The New CEO of SHRM... 2011 Version...

In a sure sign of how I'm feeling these days, I was going to offer no comments related to the new CEO of SHRM.  There were a few things that stuck out to me, sure, but it seemed kind of pointless to wax poetic about the shortcomings of the search and the ultimate candidate who landed in the job.

I changed my mind, mainly due to the group called the SHRM Members for Transparency putting out a press release on their view.

For those of you unaware, Hank Jackson, CPA, is your new SHRM CEO.

Don't care?  I get it.

Come back when you have something interesting to talk about, Kris?  Will do.

Anyway, I'm moved to write about this today because, as a SHRM member, I should care about who the next CEO is.  When I saw the news and explored the background of Jackson, I had some concerns, most of which are outlined in a couple of the memo points I received from SHRM Members for Transparancy:

1. Since last July, SHRM’s website has made reference to the SHRM CEO search being conducted by Korn-Ferry, a major executive search firm.  What does this say about our Society when the Board and Korn-Ferry cannot find a human resource professional to serve as CEO out of one-quarter million SHRM members?

2. However, the most serious concern expressed by many members is that for the first time in the Society’s history, the Chief Executive Staff Officer will not be a human resource management professional.

Those would be my two big questions.  Jackson was the SHRM CFO and is obviously a Finance professional.  What the...

So, start with that, and then ask yourself the next question.  You hired a CFO as the leader of SHRM, and paid Korn-Ferry a retainer to find the next great SHRM leader and you came up with your own CFO...who was already in your organization..  Interesting.

Here's a tip for the kids.  Before you pay a retainer, look around the table and say, "Is there anyone here we might hire before we elect to engage a high-end retained search firm?".  Might save the org 100K.

I've reported directly to a CFO in my career and it worked well for me as a VP of HR, so I get there's value in a good CFO.  But to run the premiere HR membership organization in America?

Hello?  Wouldn't you have gotten all those services from him if he remained CFO and you... wait for it... went and found a dynamic HR Leader to come in to lead the profession you're servicing with your non-profit HR organization?

I get it.  No one cares.  We now return you to regularly scheduled programming.

From SHRM member 453***...

Is SHRM Selling Data Members Provided - Back to Members? At Premium Prices?

Remember - I'm a SHRM member and don't see that changing anytime soon.

But, I haven't been to the site for awhile.  You know what I'd like to go there for?  I'd like to go there for a great understanding of where I stand with Employee Turnover related to my industry peers and other sectors as well.  I'd like to do the same with other metrics.

I know SHRM can do this.  Wait - it's available!  

Wait - apparently I need to fork up $395 to get the data - data that was likely collected directly from members.  

I got an email pitching me on the quality of Turnover Data and related metrics (140 of them) yesterday.  I went to the website and here's what they're pitching:

"Our customized benchmarking reports tackle more than 140 metrics in three critical areas (click for samples): human capital, health care, and retirement and welfare. And if you need granularity, we’ve got it. Customize your data by workforce size, industry, geography, profit level, or any number of key criteria.

When it comes to crucial decisions involving cost-per-hire, turnover rates, employer health-care contributions, 401K participation and more — you can’t afford to make uninformed guesses. Fortunately, you can afford the reliable and timely data provided by SHRM Benchmarking.

Unlike other services that charge literally thousands for their data, our reports start at a budget-friendly member price of only $395. As an added value, you can earn up to 20 PHR/SPHR recertification credits by incorporating SHRM data into your job duties."

I'm all for capitalism - thus the name of my blog site.  However, SHRM doesn't exist to be solely capitalist - they exist to serve the membership.

So, let me get this straight:  SHRM Members obviously provide most of the data.  SHRM trades on its name and position as the HR organization of choice to get free participation from others.  

Then they charge members for the database (2-3 times the cost of a membership), and also tweak you by providing free recert credits to anyone who buys.

I love that type of play for any "for-profit" organization.  I like it less for a non-profit organization where I haven't signed in to the website in.... I can't tell you when.

Thanks for the offer SHRM.  I think I'll pass.  But it's a good reminder of what I get for my money.

