by Katie Wattendorf
Archive
June 2018
A huge thank you to Rebecca Peters, SHRM, and CHCI for inviting me to #SHRM18! Fresh out of college, I am grateful for the opportunity to develop professionally and expand my network.
The 2018 Society for Human Resource Management Annual Conference & Exposition has concluded. and HR professionals are in equal parts exhausted and inspired as they digest knowledge and seek to share it in their native space.
On June 27, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Justin Constantine (@Constantine_Jus), veteran, inspirational speaker and newly SHRM-published author of "From We Will To At Will" about How to Go From Veteran-Friendly to Veteran-Ready.
Like most of the #SHRM18 attendees and bloggers I have a lot of thoughts to share with you all from the sessions I attended, but one has constantly been running through my mind since Wednesday.
What if you only had 48 hours to respond to the biggest opportunity of your lifetime?
Are you thinking about registering for #SHRM19 in Las Vegas? Maybe you already have and you are looking for some tips from a first-time attendee. I will provide you with a few helpful tips that made my first #SHRM conference a major success!
Plan on planning to make last minute changes
“Stop everything you’re doing. I need this in two hours.”
Q: For the last few months two of my employees have been constantly bickering about politics.
While most other employees were staying out of the discussion now more of them are getting dragged in, to the point that we now have a divided, tense work environment. I’m hesitant to get involved but I am concerned that the negativity is affecting productivity and morale.
The 2018 SHRM conference is over and as usual, after this type of experience I take time to review my notes and reflect on what I learned. The entire program was fantastic, including an array of keynotes, session speakers, a SMART stage and the opportunity to learn about leading edge HR products and services at the exposition hall.
I just wrapped my 7th SHRM Annual Conference, and my first as a member of the SHRM Blog Squad. This conference has stretched me more than any development event I have ever been to. And it wasn't the sessions, it wasn't the Smart Stage talks or the General Sessions that really made the most impact. Those were all great, don't get me wrong. But the most impactful thing for me was the connections that I made with my fellow attendees.
Understanding the business case for--and the business of--hiring veterans
I’m already missing the SHRM18 Conference in Chicago! So many great memories made and ideas for speaking, hopefully SHRM2020!
The conference provided me with so many opportunities for my job and my personal brand (Smirk). It always goes by way too fast, but the amount of knowledge and connections I’ve gained makes it worth every penny.
I spent 4 days and 4 nights in Chicago for the SHRM 18 conference, and in all that time I saw very little of Chicago. I didn’t see the bean, or Wrigley Field. I didn’t get to the House of Blues or eat a Chicago-style hot dog. I wouldn’t have even had a slice of deep dish pizza if it weren’t for fellow blogger Keith Enochs finding a place that delivered to the convention center so we could eat it in the blogger lounge.
#SHRM18 was my first national SHRM conference, and I cannot thank Mary Kaylor and SHRM enough for making attending possible for me! I had a wonderful time – the blogger lounge, seating area for the keynotes, food (& coffee <3), sessions, book store and expo floor were all top-notch. It exceeded my expectations to see everything so well done and all the details taken care of.
Here are 13 key takeaways from the 13 sessions I attended at the SHRM Annual Conference (#SHRM18) in Chicago.
My heart and mind are full of appreciation for what transpired over the last few days at the 2018 SHRM Annual Conference (#SHRM18). I have notes upon notes, tweets upon tweets, follow-ups upon follow-ups, and ideas upon ideas to work through. But I can’t get past one thing.
I’m incredibly grateful for my #SHRM18 experience.
What is one of the key HR lessons from Canada? A key learning is that the future is bright and in good hands. Check out this video of students from Mount Royal University, commenting on why they love HR, what HR means to them, and what they see for their future.
As SHRM18 wrapped up, I thought about the event by listening to music on my drive home. I heard an old song called “It’s Over” by Boz Scaggs, I thought that’s it, it’s my metaphor for an event wrap up. However, the song is really about a failed relationship so that didn’t really capture the moment.
