HRevolution: Observations and Thank Yous

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May 9, 2010

Closing Session

The HRevolution has not ended.

Sure, the 2010 event may be in the history books, but the spirit of evolving an industry that has been one predominantly etched as an administrative function is just beginning.  Since only one day has passed, my mind is still reeling and thoughts about HRevolution are still so conceptual that I’m not quite ready to share.  In the meantime, I will share some observations and thank yous:

  • HRevolution is a spirit of change.  The participants and facilitators bring it alive in the way they interact.  There was not one session that did not have key learning points and take aways.  The facilitators did a great job of making sure that they took the step of challenging the group to use techniques and tools once they returned to their organizations.
  • The HR Happy Hour show creates amazing energy when all the guests are in person. It’s like capturing magic in a bottle.
  • Monster, Ceridian, Pinstripe, Rypple, and SHRM made the event possible.  Many thanks to them for providing the funds for the venue, catering, transportation, and tweetups.  The Pinstripe Tweetup and Sue Marks made our closing tweetup the perfect way to end on a high note.  HUB 51 was an amazing venue and special thanks to Bryon Abramowitz for arranging the tweetup.  Monster also threw the biggest, best opening of HRevolution and the participants were grateful. From the blinking beverage glasses to the iPad/ Kindle/ Flip/ Camera/ iTouch give aways to the numerous Monster goodies for us all,  they outdid themselves. Special thank you to Eric Winegardner for believing in us and making greatness happen.  We love you for all the energy and insight you bring to us.
  • It takes EACH participant’s actions to make the event what it is. The planning committee pours our hearts and souls into the event.  The companies that sponsor individuals to come to the event are instrumental (Whiting Consulting and Nobscot Corporation).  The facilitators who work very hard to start interesting and thought provoking conversations.  The participants who become actual teachers to the group.  Having a mix of HR pros, recruiters, consultants, professors, CEO’s, journalists, marketers, and pundits make it a great learning opportunity.
  • HR people CAN have fun!
  • You do not need to be a day-to-day HR practitioner to bring value to HRevolution. I learned so much from many people who are not HR practitioners.  These ideas will challenge me to continue to go beyond HR and truly be a business partner in my organization.  Thanks to all who shared business information on culture, finance, marketing, influence, communications, and technology.  You’re helping us find challenge so we can grow.
  • Mark Stelzner does a great impersonation of Donald Trump and being #2 sometimes means you’re the winner. (You’ll have to wait for my Apprentice session post for the back story on that one).
  • Jason Seiden, Ben Eubanks, Steve Boese, Crystal Peterson, Joan Ginsberg, and Mark Stelzner are the finest teammates I have ever had the pleasure to work with. Their dedication to HRevolution is truly amazing and I sincerely thank them each for the HUGE contribution of time and skills.  I’m honored to know you all and call you friends.
  • You really can make solid relationships using the internet to network. ‘Nuff said.

I’m going to do some heavy-duty thinking about some of the learning points and calls to action and will share them in the coming days and weeks.  Thank you all for supporting HRevolution.   If you have any observations to share, let me know in the comments.

13 Comments

  • I have a few thoughts from my first HREvolution:
    Fabulous
    Inspiring
    Provacative
    Passionate
    Social

    It was an honor to be selected as a Scholarship recipient.
    Special thanks to Beth Carvin and Nobscot Corporation.
    I am looking forward to building relationships with some great people.
    Special thanks to the planning committee.
    Shennee Rutt

  • I want you to know that one single tweet caught my eye on Saturday morning. Before I knew it, I was following the #hrevolution hashtag, and my blood pressure was skyrocketing. I was fired up. I was engaged. I was thrilled to find fellow HR leaders who are intent to CHANGE THE WORLD through our role in organizations.

    I was so engaged in the tweet stream I had many people asking where I was, thinking I was actually at the event.

    I feel pretty new to Social Media having just crossed the 1,000 tweet barrier this week. Now I am pumped, focused, and a bit more clear about the world changing actions to take.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    With warmth and dare I say ‘love,’
    Doug Miller

  • I just re-read my post and it feels a little harsh after being away from it for 12 hours. I think the event was really well done, and wholly support the mission.

    It sound stupid, but I literally feel so passionate about the need for HR to change that sometimes I literally feel sick to my stomach that things aren’t happening fast enough.

    I hoped we would walk away yesterday with THE IDEA that would do that, and of course, that is highly unlikely. I wish we would have taken a bigger swing at it with the entire group. Maybe there are still opportunities to do that in a virtual way. I need to think about that more.

    I agree that you don’t have to be a practitioner to add value, but I also feel pretty strongly that the key to leveraging the changes we seek lies in reaching that group more than any other.

    I want to personally thank you for everything you did related to this event, and everything you do for the HR profession. It is a pleasure to know you.

