Look I get it – I’ve had to train in large organizations – you are constantly challenged by teaching to the lowest knowledge level in the room. So, I understand the major hurdles that a large international organization like SHRM goes through in setting up content for their annual conference. Put on top of that the demographics of their membership, of which I’m one, and they soon become that family restaurant down the street that no one admits they go to, but everyone seems to know the menu – the menu that has 5 pages and serves everything – all of which tastes like it came out of the fryer – even the spaghetti and prime rib and the wet burrito and the stir fry and the pancakes – you get the point. So, when I was preparing to go to SHRM and deciding on what sessions to attend – my very first impression was “seems like I’ve been here and done this before” – my next impression was “why does 90% of presenters have either consultant or speaker as their title?” where have all the real HR Pros gone?
So, here’s a quick list of what I wished I’d learned at SHRM 2010:
- Clearly 2010 was the year of the iPad in the HR Vendor giveaway category – but no one could tell what the giveaway would be for 2011. With all those smart CEO’s of HR Vendors just waiting to speak to me – none had that answer – Hmm?
- Career Builder and Monster – 2 huge parties – my budget is almost equal to both – both in the over $20K category for purchases. I got one invite – thank you Monster – even when I’ve blogged and publicly tweeted, etc. about how Career Builder had the better party each year at SHRM. I even broke down and asked for an invite – to no avail. What I wished I learned? – Who will get more of my money next year? Oh wait, I think I answered that. Before you think – “Tim, how can you be that shallow?” Ask yourself, why do they have the parties to begin with? To get my money right!?
- I also wish I could learn why every piece of learning conveniently fits into 1 hour and 15 minutes, with a small commercial at the end. Unless you’re senior level – then it takes 2 hours. I just don’t understand the math.
- Why is it SHRM can’t find actual working HR/Talent/OD Pros to present for the majority of these seminars? Do I really want to hear about recruiting best practices from a person who hasn’t recruited or even worked in a “personnel” department in 20-30 years?
- How much free (crap) Swag can a middle aged female HR Pro gather in two days? Oh wait – I think I learned that one as well…
- Who will be next year’s concert entertainment (since this year we had Hall & Oates – with much complaining from GenY and cool crowd – sorry, I’m not cool or GenY, I went to the concert and sang along to Sara, Smile…)? Being in Vegas, and being that SHRM’s core audience is 43 year old white females – I’m going with Journey or maybe REO Speedwagon or some other group whose last popular single was 20+ years ago.
- What color and type of underwear did Punk Rock HR, Laurie Ruettimann wear to SHRM 2010 – Ah, yes – I knew this one as well – http://tweetphoto.com/28696565 TMI Laurie!
- In defense of the haters about the lack of true HR Pros speaking at SHRM: HR/Recruiting Guru @GerryCrispin did corner me and ask “Well, why the hell didn’t you put in to speak, instead of some of these other people they have?” Great question from Gerry, in which I replied “You, know – you have to apply a year in advance.” In which he replied “so, you can’t think a year in advance!” In a nut shell – the essence of my career opportunity area – thanks for pointing it out Gerry!
Quick Idea: for all the HR Vendors on how to do the SHRM Expo better next year: 1. Get booth with some comfy chairs/couches and wifi access. 2. Get one of those big frozen margarita machines (it’s Vegas next year – so alcohol is welcome 24/7). 3. Let me come in, sit down, catch up on email and relax. 4. Come over and offer me a drink. 5. Sit down, introduce yourself and let’s talk. The Expo has gotten so big – I think it can actually suck the life out of you if you stay in there too long. Be an oasis of calm in a sea of crazy!
Tim – good stuff, sorry I missed walking around with you – maybe in Vegas….
