Showing posts with label Laurie Ruettimann. Show all posts

Nine Things NOT To Do at #SHRM14

by Matthew Stollak on Wednesday, May 21, 2014



In less than a month, individuals will be heading to Orlando to attend the 2014 SHRM Annual Conference.  This will be my 14th SHRM Annual Conference, and, based on my years of experience, here are the things you do NOT want to do while attending.

 1.  Do NOT suffer from SWAG remorse.

 The exhibit hall is going to open at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 22 and you going to be tempted by every vendor with some sort of gee-gaw or doo-dad that you absolutely have to bring back to the office.  You may have already received an inch tall pile of vendor mail and you've mapped out your strategy for maximizing your haul.  You may have even packed light so that you have plenty of room in your suitcase for the haul.  It is free, right?  You HAVE To grab it.  Trust me, as a former victim, you will suffer from SWAG remorse.  It may take a week....it may take a month, but you are going to look at that tote bag full of "goodies" you brought back and you are going to ask yourself why you grabbed that 7th t-shirt or 14th squeeze ball.  Regret always tastes sour.

 2.  Do NOT bring a rollerbag to the conference

 I have posted this several times since 2010, and people are still not listening.  Rollerbags are the scourge of the exhibit hall.  They get underfoot, and people are often unaware of the people behind them when toting it along.  Don't be that person.

 3. Do NOT get in the way

 You make think the exhibit hall is huge, but the rows are narrower than you think.  If you see someone you know, step out of the way, so that others can traverse the area more freely.  If people have to walk around you, you're doing it wrong.

4.  Do NOT use the phrase "Seat at the Table" or you'll be fined $100

The phrase "seat at the table" is officially barred from mention at the conference.  If you say it, you owe $100 to the SHRM Foundation.  If you overhear it in Orlando, tell that person they owe $100 to the SHRM Foundation. If a speaker uses it in a session, please tweet out the following phrase:

"(Insert speaker name here) owes $100 to the @shrmfoundation for saying "Seat at the table." #SHRM14 #SHRMShame"

5.  Do NOT be Gwyneth Paltrow in "Contagion"

I know you are excited to be going to Orlando, and hanging with 13,000+ of your favorite HR friends.  You may have already spent significant dollars on travel, hotel, Disney tickets, etc.  However, if you are even remotely close to being ill, please consider staying home.  It seems I get ill once every couple of years, and most likely I caught something from a sick person.  So, do not be patient zero.

 6.  Do NOT, treat students with disrespect

This one goes out to the exhibit hall vendors.  Ideally, every person who walks through the exhibit hall should be treated with respect.  However, it is inevitable every year that my students will come back with horror stories about being treated rudely by someone manning an exhibit hall booth.  I know you are there to make potential sales connections, and a student is unlikely to be a customer anytime soon.  However, if these students are dedicated to travel to Orlando, they are dedicated to the profession, and will likely be a potential customer in the future.  Don't burn a bridge before it has a chance to be constructed, as those students will remember who did them wrong!

 7.  Do NOT text or tweet and walk

 There will be 13,000+ individuals in attendance at the Orlando Convention Center.  When that General Session with Robin Roberts or Tom Friedman lets out, you and all your new friends will simultaneously be trying to get out of the hall and head to the next session, the bathroom, or to grab some coffee.  Please do not start walking and stare down at your phone.  I am excited that you have the Twitter, Facebook, or Hootsuite app, and you are using the #SHRM14 hashtag.   But, inevitably, you will run into the back of someone.  This will not be one of those "meet cute" scenarios you see in the movies. Instead, you will likely be called out because that person you just ran into will see your name on your badge.


8.  Do NOT make me stand up & participate during your sessionIf you are a speaker and part of your schtick is to get me to do some activity as part of the session (particularly as a warm-up at the beginning), unless it magically causes me to lose 40 pounds, you will receive the lowest rating possible.  It tells me you do not have enough material for the time required.