 

HR Florida (#shrmfl) - It's Like the Breakfast Club, without Emilio Estevez...

The real value of attending conferences often isn't the content of the sessions, it's talking to the talent attending.  The HR Florida show, while having great content, is no exception. 

I've had at least 5 or 6 extended conversations with really strong HR pros and businesspeople I never would have had a chance to know (who knows where those connections lead, I learned a lot from just talking to them), met the entire team of volunteers that runs the HR Florida Show (one of the best conference groups I've seen) as well as connecting with the attendees of the sessions I helped lead.

Nice.  Really the reason you keep attending shows like this, right?

Right...Then there's the "Breakfast Club", a rag-tag bunch of industry bloggers attending the show pictured below.

A motley crew at best.  That's me in the striped shirt, with Michael Long (the Red Recruiter) next to me, Jessica Lee (Fistful of Talent) in the jacket next to him, Laurie Ruettimann (Punk Rock HR) in the Chuck Taylors next to them, and Michael VanDervort (the Human Race Horses) breaking all kinds of hotel rules and sitting on the molding.

A great bunch of writers and people to get to know.  Thanks for the community guys!  I saw the picture and couldn't help but think of the Breakfast Club with VanDervort sitting up on the ledge and Chuck Taylors in the picture.

I'll Blog, then she'll blog, it'll be ANARCHY....

My #SHRM09 Wrap-up...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....

How's that for a cliché to lead the wrap?  Because, that's all I got...

SHRM09 in New Orleans was good.  Like most of my blogging peers, I'm thrilled to see China Gorman lead the charge regarding opening up the organization to social media, both for coverage for the convention, and overall as part of their business.  It WAS GREAT to meet all the folks I've followed for so long in the HR Blogging world, and the talent is too numerous to mention individually.  If you were at the tweetup (a meeting for twitter users at a conference) or the conference as a blogger or a tweeter, consider yourself included.  If you weren't there, I hope to meet you soon.

So, the social media thing is great...  Still, I wonder if all the buzz around the HR blogging community is 100 people out of 250K congratulating themselves and SHRM, while the other 7,000 attendees of the conference float without a similar anchor community.

Is anyone else listening?  

SHRM is a big organization.  It has to try and be everything to everyone because it takes all comers, as it should, as THE membership organization for the industry.  Mark Stelzner did a good job outlining the career levels and their reactions to the SHRM experience, so check out his wrap-up here.

So, the biggest issue SHRM has is their size.  For me, I don't want employment law out of the SHRM conference because I read enough to get that on my own.  I want the intersection of business and talent. More importantly, I want to figure out who the 300 people are at the SHRM Convention who are energized by the same mix, and I want to meet them.

At the conference - in real time. 

That's the secret sauce moving forward for SHRM.  People walk away from SHRM because they feel it doesn't serve their individual needs.  A bunch of bloggers and tweeters got together at SHRM and discovered a powerful community.  That's cool, but not the reality for the rest of the membership...

What can SHRM do to create similar communities in 50 other niche areas?  That's the segmentation riddle that SHRM has to solve, and it's not easy.  Social media can enable some parts of those prospective communities, but it's not the silver bullet.

The social media aspect to SHRM09 showed the power of the niche community within SHRM, and as a result, I'm more aligned with SHRM than I've been for some time.

Can they accomplish the same feeling across 250K members?  That's the opportunity, as well as the daunting task.

Good luck, SHRM.  I'm pulling for you as a result of the conference.

SHRM09 Interview - China Gorman On the State of the SHRM National Conference...

True story - I'm getting ready to talk to China Gorman (SHRM COO) on Tuesday at the SHRM National Conference, and a Caucasian dude walks up to China and rips off something like this:

什么是伟大的一天!

China said something back in the same language.  Then the dude ripped off something like this:

真实的故事-我正准备跟中国戈尔曼（人力资源管理学会首席运营官）周二在人力资源管理学会全国会议，并猪头各界高达中国和列了这样的!!!

At which point China indicated she didn't speak the language.

So the guy points out her nametag and says words to the effect of "But your name is China, so I...."