PS – answer your own question – why are the speaking spots not majority held by practitioners? I think I know the answer, but it’s your post – so you go first…
KD
KD -
Gerry Crispin and I had this conversation while we were there and here are a few reasons I think Practitioners don’t speak at SHRM:
1. Process to speak is a year in advance – most HR Pros are fighting fires daily and it just doesn’t come to mind to fill out a form to speak a year from now. Plus don’t have the “past” experience necessary to make it thru the SHRM vetting process. Maybe a good idea for SHRM would be to have Practitioner Track – where so many spots are only given to active HR Pros to speak – at least you’d know what you’re getting.
2. Unless your “in” the speaking circuit – you really don’t know how to become involved. I didn’t get started until someone invited me to speak – I thought that was how it worked – it doesn’t.
3. The majority of HR Pros I knwo – great HR Practitioners – would be afraid to speak in front of a large audience – it’s a very small percentage that would – then even a smaller percent that would actually have something wise to say and be entertaining. My guess is about .01% of HR Pros could be successful speaking – but that still leaves thousands that aren’t putting in to speak.
4. There is a WIIFM issue – HR Pros struggle to see the greater value for them is engaging in their pratice of HR and becoming more involved. The Speakers and HR Vendors who do speak clearly have the WIIFM answered – and it’s why they come in droves to present.
5. The majority of people don’t think what they have to say is important – that’s just a fact – and it holds people back. Some of my best learning at conferences come in one-off’s with a fellow HR Pro that is very talented but would never put their ideas out to the masses.
6. No recruitment committee by SHRM to go out and get top HR Practitioners to speak. You and I both have been invited to speak at a number of events – and once invited it’s very hard to turn down.
I’m sure there are more – but this catches most the reasons why I think practitioners don’t speak at SHRM.
T
Everything you need to know. I would love to present, but I lack some of the prerequisites a year out. I will have them by next year, but SHRM wants them now!
Sugegstion to SHRM: open up some slots for newbie presenter/practitioners who actually have meaningful #trenchhr #greatHR stuff to say!
http://shrmcfp.appspot.com/conference.html?conference=11ANN
You are invited to submit a response to this Call for Presentations to be considered in the speaker applicant pool for the SHRM 2011 Annual Conference. Submissions for this conference are accepted February 1, 2010 through July 9, 2010. Decisions will be mailed to proposed speakers by November 30th, 2010.
Call for Presentations must be submitted no later than July 9, 2010.
EACH CONCURRENT SESSION WILL LAST 75 MINUTES
EACH PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOP WILL LAST 4 or 8 HOURS
PROPOSAL REVIEW- All proposals will be reviewed by the Selection Committee. Final selections will be made by the conference program organizers from those proposals accepted. We have a strong preference for single speaker presentations. Co-presentations or panels are discouraged. Notification on the status of submission will be mailed no later than November 30, 2010 directly to the speaker. If you are submitting a proposal on behalf of someone else, please check with him or her regarding receipt of the decision.
A NOTE CONCERNING HONORARIA – SHRM has a tradition of using educational conference sessions as a platform for innovation in the field of human resource management. We look for contributors who are willing to share their expertise without expectation of payment in the spirit of networking, a purpose for which the Society was founded.
PROGRAMMING – The educational programs will be based upon the framework of the SHRM issues management program, the HR competency model and reflect major socioeconomic trends shaping the workplace within the next 3-5 years. Conference tracks guide the programming framework. Alternative views and counterpoint issues are welcomed, particularly when lessons learned from first-hand experience are offered as models/examples. The annual conference committee may combine or eliminate a conference track at later stages of conference planning. However, this will not affect the selection process. The session topics listed in this document are only suggestions. Other topics will be considered.
