HREs Don't Run HR Departments

They don't - they can't. There's just too much shiz going on.

"HR as a profession is in need of a radical transformation." No one can address the Future of HR quite like Mark Stelzner can so take a moment and flip through his presentation below. . .  

The Future of HR

View more presentations from Mark Stelzner.

What do you think? What path are you on (slide 10) - are you stuck at do nothing, breaking things apart, or radically transforming?

Radical transformation is hard work. The status quo is hard to change. I know - my forehead is bruised from running into longstanding hierarchies, cultural resistance and old habits.

But I continue.

Like Mark, I am encouraged. I am encouraged when I see federal hiring reform, our 2011 MN SHRM State Conference theme develop around Unconventional HR, and I can speak with colleagues about change without getting "pshawed." 

Yes, changing a profession is hard work (sort of like an ant pushing a baseball up a hill) but get this - it can be done. It can't be done by one person (or by one ant). It takes many but it starts with one individual HR pro working in one HR department in one organization whio is willing to make one change. 

My one change? I am changing the perception, actually the reality, of what it takes (skills, gumption, vision) to be a successful and impactful HR professional and hearts are breaking all around. 

I am starting from a great place with an amazing HR staff, national support for hiring reform . . . .

Oh wait, what's that <phone rings> "Who did what to whom? What did they say? What info do you have? Facts please . . ." 

Duty calls and I have to go. But before I do, I leave you with one question - what will you change tomorrow?

HRevolution and the Wonder That is Social Media

This weekend, I had the honor of meeting 50 friends - for the very first time. Other than HR_Minion, there were 49 other people I had never met before, yet it was like we had known each other for a long time. And in a very real way, we had. From the minute I walked into the hotel on Friday and saw Steve Boese and Joan Ginsberg in the lobby, my Twitter stream starting coming to life.

Many of you get what I am saying - you've experienced it and you know it to be true. Others are shaking your heads. For you I say, stop trying to rationalize it, minimize it or explain it away. Accept it. Embrace it. Seek it out. What is it? It is the wonder that is social media.

Social media connects people and 50 social media connected people converged  on Louisville, Kentucky for HRevolution, the unconference about the future of HR. Who are the fabulous 50? Jessica Miller-Merrill developed this HRevolution Twitter List, check it out! What do we do? We manage HR departments, teams and functions. We own businesses, consult and write. We source, recruit, and retain. We are on-line, off-line and in print. 

The conference discussions were thought provoking and hum of the room was unmistakable. We were in motion, unsettled and inspired. The air was charged with possibility and passion and we are changing the way we do business.  Couldn't make it to the conference? Well, HR Happy Hour is bringing it to you with HR Happy Hour, Episode 18, Live From HRevolution.

Now that the conference is over, that challenge is to continue the conversation in our companies and communities. In my little corner of the world I am going to start by joining Recruiting Blogs, talk or meet with someone new from HRevolution, Twitter, or a blog commenter each week, and SEO optimize my website with the assistance of some yet to be identified SEO savvy person. My kid is my passion and there is a kid-writing-blogging-social media thing for me to do with her that I haven't quite figured out yet so I'll ponder that some.

But first, I unpack and rest up. What are you going to do to change the world today?