I started thinking of that from a business perspective.  In my own organization, my number one scene maker is my colleague Cathie Meyers.  Since I started this job in February of this year, it’s been Cathie who supports and guides me.  She’s also the one who has a sarcastic “jab” every time one is needed.  She makes me laugh and makes every scene she’s involved in better.

From an online perspective, I was hoping you’d help me recognize the people who have made a difference and MADE our scene. I’ll list a few to get us started:

• Steve Browne- For bridging the online HR world with practitioners through his HR Net.  If you’ve not seen it or want to be part of it, reach out to Steve today.
• Victorio Milian and Ben Eubanks- Always leaders in thinking of new ways to collaborate and bring people together, they created Project Social. Be sure to check it out if you haven’t already.
• Laurie Ruettimann and Mark Stelzner- This year they created the 1st ever online Career Summit.  To have the vision and creativity to bring some outstanding voices together from the recruiting arena for the benefit of job seekers, these two deserve an award.  They made the scene for sure!

So, there are a couple of mine.  Think back through the year…..who made the scene better for you?  Let’s recognize as many people as possible in the comments!

• Details HRCI standards for each section of the exam
• Provides links to helpful outside resources
• Helps to organize your exam strategy
• Walks you through the exam day process
• Builds your confidence
• Makes you a stronger HR professional overall

What won’t the study guide do?

• Empty your wallet (the $19.97 price tag is a steal!)
• Wash your car
• Take the exam for you

There’s also a free newsletter if you need some motivation and help with studying. Once you click through the link below, click “Freebies” and then scroll down until you see the little envelope picture to get on the email list.

So, there you have it.  It’s a great resource and if you know of anyone studying for the exam and needing that little extra “boost”, point them in the direction of Rock the PHR. To get your copy, click on the icon on the right side of the blog.  You’ll have your copy within minutes and can begin to ROCK the PHR!  Good luck!!

There really is a point to all this

This store’s response is a fantastic example of how to provide great feedback.

• Be concise (make it as simple as possible)
• Be direct (address the problem head-on)
• Be clear (don’t mince words)
• Be relevant (stay focused on the issue)

Any other lessons you get from this simple picture? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks to Ben Eubanks for guest posting today.  Ben is author extraordinaire of UpStart HR.  He’s also instrumental in spreading the word on the future of HR to students and seasoned pros.  He’s the co-founder of HRevolution, writes for multiple websites, wrote the wildly successful e-book ‘Rock the PHR’, and collaborates on many other projects.  Oh, and as if that’s not enough, he is the new daddy to twin girls Bella and Bree.  The fact that he does all that and still guest posts for me blows me away!  Thanks Ben!!

blog- a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer; also : the contents of such a site

Ok, so they don’t exactly define blogger, but it’s the person that writes the online journal….yadda yadda.  One thing I find interesting is that people who do not blog are often curious about the process.  You’ve probably watched the Wizard of Oz, so you know that closer to the end of the movie, Dorothy and her crew pull back the curtain in the palace to find out that the great and powerful Oz is no more than a regular guy.  I don’t claim to be great and powerful, but I am just a regular girl.  I get a lot of questions and in the spirit of the Wizard of Oz, I thought I’d answer a few:

What made you start blogging? I worked at a company that offered a short video training on how to write a blog.  Since all employees had to go through our digital training, I did too.  I had been reading blogs for several years and it sounded like a good way for me to challenge myself to learn how to do something I knew nothing about.  Also, I did not see myself as a strong writer, so I thought that by writing for myself, I would get better at it.  Never once did I think that other people would really start following my blog.  I was so thrilled when that happened.

How did you learn the mechanics of having your own blog? Thankfully for me, WordPress has a great free blog platform with answers to many of the questions you have as you get started.  It was a breeze to set up and it was free.  After a couple months, I had connected with other bloggers and we share tips and tricks with each other.  Eventually I was forced with a hot poker up to my eye, I mean convinced by Ben Eubanks that I should switch to a self-hosted site.  That process was very challenging and as I made that move I learned much more about HTML code and how it all works.  When you have your own site, you can research online or get a trusted friend to help you with the administration.  Almost every blogger I know has someone to help him/ her with things on the site.  My guru is Ben Eubanks from UpStart HR.