Awkward silence.  The guy was dead serious.  Dude, If you're reading this today, you were a super nice guy, but I had to share that story... Duuuuuuude....

ANYWAY, since this was the first SHRM conference I've attended in awhile, I thought I would sit down with China and talk about the state of the Annual SHRM Conference.  The video of our conversation is below and the topics include:

1.  WARMUP - what were China's favorite moments at the SHRM conference in New Orleans?

2.  Welch and Kotter - Those were the two hot speakers this year, how does SHRM intend to keep the business/HR flow going in future years? 

3.  Dave Ramsey - What happened?  Why were so many attendees talking smack?

4.  Why aren't there more pure HR practitioners presenting at the show?

5.  What are the toughest issues SHRM faces in providing a great experience to HR practitioners in the field?

6.  SOFTBALL: What's China's favorite Sheryl Crow song?

7.  Next Year's Music: Can I get a he** yeah for AC/DC?  Or since it's in San Diego, how about some local flavor with a little Blink-182?

Take a look.  Thanks to SHRM for having the HR Capitalist and Fistful of Talent teams out to cover the show.  A trip worth taking...

KD + China Gorman from Fistful of Talent on Vimeo.

Capitalist Note - I knew as soon as I said it that AC/DC formed in Australia, but I'm steeped in the band's European history, like the fact that Bon Scott died in London... I'm a little surprised that China didn't correct me on that one... Anyway, it'll be good to see the boys in San Diego.  You want a band from down under?  Go find the lead singer from Men at Work...

A Blogging Panel at SHRM Mean's It's Time for the Jerry Springer Show...

Capitalist Note: I'm on the scene at the SHRM 2009 National Conference in New Orleans.  So the news is all-SHRM, all the time.  I might bash the organization many love to hate or hug it out with the organization people rely on for cheap access to Sheryl Crow with Convention Center sound quality.  I'm tricky like that....

Oh yeah... It's almost time for the blogger's panel at SHRM today (11:30 Central).. Which can only mean one thing:

"Let's get ready to Rumbleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"!

The session name for our event, officially cleaned up by the SHRM marketing team, is "HR Bloggers:  Who are these people and why should I care?"

It should read: "The HR Bloggers: Damn, There Are a Lot of Type A's on that Stage...Is There Enough Oxygen?"

Consider the cast:

Laurie Ruettimann -   Former corporate HR, now Punk Rock HR.  Go read the site.  If she decides to bring the "A" game with snark, it could get ugly early.  She can turn on the charm or the punk...  It's the difference between a corporate retreat or the Springer show referenced in the title.

Jessica Lee - Editor of Fistful of Talent, HR practitioner and sole gal at Jessica Lee Writes.  Once made an FOT staffer cry with her quality demands.  "I don't care how you make it happen, just make it brilliant in 600 words or less".  If I've heard that once, I've heard it 1,000 times around the FOT office.  Can turnover problems at Fistful be far behind?  Am I going to have to return to run the show like Steve Jobs?

Lance Haun - He's Your HR Guy, he's my HR guy.  Met him for the first time at the conference, GREAT guy.  I'm thinking he's capable of a brutal sneak attack as a result.  I've got my eye on him for that reason alone... You're not fooling anyone with that, "Hey, I'm a nice guy.. What's the Trailblazers score?" act, Lance....  I'm onto you brother...

Kris Dunn - That's me, KD, in the city surrounded by the sea.  True story, I was out to dinner with some industry friends on Monday and they informed me that the movie that most typified my personality was "Up", which I'm thinking is a kid's movie about hope, imagination, etc.  I thought I was more sinister than that, which means I'm going to have to prove it to the world.  I'll be hyped up like the Eminem wannabe you see on Springer in the sleeveless T with 3 Red Bulls in his system.

So that's your lineup.  What could go wrong?  I'm going to suggest we start the session with a nice game of musical chairs just to get the blood going a bit...

The only thing that will keep this thing between the ditches? The panel will be live-streamed to anyone who wants it and will also be video-archived for the rest of history...

PS - check back here around game time at 11:30 Central today.  I'll have a post up with the live stream...