 9.  Do NOT wear your SHRM Conference badge at night.
  
As SHRM notes, wearing your badge outside of the convention center will peg you as a visitor from out of town and a target for crime.  Even worse, many of you will likely heading to one of the bevy of parties they are out there.  Bad behavior might ensue.  Wearing your badge will likely make your name live in infamy as people mention your sordid exploits at future conferences.  Try to drink in relative anonymity and leave your badge in your hotel room.






 So, what else would you tell attendees NOT to do?  Leave a note below, or tweet your suggestion to #SHRM14Festivus (h/t to Laurie Ruettimann for the hashtag).  Also, check out the #SHRMChat twitter discussion this afternoon at 3:00 p.m./2:00 Central for all things #SHRM14 related.  http://weknownext.com/blog/nextchat-the-shrm14-experience

On A Very Silly Social Media List - the Top 100 Best and Most Collaborative Colleges

by Matthew Stollak on Thursday, August 8, 2013


From HR's favorite list maker, Vala Afshar, comes his latest creation - "The Top 100 Best and Most Collaborative U.S. Colleges." (Hat tip to Laurie Ruettimann and John Hudson for bringing it to my attention).

 According to Afshar, "the very best schools are also the most collaborative."  So why is this list incredibly silly?

 1.  Let's start with the methodology.  According to Afshar,
I researched US News & World Reports list of the best schools. The 2013 national university rankings identified the top 100 universities in the U.S. I then re-ranked the schools based on their combined Klout and Kred scores - a measure of their engagements across all major social platforms.

 Let's make an assumption that Kred and Klout scores are legitimate for our purposes.  Unfortunately, Afshar doesn't provide the combined scores for making a comparison.   While he provides an average Klout score and Kred score, he does not tell the audience how he combined the scores.   Are they added together? If so, Klout is on a 100 point scale and Kred is made up of two parts - a 1,000 point Influence scale and a 12 point Outreach scale.  Were the scales adjusted to reflect equal weight? 

 Further, what is the threshold score to be considered one of the top 100 best AND most collaborative schools in the U.S.?  While the average Klout score of those 35 schools in the small college category might be 74, what is the variability?  Harvard at #1 has a Klout score of 99.  Meanwhile, Colorado School of Mines only has a Klout score of 47, a far cry from 74. In fact, the bottom 10 schools in the list of 35 do not have a Klout score near 74.  

 Finally, instead of an exhaustive look at over 6,000 colleges and universities in the United States to determine which colleges are the most engaged and, perhaps, collaborative, based on the combination of these scores, Afshar simply looked at ONLY U.S. News and World Reports top 100 to make his list.  Are there others who might be more collaborative?  More engaged?  One wouldn't come to that judgment based on this list.

 As a point of comparison,
On the list
Colorado School of Mines: Klout score of 47, Kred score of 694/4
Stevens: Klout score of 49, Kred score of 706/5

 Not on the list 
Swarthmore  College (the #3 ranked Liberal Arts College): Klout score of 55, Kred score of 740/6
St. Norbert College (my school and #138): Klout score of 52, Kred score of 744/6

 One might want to check out the list of top Social Media Colleges over at StudentAdvisor.com for comparison purposes.

 2.   Is there a relationship between school ranking and social rank?

 Even if we give credence to Afshar's methodology, does his claim that "Not surprisingly, the very best schools are also the most collaborative"carry any weight?  For this to be credible, we should see some sort of linear relationship between social rank and school ranking (i.e., those with a higher school ranking should also be at the top of the social rank list; we should see significant overlap between the top 10 or top 20 or top 50).   Check out the scatterplot below (with U.S. News ranking on the x-axis and social rank on the y-axis:


Do you see ANY sort of relationship whatsoever between social rank and school rank?  Any? 

 Even if one runs a correlation on the two variables, one only gets a correlation coefficient of .32, which indicates a weak to middling relationship at best.

 Very silly, indeed.