I had the pleasure of attending Joe’s mega session on “How to be a better Business Partner.” For all of you who could not attend the session or the #SHRM18 Conference, below are some of the key takeaways from his session:
As SHRM18 winds down and 20,000 +/- HR professionals get ready to head home, it’s time to reflect a bit on what we saw, heard and learned during the conference.
As SHRM 2018 comes to a close I wanted to paraphrase some of the thoughts and tips from four very memorable speakers taking part in Chicago this year! I think these are great pointers to keep in the back of your mind as you head back to the office tomorrow!
Embrace Values Over Skills: Adam Grant, Professor at Wharton School of Business
For those who attended and those who wanted to (we hope you do next year!). Here is my quick recap of SHRM18.
First, what and who was Hot:
Adam Grant, the keynoter on Tuesday and guest host with Sheryl Sandberg on Wednesday. He rocked it with great insights and humbling commentary…and he earned a new fan with yours truly.
On June 20, @shrmnextchat chatted with Julie Dodd (@UltiJulie), Chief Services Officer for Ultimate Software about How to Build a People-First Culture.
If you missed this excellent chat, you can read all the tweets here:
The series continues...
Final day of SHRM18
Every attendee looks like a tire with less than a 32nd of an inch of tread left on it. Many in the same clothes as yesterday. Pack light and the fashionistas be damned.
You can see the “full” sign on the attendees’ foreheads having absorbed so much new HR knowledge (and old knowledge rekindled).
This year at SHRM18, podcasting continues to be a growth area in social media. Last year, there was one company making a serious effort to do podcasting. Caleb Masters, webinar and podcast producer/host of Paycom’s HR Break Room, was the one person I noticed doing this at SHRM17.
Civility usually is demonstrated through manners, courtesy, politeness, and a general awareness of the rights, wishes, concerns, and feelings of others. It includes the behavior that helps to preserve the norms for mutual respect at work and, given the current economic and political climate, it’s something we could all use more of.
Have you ever sat down and asked yourself why did you join SHRM? Was it originally because you wanted to grow as an HR pro or was it because you were looking for that next great opportunity?
Earlier this week, I had the honor of addressing the largest gathering of HR professionals in history at the 2018 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition. The record-breaking attendance in Chicago signals that our profession is serious about transforming and elevating the work we do and the workforces we serve.
There has never been a better moment to be in our business—the business of people.
“Early to rise. Not to bed. The motto of 15,000 HR professionals. I saw the streets of Wacker, Wabash, Rush, littered with the detritus of HR parties, SHRM badges and vendor business cards. Business cards. Interesting they still have a place in 2018. Like the land line, TV dinners and wrist watches they exist simply to remind us they did.
This year’s SHRM Annual Conference is a milestone. The team is estimating about 20,000 HR professionals, vendors, and miscellaneous other attendees have converged on Chicago for this year’s event. Attendees are here from around the world–I’ve already met delightful individuals from both Italy and India.
How many times have you had an employee in your office, frustrated and telling you in no uncertain terms that they can't work with a certain person on their team or in their office? They can tell you exactly what the other person does on an hour-to-hour basis that drives them absolutely crazy, and how it's a barrier to their success. And what do they want at the end of the day? That other person has to go.
This week, I am attending the SHRM National Conference in Chicago, where I am both speaking AND covering the event as part of the SHRM Blogging Group. Follow us on Twitter with #SHRM18 and #SHRM18Bloggers.
People and workplace issues are global and, increasingly, so is the business of HR. Around the world, workplace policy is increasingly influenced by governments, employers and workers at the international level. I just returned from the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland where I was a member of the delegation sent by the United States to develop a new United Nations (UN) convention on violence and harassment in the workplace.
In recent weeks there has been a renewed focus on mental health issues, especially in light of a couple of high-profile celebrity suicides. Professional athletes like Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers and other luminaries have also been forthright in talking about their own issues with mental health.