How long does it take to write a post? It can take me anywhere from ten minutes to several hours depending on whether or not the idea just flows or needs thorough research.  I’d say on average that 30 minutes to an hour is pretty typical for me.  I tend to write after my kids go to bed, or I wake up around 5:00 am to write, like I’m doing today.

Where do you get your ideas? EVERYWHERE.  I jot observations about the world down on paper scraps, on napkins, and on my hand.  Sometimes I capture interesting things on my camera (phone) that spark something I’d like to write about.  Or, someone says something that I disagree with and that sparks a post idea.  I have many posts that are drafts.  Some will get published and others won’t.  Right now, I have 43 draft ideas just waiting for me to put more thought into them.

Do you think everyone should blog? Absolutely not.  That’s like saying that I think everyone should ride bulls or skip to work every day.  If you’re good at something, do it.  If not, spend your time doing something that you’re good at and you enjoy.  Writing should not make you feel like it’s a chore and that you’re too pressured.  I think great bloggers that I admire speak from their heart and keep it real.

Why do you keep writing? What started out as a way to find challenge when I wasn’t challenged in my last job has turned into a way for me to network, collaborate, make friends, get offered opportunities to travel and speak, and the list goes on.  Maintaining my blog is one of the best things I’ve done for my own self-development and that is very important to me.

What has been the best thing about having a blog? For me, it’s the collaboration.  My favorite time is when people comment and we can get a dialog going.  It’s also been great in giving me opportunities to travel and collaborate with people and organizations I would have never been exposed to.

So, that’s a taste of what I am asked.  I can’t speak for all bloggers and why or how they do things, but I’ve learned that many of us are similar in that we put the pressure on ourselves and we all have a ton of draft posts on the shelf that may or may not ever make it to being published on our blogs.  Feel free to ask me questions anytime, and not just about blogging.  Some I’ll answer in a post and most get answered via e-mail.  Just leave them in the comments.

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” ~ Michael Jordan

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.  The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” ~Dale Carnegie

“Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.” ~Kenyan proverb

Today, I am thankful for all the sticks in my bundles and teamwork is on my mind.  There are a couple things in my life right now that are reinforcing the importance of a strong team.  One is work, the other is personal.  From a work standpoint, you may know that I am still relatively new in my position at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.  And, while there are many things there that continue to impress me, the teamwork here really stands out.  Never before have I felt such a strong pull of a team.  Sure, we all hear the lip service about being on a team, but have you ever REALLY experienced it?  I’m not sure I have.

Until now.

What are the elements I view as critical to being a team?

• Mission- Working with a group of people who have clear mission and who actively keep each other on track by ensuring we provide service that clearly links to the mission
• Communication-  Open lines of communication and knowing your opinion will be heard
• Respect-  Acknowledging the experiences of individual members and embracing them

The other team I am on is personal….my HRevolution 2010 team.  Working with Ben Eubanks, Jason Seiden, Crystal Peterson, Steve Boese, Mark Stelzner, and Joan Ginsberg is wonderful.  Each of us volunteers our time to work together toward the common mission of pulling together an event for you~ the HR and recruiting professionals we want to interact with.  If you’re reading this blog, HRevolution is for YOU.

And, much like a work team or athletic team, the HRevolution team is focused.  We’ve got our goal, we communicate every day, and we have the utmost respect for each other and the strengths and abilities each individual brings to the table.  It’s a great feeling to be part of that.  And, we want YOU to be part of that.  Be sure to check out the HRevolution 2010 registration site and register for the event on May 7- 8, 2010.  Tickets are going fast.  Also, if your company is interested in sponsoring HRevolution 2010, let me know via e-mail at trisham89@hotmail.com.

So tell me, are you part of a great team?  Who are the “sticks in your bundle”?  It can be work-related or personal.  Share your story, tell us how it works, inspire us in the comments.