesday, when President Bush signed into law a 2009 spending bill for federal agencies that prohibits the department from spending money on the new system. Homeland Security had sought $5 million in fiscal 2009 to fund its performance management system and had hoped to extend the system to 70,000 employees, virtually its entire nonbargaining work force, in the coming year.”

No one denies that competition for key talent and retention of high-performing personnel have been significant obstacles for Federal agencies over the past several years.  With the death of this initiative, the disparity between the antiquated system of Federal pay and modern commercial best practices will grow.  I predict that DHS will continue to lose the people they desperately need, keep the low performers they don’t, and further alienate those who could offer tremendous value to their government and country.  

It’s a simple question of motivation and market parity.  As a result of this action, the public/private divide continues.  In a time calling for increased personal and professional accountability, taking another step backward should not be an option.  Let’s see if the next administration can overhaul the system and keep the conversation going.

The unexpected passing of a senior executive or key contributor can rock the foundation of any organization.  Those who remain often struggle to communicate how they will extend the vision and persona of their fallen comrade while injecting confidence into the sustainability of the business. 

Nowhere was this effect more apparent then the false rumors of Steve Jobs’ recent demise.  On Wednesday, August 24th, Bloomberg News erroneously published Mr. Jobs’ obituary.  Jobs had battled pancreatic cancer four years prior and appeared gaunt and ill at recent events.  Like most news organizations, Bloomberg had pre-authored the obit to get the jump on the competition should his untimely death come to pass.  (More on how this occurred and other press obit practices can be found here.)  As the image above shows, Jobs is alive and more than happy to poke those who predicted his passing right in the eye.

This incident did trigger much conversation regarding the fate of Apple post-Jobs.  Even Bloomberg’s false obit included an “If the Stock Drops…” insert:

“The decline is no surprise to investors and analysts, many of whom considered Jobs irreplaceable. Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray & Co. in Minneapolis had said if Jobs left the company for any reason, Apple’s stock might plummet as much as 25 percent.  Jobs never named a successor, instead telling shareholders in March 2008 that the board would have a variety of executives to choose from were he to step down for any reason.”

Many feel that stockholders deserve to know who will step in should a leader fall.  Larry Ellison is another example, with ZDNet Australia authoring a piece in 2003 following Ellison’s near-death experience on his yacht.  Said the article:

“Oracle stakeholders are at the mercy of a nearing-60 CEO who indulges in high-risk behaviour and whose interest in his company are fitful.” 

Ellison and Jobs represent theoretical examples, but what happens in the real world?  On June 14th, Tim Russert, NBC’s Washington bureau chief and moderator of “Meet the Press”,  died of a sudden heart attack at the DC bureau.  At age 58 and at the height of his career, Russert’s death was completely unexpected and the network initially reeled in his absence.  Quickly taking stock, NBC moved to fill this unfortunate void with the credible and highly respected voice of retired anchor Tom Brokaw.  (Let me disclose that I am a huge fan of both Russert and Brokaw, having met Tom during a brief foray into broadcasting many years ago.)    

Tuesday’s New York Times included a very interesting article on Brokaw and NBC’s succession plan, concluding that:

“Mr. Brokaw has been given an unexpected encore. Since taking over for his close friend Mr. Russert following his death, Mr. Brokaw has lent on-camera stability to “Meet the Press,” which continues to be the most watched of the network Sunday public-affairs programs.”

The article goes on to chronicle how Brokaw has crossed political divides and ensured NBC’s future via MSNBC anchor restructuring and moderation of the October 7th presidential debate.  As a result, Brokaw is helping to shape the ultimate succession plan and ensure that Russert’s legacy continues unabated. 

We all know the importance of succession planning.  However, the reality is that strong personalities such as Jobs and Ellison are unlikely to contemplate their passing and prematurely designate their successor.  Apple and Oracle are their babies and the thought of abandoning their children is not something we should reasonably expect them to address.  Nevertheless, it is reasonable to expect a bridge strategy such as that employed by NBC.

The lesson to be learned is this - in times of instability, it often helps to look to the past as a proxy to the future.  Organizations must have a ready made stable of highly credible executives who can lend their critical voice to a time of flux and ensure that intelligent decisions supersede the impetus to act impulsively.  These executives will serve as a bridge and buy time to perform appropriate due diligence on a properly vetted successor.  Let’s continue to be pragmatic and keep the conversation going.  

In times of chaos and despair, we turn to any number of sources for advice, guidance, support and comfort.  What’s sought is not necessarily “the answer”, but instead a construct through which we can cope and rationalize the often irrational challenges of our daily lives.  We want someone to listen, to nod their head in understanding and offer a quiet and sympathetic ear above the sometimes deafening noise of reality.

As employers we are no different.  We see a tumultuous market and cling to the edges of our organizational boat, life preserver in hand as wave after wave of news breaks, wishing for dry land but soaked and cold in the understanding that at any moment we could capsize and pay the ultimate price.  We berate ourselves for not having seen this coming, for not being prepared enough to weather the storm, and make promises that if we can just get through this, all will be different.  

But we are also employees, people with lives, homes, families, obligations and dreams.  We were on a path and now it has been washed away by uncertainty.  Darwinian instincts prevail and work becomes survival, a game of outlasting those around you because you can’t imagine how you’re going to pay your bills next month if this job goes away.  And yet away they go, one by one the cubes are emptied and offices go dark.  Or worse, you are among millions washed up on unemployment’s shore.

