We’re just days away from a new year.  I am not big on making New Year’s resolutions, however, I am committed to one thing in 2012 and that is greater contribution to the Women of HR site.  Several years ago, a group of women all tied in one way or another to the HR industry got together in Chicago.  One of the bi-products of that visit was the idea for Women of HR.

WomenOfHR.com

Women of HR is a site dedicated to the development of women in human resources and business. It is a place to find information and discuss topics on a wide variety of issues that impact the lives of women.  It’s a place to find community and collaboration.  I’d like to share three of my favorite posts from Q4:

Hard Work Alone Will Not Get You Noticed by Debbie Brown

Bully Boss or Tough Boss?  How To Tell the Difference by Jennifer Miller

Toxic Behaviors in Human Resources by Jennifer Payne

As we roll into 2012, I’d like you to consider becoming a contributor at Women of HR.  We have male and female writers who are practitioners in the industry and welcome new and interesting thoughts to be shared.

For more information, email me at TrishaM89@gmail.com

Happy Reading!

Care to wager a guess how I feel about presentations given from behind a podium?  <insert sarcasm here>

There is something  about the podium that makes me feel disconnected from the person.  It hides their body language, it is often something they grip with great fervor.   When I attend an event of any kind and the speaker hides behind a podium as he or she reads a PowerPoint presentation to me I cannot help but be disconnected.

I spoke at Talent Net Live earlier this week and one of the best parts of the event for me was that no one stood behind the podium.  It was on stage, available should anyone like to lean on it, set a drink on it or if they needed to hide from the audience.  But, no one needed it.  Every speaker used the stage in a different way.  Bruce Morton gave the opening keynote and walked the stage like a pro.  Jason Seiden, the closing keynote, started his “Profersonal” presentation seated on a red couch.  The panelists in various sessions were seated talk show style.  Paul Smith stood at both the front of the room and at the back.  It was unique to see so many great speakers use the space given to them in the best possible way- to engage with their audience.

Whether you are someone who regularly gives presentations or someone who dreads it, I challenge you to shake up the way you present.  Walk around, use the space, break away from the dreaded podium.  And, check out events like Talent Net Live to see how the pros do it!

Thanks to Craig Fisher (@Fishdogs) the #TNL social recruiting forum  features big names in recruiting and social media covering the hottest tips and topics of the day for job seekers, social media enthusiasts, and talent professionals. Craig and his planning team did a fantastic job!

Occasionally other commitments get in the way of writing as much as I’d like to on my blog. Whether it’s my day job, family commitments, travel or other projects, I am constantly grabbing scraps of paper to write down ideas for this site.  While I have many in various stages of completion, none were quite ready for “prime time” today.

Instead, I thought I’d hightlight several other writers who have recent articles I’ve enjoyed. I hope you’ll click through and give them a read and leave some feedback.  They are people like you and I, people who like to contribute to the HR and Recruiting profession and who are passionate about sharing with you.  Enjoy!

• Sirona Says: How to Add the Social Recruiting Layer Across Your Recruitment Process
• Welcome to the Occupation: TNL and Alternative Life Styles
• Steve Boese: When the Roomba Grows Up
• HR Fishbowl: TNL “Cover it Live” and Building Social Influence (a panel I was on)
• Stillman Says: Tattoo Placement and Re0imagining the Body (Guest post by Shauna Moerke)

It’s fall and from where I am from, that means carnivals.  I’ve been to more small town homecomings than you can shake a stick at.  See, I even sound like I’m from the Midwest!

In all seriousness, today is the day for the Carnival of HR.  Anne Freedman of HR Executive Magazine online has outdone herself in pulling this together.  So, hop on over to their “The Leader Board” blog and check out all the great articles this month!

Sackett makes time for adoring fans

Today I have the opportunity to share an interview with Tim Sackett, HR pro, VP and self-proclaimed “Most Powerful Man in HR.”  Tim recently sat down with Kyle Lagunas from Software Advice.  They talked about the future for HR professionals, the impact of technology, talent communities, critical thinking and more.  Here’s a little taste:

Q: Ongoing training and learning is a popular strategy for retention. But which is more effective: talent learning programs or the actual opportunity for growth?

Sackett: Without a question, it’s the opportunity for growth. Companies will spend billions of dollars on talent development programs this year. The main reason they do that is either to try and placate employees they don’t have growth opportunities for, or to keep someone in place until he or she is ready to grow.

For the most part, if you can keep people satisfied and let them know there’s a growth plan for them, they’ll stay around. But that’s where a lot of companies fail in their development. They say, “We need you to get better at this.” But why do I need to get better at that? Where’s it going to lead me? They’ll say, “If you want to be promoted, you have to have better soft skills,” but what’s that promotion and when is it going to happen?

It’s tough. There’s a very small part of our population that can take a look at a talent development program and feel like, “This is the right thing for me now.” Our tendency is to say, “Let me go do it right now.” It’s hard to find those individuals that will say, “You’re right, Tim. I need to do this for three more years.”

So, is Tim Sackett truly the most powerful man in HR?  Or, is he more of an international man of mystery?  Who can really say?  Either way, he’s a smart and witty HR pro worth hearing more from.  Want to read more?  Click through for the full interview…..  There are also rumors you may get to meet him at the upcoming HRevolution so get registered today if you aren’t already.