I just returned from the SHRM Strategy Conference in Palm Springs. Nice event - I would recommend it to my colleagues who are looking for substantive content that doesn’t dwell on the transactional side of human resources.
One of the things I was able to participate in during the conference was a SHRM Governmental Affairs focus group on how pending legislation regarding sick pay and FMLA might impact our profession and workplaces. SHRM uses this information to develop position papers and educate legislators about the impact of their decisions.
Over the years, I’ve heard plenty of HR Pros say that they don’t want to be involved in the political process. They don’t want to hear a legislator speak and they don’t want to write a letter to their congressional representatives. In fact, Edwin Foulke, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA spoke at last year’s HR Florida conference . . . less than 50 of our 1300 attendees came to listen.
And when I say ‘political process’, I think it’s less about donkeys and elephants, and more about knowing which party and which candidates support things that benefit our companies and employees. As business people, we need to know the views of our elected officials. The actions of our legislators impact us at home and in the workplace. As such, we need to be aware of what they do and how they make things happen.
I’ve never heard the CEO of a company say they steer clear of politics. In fact, every CEO I know is keenly aware of how their local, state and national legislators impact the bottom line of their business. If your CEO came to you about a bill in Congress that could cost your company thousands of dollars each year, what would you do?
It’s time to realize that government and politics are an important part of our jobs. Be informed and get involved!
This week marks the beginning of Fall, which is my favorite time of year. We don’t experience Fall in South Florida. It’s 90 degrees with the usual unbearable humidity.
But, I once lived in Cincinnati, which is a great place to experience Fall. You can drive along the river or around the perimeter of the city and see the leaves changing color. There are roadside pumpkin farms for Halloween.
A recent tweet about someone being stuck in the Cincinnati airport made me smile. If I had an evening in Cinci…oh the things I would do! First thing is get out of the airport…because the Cincinnati airport is actually located in Kentucky. Go figure.
On the list would be a margarita at El Coyote in Anderson Township. Simply the best.
Then up to Montgomery to pick up brownies from Haute Chocolate for all of my friends. Maybe even a few Buckeyes.
And lastly, dinner at the world-famous Montgomery Inn Boathouse. Right on the river. Best Ribs anywhere. And for dessert - some Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chip ice cream.
Writing this post reminds me that I need to take time to find the little gems in the places I visit. It also reminds me that I need to bring stuff to do just in case I get stuck in an airport.
Until I get stuck at CVG, I’ll just have to get my Montgomery Inn ribs shipped to South Florida. You might want to do the same.
A new season of “Dancing with the Stars” is upon us, which means only one thing. Lots of talk about stepping (literally!) outside of your comfort zone. That’s the whole premise of DWTS. Successful, accomplished celebrities taking on the new challenge of dancing in the hopes of winning a gaudy disco ball trophy.
One of the reasons that DWTS is so popular is because it shows us that successful people don’t know everything. But they are willing to try. All it takes is a realistic plan, a positive attitude, and the understanding that sometimes you just might fall down.
As business professionals we need to realize that, to stay fresh and ‘in the game’, we have to step outside of our own comfort zones. I can’t tell you how many times I hear my fellow HR peeps say that they ‘aren’t numbers people’ or they ‘don’t like to sell’. The bottom line is to be successful in HR you need to sell and you need to know numbers. So it’s time to step outside your comfort zone to get familiar with it.
Here are two tips to get you started:
Be Proactive - If there is something you need to try to help you grow as a professional, when the opportunity presents itself…go for it. Maybe it’s an assignment at work or an educational seminar that you want to attend. When I first started in human resources, I sometimes had to personally pay to attend conferences. The company would give me the time off, but they couldn’t afford the registration fee. If you always wait for the perfect moment to do something, it might never arrive.
Use Volunteerism to Gain Experience - You can use volunteer opportunities to gain valuable experience. Want to learn more about technology? Volunteer to be the webmaster for a local non-profit. Looking for more hands-on financial experience or selling experience? Offer to help as a treasurer or making phone calls to raise money. You might even have committees within your own company that you can sign up for to expand certain skills.
As far as DWTS goes, I’ve never really been a devotee of the show but did watch on/off last season because (then) local football hero Jason Taylor was a contestant. But, I might have to check out this season to see how Chef Rocco DiSpirito does…now that’s stepping outside of your comfort zone!
National Punctuation Day is September 24. According to their website, NPD is a “celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotes, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever-mysterious ellipsis.”
Now, you might be saying to yourself, “How Silly. Do we really need to have a national day dedicated to punctuation?” My vote is yes (with an exclamation point)!
