Quite often when I write something, people reach out to tell me that I must have been writing about them.  I smile each time because it is rare that I write about a specific person.  I believe that if I write about myself or general observations I make, it will resonate with the reader in a way that they believe it is written about them.  Similarly, I find that some of the most personal writing by others is what speaks to me.  Today has been no exception.

What Are Your Fears When No One Is Looking?

The first piece I’d like to share is by Jason Seiden.  Jason is an author, professional speaker and CEO of Ajax Social Media Consulting.  He wrote The Reality of Authenticity which is a post I know he wrote for me.  Actually, I’m sure he didn’t, but it touched a nerve with me.  Have you ever had sleepless nights where you question yourself about your family, your career, your beliefs or your physical well being?  We don’t like to expose those moments to even our closest confidants, but we all have them.  Jason’s take on the value of recognizing these feelings is well worth your reading time.

The Importance of Friendship In Your Life

The second article that touched me today is by someone who I love and respect.  Lisa Rosendahl; mommy, wife, HR leader, veteran, and friend extraordinaire, shares her take on the importance of spending time with your friends.  As a mother myself, I can attest to not leaving much time for myself or my interests.  I do realize that in order to be the best parent that I need to do small things to rejuvenate myself and Lisa’s post gets to the heart of that.  Spend a moment today reading Girl Friends: A Day In The Life Sunday. 

What have you been reading that touched you?  Share with me in the comments.

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!

Personal relationships and work relationships are the “stuff” that fills our day.  They are the sources of our greatest joys and of our greatest sorrow.  They are the times with people who can bring our world crashing down with just one look and the times where a hug or a kiss can be better than any other feeling known to man.  I started thinking about this after listening to last Thursday’s HR Happy Hour radio show.  The episode was about politics and religion in the workplace.  As I listened, it struck me that we try so hard to compartmentalize our lives based on what is appropriate to say and when that we sometimes lose sight of who we are.  We go to work each day for 8, 10, 14 hours a day yet have to comply with societal and cultural norms that shove much of who we are in a little box until we leave work.

You know one reason HR exists?  I think it’s because people just can’t keep all these parts of themselves tucked away all day, every day.  Sometimes their views on religion or politics come out at work.  Sometimes, they tease or joke like they would with a friend, but they do it at work.  Then….POW!  They’ve offended a co-worker.  Now it’s off to HR to tell them to keep their personality in check, keep it under control, don’t say or do “inappropriate” things at work, etc.

I am a realist and I know that as employees, we should not do or say things to violate other employees’ rights.  We should also try not to offend each other because the point of us being at work is to work, not create drama.  But, there needs to be a balance of being able to be who you really are too.  I’ve worked at organizations where you can’t be yourself.  It’s awful.  So, I left.  Now I work at an organization that actually has a heart.  It may be partly because we’re in the business of caring for sick children, but I don’t think that’s the only reason.  We care about each other as human beings.  I feel it every day when I walk through the door at work.  It’s amazing.

I’m not going to ever be the person who preaches to you here or to people at work.  But I will be the person who says a prayer if you’re sick, hurt, or going through something terrible or difficult.  I may not tell you I say them, but I do.  I’m strong in my own religious beliefs because I’ve had many miracles in my life (in 2003 and 2008), but I love learning about other religions and from people who don’t believe.  I won’t be that person at work who argues my political views, but if you want to talk politics with me, I’m open to it.  Why?  Because talking with you about these things helps me grow as a person.

So, religion and politics at work?  It’s a hard question.  Why don’t you just listen to guest host Jason Seiden over at the HR Happy Hour to find out what others had to say about it.  And, be sure to weigh in here in the comments.

I want to share a couple:

• I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate on the Women of HR blog with Lisa Rosendahl, Shauna Moerke, and all the other contributors.  We shared some of the motivation behind creating the site on the HR Happy Hour show last night.  Be sure to give a listen if you missed it.  AND, let me know if you have any interest in being a contributing writer at Women of HR.
• I’d like to thank Al Gore for creating the Internet.  Well….you know what I mean.  Seriously, being involved in social media helped me have a relationship with China Gorman, so I’ll thank Al Gore and whomever necessary for that one.  China is a real inspiration to me on a daily basis.  Seeing her in person this week just solidifies that.  Thanks China.
• I’m thankful for my friend Sarah White.  For reasons too numerous to name, just “thank you Sarah” for being you.
• I’m SO thankful for people who are “real” and tell it like it is.  #1 in that category for me this week is Laurie Ruettimann.  Sure, we all see the snarky side on her fantastic blog, The Cynical Girl.  What you don’t all get to see is the fierce friend that she is.  LUV her!
• And, it’s not all about women.  I’d like to say how grateful I am for the following men in my professional life because each of you made a difference for me this week:  Steve Boese, Ricardo Moreno, David Cook, Eric Winegardner, and Jason Seiden.  Special thank you to Jason and Steve for being my partners in crime at HR Southwest in the session on social media.  Loved our presentation!

So, who are you grateful for this week?  Come on….I know you want to tell me in the comments….. Let’s see how many we can get!

By Pam Allyn

While it’s targeted at parents, I want to share it here because I think there is a HR twist to it.  So, I want to be completely honest in my assessment.  When it arrived, I looked at the cover and thought…..wow, I don’t think that cover would have ever caught my attention in a bookstore.  I slowly flipped through the book and immediately found that the inside was much more compelling.  Touted as a book of what to read to your children, it is so much more.

Pam begins by painting a picture of what reading can do to open up a child’s mind.  How vivid the colors, sounds, smells, and other senses become as we read aloud.  There is a comforting quality as well as a teaching component when we read to a child.  Hearing the words tumble off our lips and into the growing mind of the child.  And it doesn’t stop there.  I still love when someone reads to me.  It can be anything, so if you ever want me to really like you, just pull me aside and sit me down and read to me.  And it’s not just me.  Only a couple months ago, Jason Seiden vlogged about how he loves being read to.  But, I digress.

The next section of the book is great because it breaks down year by year different types of books to read to the child at a specific age.  The age range is birth to age ten.  I can tell you as a parent this will be a helpful resource for me as my children grow because I want to make sure that what they read is appropriate for their age.  The last section of the book is my favorite.  Pam covers 50 themes ranging from topics like adoption, bullying, courage, divorce, coping with illness, and making mistakes.  I recently had a friend go through a divorce and she said she couldn’t find many books to help her kids.  With this resource, it would be easy to quickly have a list of books that address that theme.

From an HR standpoint, wouldn’t it be great if we had a list of resources like this for the major topics that our employees face?  Does anyone know if something like that already exists?  If so, let me know.

Thank you to Jill Daniel and Pam Allyn for asking me to read the book.  I encourage you to check out ‘What to Read When’ and add it to your list of great parenting resources.  For today, why don’t you share YOUR favorite kids book with me in the comments. Mine is still Goodnight Moon.