Here’s what I love about HR conferences: the attendees. I’m a big fan of HR professionals. I think they’re smart. I think they know their business. I think they contribute daily to the success of their organizations. I think they grab on to learning wherever they can find it. And I think that today, like no other time before, they are caught between the proverbial rock of a fragile and unpredictable economy and the combined hard places of the current legislative/regulatory agenda, continued globalization and the need, as always, to do more with less.
So as I attend the SHRM-affiliated HR Southwest Conference in Fort Worth, Texas today through Wednesday, I am again impressed with the way these 2,000+ dedicated HR pros are approaching this ultimate learning experience. And make no mistake: HR Southwest is an ultimate learning experience. The concurrent session line-up is among the best I’ve ever seen. The keynoters are very strong. The exhibition hall is incredible. And the attendees themselves are focused on making the most of the three days before them.
I respect the hell out of these folks. I see a determination in their eyes as they check the conference program to chart their course through the conference. They’re engaging with the vendors in the exhibition hall and not just collecting swag. They’re improving their ability to serve their organizations and their communities. They’re working on expanding both their functional expertise and their strategic leadership abilities. What they learn here will absolutely make their organizations more competitive.
So, kudos to the conference team that produces HR Southwest. It’s smart; it’s professional; it’s the real deal. Now. Don’t you wish you were here?
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