Suggested Topics for SHRM Annual Conference
ADA Compliance
Affect of Supreme Court Laws on the Workplace
Affirmative Action Compliance
Aligning HR to Global Business Goals
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Avoiding Personal Liability
Background Checks/Investigations
Best Practices in HR
Blending e-HR with Traditional Approaches for Global Success
Branding
Business Continuity
Business Literacy
Business Sustainability
Career Development
Change Management
Changing Labor Pool Demographics
Civil Rights Compliance
Communicating with Expatriates – Latest Innovations
Communication Strategies
Compensation Philosophy and Pay Policies
Conflict Management
Conflict Resolution
Corporate Social Responsibility
Critical Regional HR issues
Cultural Adaptability in Expatriate Selection
Cultural Challenges in Managing Global Project Teams
Developing a Global Mindset within Organizations
Direct Pay Systems
Disaster Preparedness & Recovery
Diversity
EEOC Compliance
e-HR Strategies and Global Business Competitiveness
Electronic Recruiting/Web-Based Recruiting
Emerging Issues/Trends in HR
Emerging Issues/Trends in Technology
Emerging Leadership Theory & Application
Emerging Management Practices
Employee Benefits
Employee Handbooks
Employee Relations
Employer of Choice
Employment Laws
Employment Legislation Issues in the European Union
Establishing a Presence in New Countries
Ethics
Executive Compensation
Expatriate Assignment Cost Containment
Expatriate Career Management Programs
Extending Management Development Programs Globally
Family-Friendly Initiatives
Financial Management
Flexible Work Policies and Practices
FLSA Compliance / Wage & Hour Issues
FMLA Compliance
Global Benefits Challenges/Issues
Global Communication Trends
Global Compensation Challenges
Global Duty of Care
Global HR Branding
Global HR Ethical Issues
Global HR Organizations – Decentralize, Centralize, or Outsource
Global HR Strategy
Global HR’s Impact on Emerging Economies
Global Labor Relations Issues – Compliance and the Role of Corporate HR
Global Organizational Effectiveness and Talent Development
Global Outsourcing
Global Performance Appraisal Systems
Global Performance Management – Issues and Best Practices
Global Recruiting – Best Practices
Global Succession Planning
Global Supply and Value Chain Management and HR’s Role
Global Talent Acquisition and Mobility
Global Team Management
Global Training Issues
Globalization of the Leadership Pipeline
Health Care Costs – How to Control
Health, Safety & Security
HR as a Business Partner
HR as Internal Consultant
HR Career Progression
HR Challenges for Foreign Owned Multinationals in the U.S.
HR Competencies
HR Issues in E-commerce Organizations
HR’s Return on Investment
Human Capital Asset Management
Identity Theft – How to Protect Employees
Immigration Issues – U.S. and worldwide
Incentive Compensation Systems
Intercultural Communications
International Assignment Management
International Benefits
International Compensation
International HR Compliance on Government Funded Contracts & Projects
International Recruiting and Retention
Key HR Legislation (Canada, China, European Union, India, United Kingdom, United States)
Labor Relations
Leadership Skills
Linking Development, Performance and Rewards
Major Asian multinationals HR practices
Major European Multinationals HR practices
Major South American HR issues
Managing a Virtual Workforce
Managing Business & Employees in Hostile Countries
Managing Business & Employees through Economic Crises
Managing Global Incentive Plans – Cash and Long Term
Mandated Benefits in Various Countries (Canada, China, European Union, India, United Kingdom, United States)
Measuring Team Performance
Mentoring
Mergers, Divestitures and Acquisitions
Metrics and Measurement of HR
Military Leaves of Absence
Negligent Hiring
Negotiating Your Salary and Total Compensation
Negotiation Skills
Non-financial Reward Systems
Organizational Development
Other Regulatory Compliance Issues
Outsourcing Basics
Outsourcing Strategy
Performance Management
Pre-employment Testing
Presentation Skills – Oral and Written
Privacy Issues
Productivity/Workflow Issues
Project Management
Recruiting for the Workforce of the Future
Recruiting Fundamentals
Recruiting Strategies
Reengineering Expatriate Programs to Meet Challenges of Gobalization
Re-engineering HR for Competitive Advantage
Reference Checking
Researching and Reporting HR Data
Resume Fraud and/or Fraudulent Misrepresentation
Retention Strategies
Retirement – Compliance Issues
Retirement Plan Funding
Retirement Plans
Role of HQ in Local Compensation Programs
Safeguarding Retirement
Selecting and Attracting Key Local Executives
Selection Criteria for Expatriate Employees
Selection Interviewing
Setting up Regional Centers of Excellence for HR Service Delivery
Sexual Harassment
Solutions to the High Cost and Problems of Expatriate Transfers
Staffing Strategies
Strategic Management Issues
Strategies for Employing Older Workers
Succession Planning
Tax Effective Compensation Plans for Key Locals
Tax Planning to Reduce Expatriate Costs
Technology – HRIS
Technology & HR
Total Compensation
Training – ROI
Training and Development – Best Practices
Virtual Work Arrangements – A Global Fit?