These are the real concerns.  I hear them in airports, coffee shops, board rooms, restrooms and on the street.  An almost breathless whisper that many are afraid to verbalize for fear that just saying the words will make them so.  And yet most of the recently unemployed I encounter wish that someone would have talked with them.  These are rational, well educated professionals who understand that these are difficult times.  They are also human beings who would have preferred a direct and honest approach over a newspaper article announcing their demise.  

If people are truly your most important asset, start treating them like adults and communicate.  They don’t seek the answer to all their woes - they simply seek respectful treatment and pragmatic disclosure.  The Golden Rule still applies, and when things recover (which they always do), you will benefit from having recognized the importance of a sympathetic and empathetic ear.  Let’s keep the conversation going.

I’ve been on the road quite a bit lately so my wife and I decided to treat ourselves and go see Kathy Griffin live at DAR’s Constitution Hall here in Washington, DC.  If you’re not familiar with Kathy, she is renowned for taking her real-life encounters and incorporating them into her comedy act using sarcasm, mockery and outright degradation.  Her material can be a cringer to some, but if you go in with the attitude that she’s making fun of everyone (including herself), she is absolutely hilarious.

Whether Kathy is your cup of tea or not, something she said in her show last night got me thinking.  Because her material is sourced from interactions with celebrities, they often ask her for a side deal to exclude their encounters from her act.  In other words, they seek reassurance that the conversation was private, privileged and wouldn’t come back to haunt them.  Of course, doing so would hurt Kathy’s “business”, so exclusions are obviously not in her interest.  Often times this has unexpected consequences and can makes A-listers want to avoid her at all costs, including some suing her for her statements.  Thus, our title question stands - is your HR department like Kathy Griffin?

I pose this comparison because I have witnessed a shift in HR’s brand perception over the years.  There was a time when HR was believed to represent the best interests of employees within the context of the employer.  This former persona ensured confidentiality, safe harbor and a highly privileged set of interactions.  Although this is a gross generalization and oversimplification, most employees today view HR as the enforcer of rules and regs, a literal mouth-piece of the executive committee.  So, like Kathy Griffin, many employees fear that anything they share with HR will not only get back to their manager, but negatively impact their prospects for future growth in the organization.  

This may be an unfair comparison as many HR professionals entered this vocation to truly help people. However, I have unfortunately been in the presence of hundreds of “HR Kathy Griffins” who cannot wait to share the juiciest bit of gossip and innermost secrets of the employees they support.  But unlike Kathy’s first amendment lawyer, your company may not protect you from litigation resulting from such indiscretions.  I have witnessed HR personnel fired on the spot for this behavior, but more often it is the employee who pays the ultimate price.  

Let’s face it - HR is a tough job and sometimes you want to let out a little steam.  Or perhaps you feel you are duty bound to go directly to an employee’s manager the moment a conversation is over.  My only request is to recognize that any action will have both intended and unintended consequences for you, management and the employee.  Be thoughtful and put yourself in their shoes.  Either that or quit your job, dye your hair red and start working the clubs.  

Let’s keep the conversation going. 

The numbers keep adding up and the impact on the global workforce could be staggering.  A litany of venerable and long-standing institutions have fallen victim to the current state of our nation’s increasingly fragile economic reality.  Let’s look at today’s potential body count:

• Lehman Brothers - 26,000 global employees; files for bankruptcy.
• AIG - 116,000 global employees; seeking lifeline from the Federal Reserve.
• Merrill Lynch - 60,000 global employees; acquired by Bank of America.
• HP - 320,000 global employees; announced 24,600 job cuts from EDS acquisition.

Those who lose their jobs may be provided job placement services, counseling and the like, but in the heat of the moment, does that all really matter?  And what of the employees who remain, the hundreds of thousands who are paralyzed into waiting for the other shoe to drop?  No one is the victor in these situations, for everyone loses due to fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Regardless of what industry you occupy, we all get to a point where you simply take employment for granted.  You plan your life based on current earnings (and perhaps an annual bonus) combined with some measure of continued increase in your base salary.  You don’t necessarily envision yourself in your current firm forever, but you also don’t plan for the unexpected termination of your position.  You expect to make job and life decisions on your terms.  

The kick to the stomach of sudden unemployment can take your breath away.  Whimsy is replaced with the ugly reality that the end is here.  You wrack your brain to network, franticly reaching out to everyone and anyone who may be able to use your skills.  Then you pause, embarrassed perhaps to admit that you were unprepared and hadn’t really thought through what to do in this situation.

My advice is this - plan as if your last day were tomorrow.  This is not to suggest that you sit with your hand over the panic button, but instead that you’ve thought through a wide variety of scenarios and outcomes and ensured that you are prepared for the worst.  For those of us who run small businesses, this is a part of our everyday existence.  But I didn’t always think this way…. it took the shock of a horrific reality to shake me from the foundation of stability that I used to take for granted.  

My other piece of advice is to ask for help.  I find that this is more difficult the more senior you are, for ego gets in the way of your necessity to press on and seek assistance.  Do not go dark and insist on traveling this road alone.  It will take longer than you expect and you will miss opportunities through your insistence on isolation.  Talk with people you trust and learn from people you don’t.  A sense of vulnerability doesn’t really matter when you a faced with a stack of bills you suddenly can’t pay.

Finally, learn from the experience.  It’s always easy to get upset and blame others for your situation.  Of course others are to blame, and of course you should be upset, but you are responsible for your own career and no one else can carry that burden but you.  In these times of turmoil and uncertainty, your mettle will be exposed and tested.  You don’t have to win every battle, but you do have to press on.  Let’s keep the conversation going.