The initial 24 hours of the annual SHRM conference have reminded me of the importance of telling stories. Although a very good session was at 7:00 this morning that revolved around the purpose and methods of telling stories, this story revolves around the keynote sessions heard so far.
Day one of #SHRM18 there was happy greetings, pre-conference sessions with Jennifer McClure, the general session with Johnny Taylor and Jeb Bush, and lots of fantastic interactions in the Expo Hall.
Here are a few of the amazing people I met along the way, and what they are looking forward to at #SHRM18:
How are you taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves for growth?
Before I go off to my first National SHRM conference, I wanted to share an experience that no one should have.
“It was confusing. Crowded. Alien, yet familiar. I know I was here to document and observe but the indigenous HR people made it impossible to remain detached. I was a friend to all but yet had never been introduced to any.
What I had I gotten myself into?”
Every organization wants to be a best place to work. But what does it take to get there? Fortune writes, “A great place to work is one where employees trust the people they work with, have pride in the work they do, and enjoy the people they work with … and these same qualities—trust, pride, and camaraderie—also fuel business performance.”
SHRM18! It’s time to pack my bags and head for the airport. As part of the SHRM Blogging team, I’m looking forward to sharing my insights through the SHRM18 blog. I’m excited about meeting my #HRTribe #Nextchat #SHRMBloggers in real life. There are brunches, happy hours and photo opportunities in the works.
Twenty-nine. That is the number of pieces of mail I received from vendors in the lead up to the opening of SHRM18 in Chicago tomorrow.
SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., with the WFPMA leadership in Chicago. From left, Bob Morton, Peter Wilson, Leyla Nascimento and Jorge Jauregui.
We are what feels like seconds away from the SHRM18 Conference.
Reflecting on my career, I can attribute many of my “soft skills” to my parents. My father’s schooling ended after seventh grade, but he wanted his three girls to have access to quality education, and that education was reinforced at home.
The #SHRM18 Bloggers have already produced some excellent Q & A posts with many of the 2018 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition speakers and vendors.
To give you a peek behind the scenes, I've conducted some interviews with SHRM colleagues who work so diligently to create an amazing conference experience.
I am excited to shine a spotlight on Vanessa Hill from the SHRM Media Affairs team.
Jon & Wendy talk to #SHRM18 Blogger Jessica Miller-Merrell
We're joined by Jessica Miller-Merrell, founder of Workology. We talk about why she started #NotAtSHRM, fun things she has planned for conference, and Jessica and Jon connect over classic rock and marching band!
I had missed SHRM16 but had not missed blogging about why I thought large conclaves like the ones organized by SHRM are great social selling opportunities after reading about the power of social selling later that year.
The online revolution has changed the decision-making process for everything from what to eat for breakfast to where we apply for a job. In an age of radical transparency when information is just a few clicks away, a whole new HR discipline has come to the fore: employer branding.
OK, you’re in HR, so you should get this. You don’t continue to get return engagements unless you produce good work or a good product.
On June 13, @shrmnextchat chatted with Tim Sackett on The Talent Fix -- A Leader's Guide to Recruiting Great Talent.
In case you missed this excellent chat, you can read all the tweets here:
Sign up to receive SHRM party alerts and announcements by texting ‘SHRM’ to 55678
The countdown has started – we’re days away from #SHRM18!
Meet the #SHRM18 Bloggers – Jessica Miller-Merrell @jmillermerrell
Make BIG PLANS for #SHRM18.
Do not settle into your comfort zone. Do not chart a course for the familiar. Push yourself to see and experience something greater.
Media moments have made this request memorable again.
I have been graced to work with many incredible leaders who have modeled some excellent meeting strategies. I will credit Stephen Portch, then Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, with six important lessons about meetings:
It’s not too late! Register for the 3rd Annual Step Challenge and make your $10 suggested registration donation!
Someone challenged me to create a #SHRM18 conference playlist. Since I love music, and listen to lots of it – I said sure thing.