Wellness Programs – Best Practices
Work Life Balance
Workers’ Compensation
Workforce Reductions
Workplace Management Issues
Workplace Violence
Worldwide Employment and Termination Legislation Issues
Wrongful Termination/Discharge
Practical Application – Sessions conducted by practitioners that include practical, immediately applicable work tools, will be given preference. SHRM seeks presentations that will provide our attendees with information that will improve their effectiveness on the job.
Proven Speaking Ability – SHRM seeks experienced presenters with proven speaking ability. Those with a track record of speaking at large, national conferences will be given preference.
Instructions for Submitting a Presentation Proposal
Complete the following Call for Presentation form with all the information requested.
Review for completeness and accuracy.
Include proof of performance. The ONLY accepted forms of proof of performance are video recordings and/or evaluation summaries from a program the speaker has previously presented. Letters of recommendation, phone numbers, marketing brochures, books and articles DO NOT qualify as proof of performance. Because of the large number of proposals we receive and competition for a limited number of speaking slots is fierce, proposals sent without proof of performance are incomplete and will not be considered as part of the selection pool.
Once you submit the proposal, you will receive a screen shot with details regarding where to mail proof of performance as applicable.
and…
i’ll add in that i think corporate HR practitioners rarely work with their PR or marketing folks (or vice versa actually) to position themselves externally as “thought leaders” via conferences, as a source for reporters/journalists, etc – because the value isn’t as tangible to them. thought leadership for an HR pro has the potential to build up your employment brand, to increase the cred of the HR function externally which i think ends up trickling internally… but i’m not sure most are willing to take the time to do it or see it as an avenue to do that.
who’s the onus on? i think it falls on, for the most part, SHRM actually. if they know what’s best for their membership, then i think it’s a matter of plucking practitioners to come and speak, developing a practitioner track… it’s a development issue for the membership and i believe they should approach it that way.
okay, done with my rant.
Tim: Absolutely love this blog post. It made me feel as though I was there – or had been there – or some sort of deja vu. Your list of ideas is exhaustive and wonderful. Should be used and shared by all state SHRM chapters. Motivated me to get working on submitting to be a speaker too! Thanks for making me chuckle (again) today! (Lori)
Tim, speaker proposals are due ASAP. July 9th, I think. You can talk to @stelzner and he has the process down cold, I think.
The issue for me on speaking is two-fold: they don’t pay their concurrent session speakers, and I have nothing to sell to justify the time/expense. Last year, I spoke at the first social media panel. This year, I spoke to students and SHRM volunteers. My expenses were covered. Those endeavors makes more sense for me than running a concurrent session on social HR practices and trying to determine my ROI. Speaking to volunteers & students? Personal satisfaction of doing charitable work. Speaking to practitioner/attendees with a hangover and too much swag in their roller bags? I dunno, dude. Not for me.
PS – You know most of those HR ladies rocked the comfy underwear. Signature HR attire, yo. Just like the french manicure and Coach bags.
JLee – I do agree with you, being a SHRM Member and SPHR since 01 – it would be nice to see a development track for practitioner speakers – but its a big organization and something we see is as simple change – causes major problems up stream for them.
Lori – Thanks for the kind words
Punk Rock – You know those cat loving HR ladies would be lined up around the block to hear you speak about what needs to change in HR!