Excellent Participation in an Excellent Event… January 18, 2012

On Wednesday, January 18th, over 240 human resources professionals gathered at the 2012 San Diego SHRM Law Day program.  This year, in keeping with San Diego SHRM’s commitment to providing our members with the skills necessary to bring excellence to their workplace, we updated our program content and format to focus on delivering legal excellence within the workplace.  And, what an extraordinary day it was.  Not only did participants receive high value and high quality programming presented by the Rock Stars of San Diego’s employment attorneys-whereby all of the content presented can immediately be applied in my organization-we also had the opportunity to network with so many high quality HR practitioners.  I really did feel that I was at the HR equivalent of a Lady Gaga concert.  I believe that I saw a few little monster’s paws clawing during some of the day’s biggest hits.

The morning began with an exciting program which was designed around “lie to me”, focusing on the behaviors to observe and manage through challenging HR investigations.  As a practitioner who has been involved in HR data farming, or fact finding, initiatives for over 20 years, I received some tips on how to design and stage the room where the interview would take place which can greatly increase the likelihood of achieving the desired outcome.  Focusing on HR operations, I gained some insights on how to design the format of the interview.  Remembering my early days back in the dark ages before the Internet, when I was beginning my HR career, I know that attendees who are just now beginning their HR career received invaluable insight on how to script the interview.  All in all, the content appealed to all stages of a human resource practitioner’s career.

Then, I attended an exciting session where Mike Aitken, SHRM Global’s VP of Government Affairs, led us through the legislative and governmental challenges to the workplace that we are facing.  How scary that, today for the first time, lobbyists has a higher approval rating than Congress.  From Mike’s program, Key Federal HR Issues were identified:  tax & benefits issues; labor-management/civil rights issues; immigration reform & employment verification; workplace flexibility; healthcare reform.  In addition to SHRM’s work, done on our behalf, to educate Congress, San Diego SHRM and the California State Council of SHRM each have coordinated plans to engage and educate our elected officials on HR related topics at the state, local, and federal levels.

Those were just the morning sessions.  I won’t go on and on about each program, although I could (just ask me), so let me summarize my experience.  Throughout the day, and the subsequent programming I participated in, I gained insight and knowledge that I can immediately apply in the design of organizational strategy, execution of HR operations, and day to day human resource activities.  The value of my 2012 SD SHRM membership has already begun to paid for itself; and the year has only just begun.  As a result of my attendance at today’s program, I have expanded my knowledge and gained valuable contacts within San Diego’s HR community.

I hope to see you at one of our future programs or events, and if I happened to have seen you today, I know I will see you at a future program as we know the value of the programming San Diego SHRM is offering.  And, after all, we are the Rock Stars of HR.  And, if you’d like to ROCK the HR profession with us, check out volunteer opportunities with San Diego SHRM.  I was thrilled to hear about interest in volunteering from several of you at the conference today and hope that I will get to work, and learn, alongside of many of you in the year ahead.  ROCK ON brothers and sisters!

Get Ready! January 13, 2012

This week, the San Diego SHRM 2012 Board had its first meeting and we are off to a great start for the new year.  The Board is engaged, committed, curious, and eager to excel.  We promise to Rock the World of Work!

One of the great things about being a SD SHRM Board member is the ability to gain experience in, and exposure to, various organizational functions and skills.  Several years ago, when I applied to be on the Board (and was finally selected); I was offered a position what was not one of the ones I had applied for (VP, Treasurer).  I had received “A”s in Finance and Accounting courses in both undergraduate as well as in business school; I just didn’t want to train my mind to think differently.  After receiving the offer to serve, I asked for some time to think it through and spoke with the CFO at the Airport Authority about the opportunity being presented to me.  He told me that he oftentimes seeks out opportunities on volunteer Boards to stretch himself outside of his day to day proficiency so he seeks Board assignments such as personnel, governance, etc.  So, based on his sage advice, I decided to give it a try.

Now, years later, here I am participating in SD SHRM Finance Committee meetings, setting pricing strategy, developing financial models and linking these activities to the organization’s strategy.  What an incredible experience.  As I reflect upon the past Board meetings, and the one that is scheduled tomorrow where the Board will be developing our framework for achieving and maintaining high performance as a work group, I can’t help but be reminded of the incredible value that SHRM provides to me as a human resource professional.  Being a member of the largest human resource professional community in the world affords me opportunity.   I am privileged to be able to benefit from the wealth of information available on the SHRM website, but I also gain expertise and experience through my involvement at the local chapter level.

For 2012, the Board will ensure that we execute our strategy through delivering excellence to our members through consistent, relevant, value add programs and experiences.  We will have some hiccups as many of the activities we are planning are entirely new for 2012, so please bear with us as we learn and grow.  In the end we want to put a great big ding in San Diego’s HR community.  And, we can’t do it alone.  We will welcome your involvement and engagement as members of one of our various committees:  programs; education; communication; membership; workforce readiness; conference; or finance.  Send us an email at sdshrm@sdshrm.org to tell us of your interest. 

As we will learn from Colleen Barrett’s presentation on February 29^th, one of the foundational causes of Southwest Airline’s over 40 years of business success is their “warrior spirit”.  This is how Southwest describes their culture.   For 2012, SD SHRM’s culture will be Rocking the World of Work.  Get ready.  Your 2012 SD SHRM Board Rock Stars have already shown me that they’re ready….