SHRM18 is coming, we are less than 100 days from boarding our planes or getting in our cars to travel to Chicago and embarking on a new year of networking and learning from the speakers and vendors during the conference.
The SHRM Annual Conference is right around the corner!
As a SHRM blogger, I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 SHRM conference that took place in New Orleans. It was my first time attending the conference and was by far the most amazing conference I had ever been to. As many of you are attending the upcoming 2018 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition for the first time, I decided to share a few tips for first time attendees.
I have been in the game so long that I often choose to hear speakers and don’t really give topics much consideration, because I know who is good and who delivers the goods.
The 2018 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition is right around the corner and one of the most exciting parts of the confernece is the Exposition Hall and all of the workplace and workforce solutions that will be on display for HR.
Attention employers: According to surveys, a financial wellness program is the number one additional benefit employees want. Not many employees feel financially confident and they crave guidance. You know who’s especially in the dark? Young employees.
If there’s two topics HR professionals handle on a near daily basis, and ones that I consider necessities of the role; it’s having good communications skills, and successfully managing a performance review program.
With less than 1 week until SHRM18 I realised there was an amazing #NextChat on Twitter that I missed that would make a great share in anticipation of the conference.
(A ‘tweetchat’ for the uninitiated, is basically an hour or so of open, collaborative discussion over Twitter, using a specific hashtag.)
This will be my last blog before SHRM18. I wanted to share my experience with Diversity Stride 2018:
Last week, two celebrities took their lives, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. To be more specific, they committed suicide.
It is important to say the word “suicide” because many media reports, at least initially, did not. There is still, for some, discomfort with mental health issues in general and suicide in particular.
Attention People … We are officially 9 Days from SHRM18!!!!!!!!!
“Use these days in Chicago to build your career, invest in yourself, its more than a party, much more than a networking event, hold us accountable for ensuring that you have a meaningful experience” these are some of SHRM’s CEO, Johnny C Taylor Jr.’s words from an encouraging Facebook live chat, that was held for the SHRM18 bloggers by Andrew Morton.
I’ve known Lyle Hanna for most of the 20 years that I have been a card-carrying SHRM member. He has been such an inspiration to me, especially for his volunteer work with the SHRM Foundation. Lyle has had a long glorious career in Human Resources that spans almost 40 years. He must have been a teenager when he started in HR!
So people keep asking me this question: "Why am I geeked about #SHRM18?"
Here's what on top of my mind now as I'm preparing for my fifth time at a SHRM Annual Conference.
On June 6, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Amanda Brunson, MHR, SHRM-CP, HR generalist at R W Block Consulting, Inc.
We're joined by SHRM18 Blogger Mary Williams, Vice President of Operations and Human Resources with Clear Digital Media/ClearSounds Communications in Naperville, IL. We talk about Mary's experience as a "Department of One" and Jon pulls a connection to her favorite TV show.
Mary's recommendations:
Meet the #SHRM18 Bloggers – Paula Harvey @Paula4Harvey
Today's guest is Paula Harvey, , MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, GPHR, ASC is the VP of Human Resources & Safety for Schulte Building Systems in Hockley, TX.
A positive workplace culture can make all the difference.
But what if your organization isn’t quite there yet? What if you are working within a culture of incivility, one that tolerates bullying? What are you up against?
I am excited to hear Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, speak later this month at SHRM’s Annual Conference & Exposition in Chicago.
So here is a last stab at maximizing your 2018 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition experience. Today’s post is about maximizing time at the exposition hall and after hours.
Young HR professionals—whether they’re newly minted college graduates or a few years into their first job—don’t have a lot of experience with writing a professional resume. They often rely on trusted professional contacts in HR for tips and advice on selling themselves through their resume in order to get a foot in the door.
Not long ago, I was training a group of leaders on effective presentation, communication, and storytelling skills. While I conveyed the finer points of elocution, a participant raised a question.
“Are you trying to turn me into James Earl Jones?”
The SHRM Annual Conference is right around the corner!