The purpose of NPD, now in its fifth year, is to educate children about the importance of good writing skills and literacy. It’s to heighten awareness that punctuation mistakes, like a missing comma, could completely change the tone and intent of a message. We have become a society of text messages, emails, tweets, etc. As we become more high tech, communication has become abbreviated. Business writing is quickly becoming a lost art form.
Looking for something that will set you apart in the business world? Learn how to write - and write well. And show everyone your skill in everything from emails to reports and presentations.
So, let’s support proper grammar and punctuation. The future business leaders of this world need to know it.
I’m not sure how I missed this but the Fancy Food Show (aka Foodapalooza) was in Palm Beach last month. Lucky for me Charles Passy from the Post covered the event and provided the 411 on the upcoming food and drink trends. Heaven knows, I simply can’t be seen with a Pomegranate Martini if they’ve been declared passé.
Couple of trends to note:
Tea is in/Coffee is out - Personally, I’ve always liked tea. Drinking tea is an experience. Coffee…well, it’s just grab a cup and go. That doesn’t mean I plan to give up coffee - that’s just crazy talk. But with all of the discussion about tea’s health benefits, maybe we should remember tea every once in awhile.
Cheese Plates - I’m glad to see that the cheese plate for dessert is coming into style - it’s about time! And, it looks like companies are starting to take those cheese plate accompaniments seriously … so look for tasty nuts and fruits the next time you order some delicious Humboldt Fog for dessert.
Additives are out - big time! Organic and allergy-free foods are being promoted in a big way. Emphasis is being placed on healthy, natural products. This is something that can benefit all of us.
So the next time you’re out to dinner…keep these food trends in mind. You can impress your dining companions with your trendy culinary expertise.
I get really irritated by people who call themselves trainers when they don’t know the first thing about training. These are the folks who gave a presentation at some point in their career and, at the end, everyone told them what a great job they did…so they assume they are now a ‘trainer.’
If you fall into this category, I hate to burst your bubble but you’re not a trainer. You’re someone with good platform skills.
Don’t get me wrong. The world needs people with good platform skills. There’s nothing more painful than listening to a presentation with so many ‘ums’ and ‘OKs’ that text betting starts on how many will be uttered by the end of the presentation. People with good platform skills help us listen better and encourage interaction necessary for learning to take place.
But training is a professional discipline. Before someone can stand up in front of a group of people, there needs to be some devoted thought about the audience, the goals and objectives of the presentation, the learning content and the means to measure comprehension. I’ve seen people who don’t prepare for a session because they rely too heavily on their platform skills. Was the presentation successful? I guess that depends on what you call successful. If people leave the room saying it was great … but can’t tell what it was about … then I’m not sure the speaker hit the mark.
There are organizations like ASTD, ISPI and the OD Network that are dedicated to training and the inter-related disciplines of human performance improvement (HPI) and organizational development (OD). There’s even a training-related certification called the CPLP (Certified Professional in Learning Performance) that demonstrates mastery of learning performance.
So, the next time someone tells you they are a trainer, make sure they have the stripes to back it up.
PS - the 2009 HR Florida conference is looking for quality speakers . . . if you or someone you know fall into this category, please visit the Call for Presentation page on the HR Florida web site. Thanks!
On a recent business trip to Pensacola, I read an article about Joe Quint’s book, “72 Things Younger than John McCain.” It’s received a lot of publicity given McCain’s presidential candidacy and the possibility that he could be the oldest person ever to be inaugurated.
But, I’m not writing this today to talk politics.
The article made me think…I wonder what stuff I’m older than?! So, I’ve compiled by own list. Here goes:
Some of this stuff made me feel really old…but I’m also happy to say that I’ve never owned an easy-bake oven (or a lava lamp.) In the end, it made me realize that we will always be older than something. And, we will always hold on to our good old days, whatever that looks like.
As business people, it’s about embracing the future and respecting the past. Workplace traditions can be fabulous ways to build team spirit and remind people about the mission of the company. But if embraced too tightly they can actually become a company joke and a constant sign that senior leadership is living in the past.
Look for those opportunities to do both - celebrate the past with a new modern spin. Now, I gotta run…I’m celebrating Mexican Independence Day with some friends. I’m still younger than nachos and margaritas (sorry John!)
The purpose of NPD, now in its fifth year, is to educate children about the importance of good writing skills and literacy. It’s to heighten awareness that punctuation mistakes, like a missing comma, could completely change the tone and intent of a message. We have become a society of text messages, 
(or a lava lamp.) In the end, it made me realize that we will always be older than something. And, we will always hold on to our good old days, whatever that looks like.
I’m Sharlyn Lauby - the HR Bartender. And, yes, I am an expert with more than 18 years of professional HR management experience. Over the years, I found that my colleagues and employees wanted me to be like their neighborhood bartender - that friendly face who’s there when you need them. Click to learn more . . .