    Michael

  • Just being honest here, I was very impressed and thoroughly enjoyed most all of my conversations. The discussions went as deep or as shallow as I wanted to take them. Seriously though I’ve not heard Karl Marx doctrine quoted in an HR conversation “ever” and then to have so many peeps with very recent and relevant “data” to share, was compelling.

    This collection of professionals focused on the topics we were focused on brought value. Some or all of a conversation could be life-changing because they heard it framed differently, those are the intangibles that “were” happening yesterday. Now that is just plain cool. (I’m confident that mine also changed.) Thanks TM for all that you’ve done.

  • I’ve been following HRevolution as we’ve been traveling, and I so hated having to miss it. If you really want to change the practice of HR on a grand scale, there are two important tactics. I’ve been working on one of them for over forty years — embedding better to good practices within the major HRM software products. That’s not an easy tactic, and we’re no where near where I’d like us to be, but we’ve come a very long way from where we started, and I take pride in having played a very small role in that accomplishment. The second tactic, which may suit more of you, is to become star HR executives with enough authority and credibility within a specific organization to overhaul the HRM practices within that organization. That combination of thought and practice leadership HR execs and ever better HRM software is what will (has already done) change the practice of HRM dramatically and for the better. For each of you who attended HRevolution, choose a path and just don’t take no for an answer. But be prepared to be fired, as I have been, when you have gored one sacred cow too many in too short a time.

  • The cool thing about what you’ve all put together is that it is thought provoking. It is a spirit of change and change (even in 8 hour bites) is exciting, challenging and confronting. Heavy thinking happening over here too 🙂

  • Trish,

    1. Thanks for the shout-out, but frankly, I still have a hard time believing that something I was involved in planning went off as fail-free as HRevolution did. It was all you.

    2. The conversation does indeed continue. This week, I’m doing my part by running a series of posts that continue the conversation on influence from Saturday morning. (http://failspectacularly.com/influence-basics/)

    3. It was great to take so many online relationships into the face-to-face world. That was fantastic.

    4. There is clearly a hunger for more change. When this group comes together, it isn’t to create change, it’s to plan for change. The change happens when we each return to our day-to-day lives and live the principles of HRevolution, draw others in, pull them into the online discussion, etc.

  • Trish,

    There is so much good dialogue already happening. The event was fantastic. I don’t know where we go from here but we need to all work together.

    And does anyone have @Stelzner’s Donald impression on video? I’d pay to see that. . .

    Jessica
    @blogging4jobs

  • Thank you so much for bringing people together- the content, and organization were great. I enjoyed the sessions and most of all the peeps!

  • Trish,
    As always you make so many great points and this event wouldn’t even have been close to the success it was (IMHO) without the 100’s & 100’s of hours you all put in to it – making it truly unique.

    Change is never easy and learning from the multitude of people from various backgrounds and disciplines then applying those learnings are surely ways to challenge the status quo and grow the ideas that are brewing in this continuous think tank.

    Wonderful to see you again in person too! xoxo
    ~Charee

  • Trisha – based on all the chatter and energy post HRevolution, you have created something, I follow you and respect much of what you say, post, blog, and post from others. As a 20+ year senior leader in HR, I am glad you are in the discipline. Some thoguhts:

    Interesting thoughts, tweets, blogs, and vlogs about HRevolution – that amount of reflection and commentary is worthy

    I have followed the comments with keen interest

    I manage a number of areas at 22squared – Finance, IT, HR, Real Estate, campaign management and all disciplines are going through a sea change – having spent 20+ years in various aspects of HR, I am interested to be involved in the evolution of a discipline that is vary familiar to me

    Some comments have centered around the “echo chamber”, some around how do we impact the practice of HR/people if so many people at HRevolution and similar are advisors/consultants/speakers to HR versus in the discipline, many comments have been around the incredible nature of an “un” event

    My thoughts (for what they are worth)

    we all are one community dedicated to the discipline of HR/people and business performance whether in or “out”
    our focus has to be the performance and results of our organizations – we can impact that by creating better HR leaders, who will create better leaders and business entities, which leads to better communities and places to live and work – if we start with business results, the people work matters – period
    we do have to be involved to make an impact – I am very active with SHRM Atlanta and will be board chair of this 2500 person chapter in 2011-2012 – if the board and organization I serve can make 10% of our members better HR leaders, the impact is huge
    we do have to watch ourselves and our own chatter – on the same hand, its an awesome thing to have a community where everyone feels safe to learn, stumble, get to know one another on a deep soulful level, and find kindred folk to fight the good fight

    So – my encouragement is to keep the momentum, the conversation, and real action to make a difference

    thanks, keep up the good work – I may tap into your “brain and heart trust” for some big plans we have here in Atlanta

Comments are closed.

Closing Session
Closing Session
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About Trish

A former HR executive and HCM product leader with over 20 years of experience.

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