Category Archives: Leadership

July 22, 2010 · 1:45 pm

New Job: Editor-at-Large

Most of you know that as of June 4th I’m a free agent.  I left my job at SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) to move back to my home base in Las Vegas and to return to my career path of running organizations in the human capital space.  So I’m looking for a job.  My resume is completed, I’ve started networking and I’m having fun doing all the things you need to do to find that next career step. 

One of the things you do when you’re looking for a job is to find ways to increase your professional visibility.  Like writing a blog.  (And here we are.)  Like public speaking.  (See the HR Florida badge to the right of this column.)  Like being on boards.  (See the Smartbrief on Workforce badge at the top of the blog.)  The trick is to create visibility in ways that are compelling; to connect you with people you don’t know; and these days, to create a powerful social media trail.  And in all of them add value, grow your expertise and contribute to your chosen profession.

So I’m doubly pleased to announce that I’ve accepted the offer of SmartBrief on Workforce’s Mary Ellen Slayter to take on the role of Editor-at-Large for this emerging newsletter.  Mary Ellen is a gifted editor and has done a superb job of establishing what is quickly becoming a primary go-to source of daily HR information and best practice.  If you haven’t subscribed yet, I recommend that you do it today.  I’m grateful for the added professional visibility, but I’m honored and pleased to be able to contribute to the profession in this way. 

SmartBrief on Workforce is one in a very large family of newsletters.  There are Smartbriefs on Leadership, Social Media, Sustainability, Your Career – and more than 100 others focused on specific industries.  A great business model.

Besides SmartBrief on Workforce, I also subscribe to the Smartbriefs on Leadership and Social Media.  Informative reads every day and I’m always interested in the selection of sources for the articles and blog posts that appear.   The sources range from the traditional media like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age, and Inc. to blogs I’ve never heard of before – and everything in between.  I value learning about new sources as much as I value the daily information. 

Thanks, Mary Ellen, for inviting me to part of the SmartBrief team.  I look forward to working with you and the stellar team of experts you’ve lined up for the Advisory Board.

26 Comments

Filed under Business Success, China Gorman, HR, Leadership, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , ,

July 16, 2010 · 4:26 pm

Will the earth be moving under our feet?

We scored great seats tomorrow night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here in #VegasBaby to hear James Taylor and Carole King. 

And that’s gotten me thinking about this theory that I have that the music that you listened to in your high school and college years is your music for life.  It’s what was playing in your head during the most formative experiences in becoming who you are and it is sort of imprinted in your brain as your music.  And it’s the music that still moves you to tears or to dance.  It’s true for me.  There are James Taylor and Carole King songs that, when I hear them, transport me to a specific dorm room, a specific “dance in the gym,” or a particular heartbreak.

And, odd as it may be, that makes me think about CEOs and their expectations from HR.  I think that CEOs look to their current HR for what HR gave them in their first general management positions.  I think the HR they got then is their HR for life.  So, if in their first divisional GM role their HR support was compliance oriented, transaction focused and created more hurdles than solutions, then that’s what they expect from their HR now – and it’s hard to break out of that expectation set and learn to demand a new set of solutions. 

Think about it.  If true, then we should be feeling the earth move under our feet soon.  We should be seeing some great strides forward in the strategic role HR plays as the current generation of CEOs gives way to the next generation.  Because the next generation of CEOs worked in organizations where HR was led and is being led by some of the great HR leaders who operate strategically and are true solutions providers to the business.  I’m talking about the Libby Sartains, Dennis Donovans, Dennis Dowdells, and Rick Beyers of the world:  HR leaders who look, sound and act like business leaders.  They – and lots just like them – have trained a whole new generation of executives to look to HR for solutions to the most important business issues of the day.  And when those executives get to the CEO’s office HR had better be prepared to start swinging for the fences!  Because the expectations for business solutions from HR will be huge!

So… the music of our college years stays with us just as the HR of fledgling management years stays with business leaders.  Makes sense to me.

8 Comments

Filed under Business Success, China Gorman, HR, Leadership, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,