SHRM09 - 3 Reasons Why "SHRM Connect" Will Rock... And 3 Reasons It Will Die a Death That Involves Twitching...

Capitalist Note: I'm on the scene at the SHRM 2009 National Conference in New Orleans.  So the news is all-SHRM, all the time.  I might bash the organization many love to hate or hug it out with the organization people rely on for cheap access to Sheryl Crow with Convention Center sound quality.  I'm tricky like that....

So SHRM Connect is out in beta form....  For those of you that have no clue, SHRM Connect is the social networking play from SHRM, the pure HR play/answer to Facebook, RecruitingBlogs.com, or every other Ning network you've ever subscribed to.

I took a spin.  It's either going to be huge or die a slow death inside the walls of SHRM.  With that in mind, here are the 3 Reasons why SHRM Connect may be a great success at SHRM:

1. SHRM's a battleship, and nobody brings the scale that SHRM does to the table.  250K in auto-generated accounts will do that for you (every active member of SHRM has an account waiting for them, they just have to claim it)....Again, that's a quarter of a million members to the social network IF they sign in...

2. SHRM's the training wheels for those who haven't experienced social media.  Somebody tweeted the question "what % of HR Pros at SHRM are using social media?" on Monday.  Same person guessed 25%.  Take the personal facebook account out of the mix, and I'm guessing 10% would be a kind answer to this question.  SHRM solves the "social networking sure looks scary" objection that HR pros have regarding social media by providing a controlled social media experience that the more conservative HR pro might actually try. 

3. If they're smart, SHRM can work on a technology backbone that would customize the user experience for the member in question.  You're a comp pro?  Great, because on the side of your personalized page, we're serving up compensation content and also telling who you should connect with that shares your background.  Boom! They could make it a pretty strong community with the right customization, one that would be tough to beat elsewhere from an HR standpoint...

Of course, it's never that easy.  Here are 3 Reasons why SHRM Connect may die an ugly death, the kind that involves involuntary twitching:

1.  SHRM's a battleship, and that can be a good AND a bad thing.  Good that you have 250K in social media accounts.  Bad if you have to water down the experience because you're trying to be "everything to everyone", and wind up pleasing no one.

2.  Zere Vill Be No Korousing in de SHRM Connect (Best Nazi voice I could muster in print).  Censor it too much and folks will try SHRM Connect, determine they don't like ze Vanilla, and go somewhere else for the rocky road.  Cut the graphic pictures and curse-festered, threatening rants out of the mix on the social network called SHRM Connect, leave everything else the users say and do.  It's called authenticity, and SHRM has to leave stuff that will go against its conservative nature in order to keep the eyeballs - and the trust.

3.  I'm Buried Under a 10-Layer website and can't get up.  SHRM.org's a huge site, and unless SHRM commits to giving SHRM Connect a lot of visibility on the home page, no one will know it's there.  Even if they put it on the home page with a big button that says "Free Swag" (known to work with HR types), I'm not sure they can make it cut through the clutter.  Tough issue for SHRM...

See a trend?  The success of the SHRM Connect depends on SHRM being big when it matters, but acting small at every other turn.  Not something the 800-lb gorilla has done well in the past.  Try it in its beta form and check back periodically, and remember ----

Remember - Zere Vill Be No Korousing in de SHRM Connect.  Zat is all.

SHRM09 - DAXKO (home of the Capitalist) Named As a Top 50 Place to Work...

Cool news from SHRM09 - the company I work for, DAXKO, was recognized as one of the top 50 best small and medium companies to work for in America by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Great Place to Work Institute, Inc. (GPTW). Winners were announced Monday at SHRM’s 61st Annual Conference in New Orleans.

DAXKO ranked 10th in the small employer category, which is great.  The commitment that is behind all the good stuff that led to the award is a big reason I chose to join the DAXKO team 3 months ago.  I'm a newbie so no credit goes to me, although like any free agent worth their salt, I'm looking forward to helping a clear winner defend it's title moving forward.. :)

Jennifer McClure, a part of the Fistful of Talent team, was kind enough to sit down in the video below with Dave Gray, our CEO and cultural architect, and Concetta Lewis, a member of our people team, to talk about what makes DAXKO different and leads to the team recognition.

