I started my own blog in 2006. Kris Dunn somehow found it and liked some of the things I wrote. About a year later, he called me and introduced himself, gave me the 411 on a new blog he was building with Jessica Lee, and asked if I was interested in providing content. He described it as an HR-focused …
If I Were Looking for an HR Pro I’d Recruit Teachers
Disruption sucks. We’re in the middle of arguably the most disruptive period in 50 years for business. While some might counter with the advent of the internet as the biggest disruption, I’d mention that change happened over the course of a decade. We had time to watch it unfold. We say things happen in internet time. Everything, except the adoption …
12 Karmic Laws of HR
I’ll be honest. The world scares me right now. I feel like we devolved into a global Lord of the Flies Netflix series that, like The Walking Dead, won’t end but just keeps mayhem on infinite repeat. It’s draining and exhausting. I know you feel it too. I also think many of us are starting to look inward to find …
Today’s HR – The Rise of the Polymath
Please. Go look it up. Kidding. A polymath is an individual whose knowledge spans a significant number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. The Good Old Days There was a time in HR when the list of things you had to know was fairly short. Maybe a law or two related to …
Why do Great Managers Matter? A Statistical Lesson
My Bachelor degree is in statistics. Actually “Quantitative Business Analysis,” which is fancy for statistics. I loved the idea of using math to “predict” outcomes and prove hypotheses. My senior paper attempted to use a variety of statistical methods to predict the outcome of football games. I’m still not retired, so you can judge how well that analysis worked. Got …
For Better HR – Quit Learning About HR
I think the best thing you can do for a career, and for a life for that matter, is read as much as you can. And not just tweets and shampoo bottles in the bathroom. I mean good blogs, well-documented articles, top writers on Medium. And read outside your domain. Wide and far is my motto. Exposure to new ideas …
Would You Be Happy With No HR?
Today, if twitter is to be believed, (and there are many whom attribute gospel-like reverence to it) HR is focused on talent, technology and turnover. Throw in an employee experience or two and you’ve got the top 5 “issues” HR needs to address. I have orbited HR for over 15 years, and if I step into the wayback machine, 15 …
Artifacts of Culture or “What’s in the BOX!”
Company culture. The go-to excuse or ultimate reason for everything good or bad that happens at a company. It’s never the people – it’s the culture. It enables idiots and sinners. It encourages geniuses and visionaries. It is what makes each company different and unique. It’s also what everyone shares, making us the same. It is the ultimate paradox. It is both good and bad. It is common while still being individual. It allows you to mold it while …
Should We Retire the Term “Full-Time” Position?
As I survey the employee/employer relationship landscape, I really never see a great story. Oh, sure, there are good “anecdotes” here and there of some company (typically privately held, startup-mentality, uber-cool) doing something unique and interesting enough to get into INC and Forbes. These stories are the bloody chum consultants tweet, retweet, post and build models around (until the next …
What Happens When What You Know Ain’t So?
How often do you challenge your assumptions? You know, those things that form the bedrock of your opinions, beliefs and decision making. Do you ever ask yourself if what you think you know, is really so? You should. My experience has been that many poor decisions and failed concepts can be traced back to believing some key fact or piece …