Way to go DAXKO!

DAXKO - Great Place to Work from Fistful of Talent on Vimeo.

From the SHRM09 Floor - WARNING: Taking Presentation Advice Literally May Be Hazardous to the Health of Your HR Career...

One of the nice things about most of the presenters at SHRM is they've got some passion about the topic they're presenting on.  They're not HR practitioners in my classic definition of the word, but they've got passion.

Case in point - I took in a solid presentation on Monday from Jeremy Eskenazi on Consultative Staffing and Recruiting Strategies for HR Generalists.  Jeremy had some good stuff and it was clear he was passionate about helping recruiters and HR generalists become consultants - check out my twitter stream from Monday for the play by play.

The only issue?  If you listen closely to what Jeremy advocates, a less-experienced HR pro might become a lot more formal than the culture they operate in can tolerate - and that might clip a young pro's career at an early stage.. It's all about context and acting like you have more experience than you actually do...

Jessica Lee and I discuss below - also included in the clip is me catching up with Jeremy and asking him how to make a push for Service Level Agreements (known as SLAs to those of you that have been around big company America) in a less formal way that doesn't get you killed/fired.

SHRM09 - On SLAs and Boxing Hiring Manager In... from Fistful of Talent on Vimeo.

SHRM09 - The Great SHRM Hope - China Gorman

Let's face it, if you're like me and occasionally have been challenged to find the value in SHRM, it's usually been because you've felt it moved too slow and didn't have enough of a soul.  Speed and accessibility were always the primary issues for me when it came to SHRM, along with an absolute void of opinion.

The EFCA?  SHRM's against it, but they don't want to make members with union representation mad or uncomfortable.  So, they've stated that the organization's not anti-union, but IS anti-EFCA. 

What? Alrighty then...

So, I've always wanted SHRM to have an opinion, or at least have a face.  But it's been difficult to find an opinion/face throughout my membership period with SHRM.  If you want to be accessible, you have to work at it.  If you want to be seen as a leader, you can't mamby-pamby the EFCA message or other controversial messages to the membership - you have to lead and have a take.  You can't have your CEO riff an intro to a keynote at a conference attended by 5% of your membership once a year and think that makes your organization look accessible, because it doesn't.  But that's been the SHRM strategy visible to the detached member like me for a long time.

Things might be changing at SHRM.  The great SHRM hope is China Gorman.

China Gorman is the COO of SHRM.  Whether or not she was passed over for the CEO spot vacated by Sue Messinger is SHRM's business (China was COO under Messinger's leadership).  What's important is that she's emerged in the new leadership structure at SHRM as an engaged leader and active face of the organization - even though she's not the CEO.

Need proof? Watch China go toe-to-toe with a clueless legislator on capitol hill, defending the big (our legislative interests) and the small (how to pronounce "SHRM").  Watch China out-tweet the so-called HR bloggers on Twitter (present company included) during the SHRM Conference in an effort to promote what's going on.  Watch China look for new ideas that can freshen up the mix at SHRM (sponsoring broad coverage for bloggers) while staying true to the needs of the organization (warning said bloggers not to curse during a blogging panel to be held on Wednesday - which was outright funny, but crafty smart on her part).

I've had some brief exposure to China, and here's the true value of what's going on.   Pros like China have always had the capability to engage customers in different ways that help their organizations grow - regardless of the line of business.  The problem is that the culture of the organization they're in doesn't always support it.  However, once an engaged pro is released at a high level in any organization and starts doing stuff not ordinarily tolerated, the culture can change.  People below that leader start taking risks, and everyone figures out that engagement is good.  Nobody dies when mistakes are made or opinions are shared.  Pretty soon, the organization becomes a lot more open and the customers start raving.

That's my hope for SHRM - that lots of SHRM staffers start engaging members the way China does.  Because if 20% of them do and SHRM embraces it, SHRM could be scary good compared to its past.

China Gorman is the great SHRM hope.