A Career in HR? The Cynical Girl (@lruettimann) and I Discuss

by Matthew Stollak on Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Laurie Ruettimann and I love Human Resources in very different ways.  She is a consultant and disaffected practitioner.  I am a professor.  We have very different  messages for our chosen profession.

Here is a letter Laurie received from a graduate student at an elite university.  We wanted  to apply different perspectives and respond to this young gentleman directly.

Dear Laurie,

I just read your article “A Letter to the #shrmstudent Conference Attendees” and I must admit I am a little surprised.  I might be slightly scared.  I am currently following a master’s degree in HR.  It was a tough choice because it is tremdendously expensive.  I have a passion for HR, though, and it’s worth it.

But your article kind of lost me, to be honest.  I can hardly ignore your opinion.  You said that HR is a career for older people.  Can’t I be sure that I want to have a career in HR at the age of 23?

Plus, I was told I could make way more money in HR.

Anyway I hope you can answer my questions.  I really look forward to your reply.



We see three questions in this letter.

1.     Is HR a good career move?

2.     Should a student pursue HR right out of college, or wait to enter the field?

3.     Can you make any money  in Human Resources?



From Laurie Ruettimann:

I stand by my original article.  Human Resources is a lovely career choice, but I think it’s a mediocre choice compared to all of the cool things you can do when you are 23 years old.  Additionally, HR is the corporate department that most closely parallels parenthood.  With age comes wisdom.  Many of the best Human Capital Management practitioners in the world are over the age of 50 and have seen every aspect of business – from operations to customer service – and apply that expertise to HR.

Of course you can make a lot of money in Human Resources.  The median pay for a Human Resource Manager is $99,180 per year.  But, I’m not sure that is a lot of money to someone who spends tens of thousands of dollars on a degree.  And for those of you who are bad at math, remember that median is not average.


 From Dr. Stollak:



The beauty of the educational system, particularly in the United States, is that you get exposed to a wide range of occupations and career choices since you begin schooling.  You will take classes in the hard sciences, the arts and the humanities, and the social sciences.  You may change majors a couple of times.  At most higher education institutions, you will not only have to take general education classes, but a core curriculum as well.   If you choose a degree in business, you will be exposed to the fields of accounting, finance, marketing, management, international business, as well as HR.  If after those classes, along with an internship, you find yourself with a passion for HR, why not pursue it?  Our school emphasizes the notion of vocation as a calling.  And what better calling is there then HR in helping others find their calling as well.



Just because you pursue a career in HR right away, it doesn’t mean you are exempt from knowing the other parts of the business.  Spend some time on the assembly line if you work in a manufacturing plant.   Go out on a sales call with your sales representatives.   By understanding the various functions, one can better demonstrate the value HR can deliver.



As always, salary doesn’t exist in a vacuum.  What’s the alternative?  If we look at the same data for the top 20 highest paying occupations, 13 require additional education and training, which could mean even more debt.  Further, 10 of the 20 are in the medical and legal field; avenues that you might have already considered and chosen not to pursue.



What are your thoughts?


Why #HRevolution is Contagious

by Matthew Stollak on Wednesday, June 12, 2013





The HREvolution unconference will be taking place on October 6th at the Mandalay Bay in  Las Vegas (you can buy tickets here.  In the previous five years, the conference has been incredibly successful, growing from a small uenknown conference of 50 attendees in Louisville, KY in 2009 to its 6th iteration with 200+ attendees in October.  To explore why it has been so successful, I drew inspiration from Jonah Berger's book, "Contagious: Why Things Catch On."  

 In Contagious, Berger identifies six key components (with the acronym STEPPS) that allow messages or ideas to go viral:

 1.  Social Currency

 To Berger, social currency allows to share things that make us look good.   "Knowing cool things....make people seem sharp and in the know."   One has to break the pattern people have come to expect.

 The unconference experience of HREvolution challenges the typical HR event in that instead of being passive observers, attendees are encouraged to participate and take the discussion in a different direction  than the presenter may have originally intended....this is a good thing.  

 Further, social currency makes people feel like insiders, due to the scarcity and exclusivity of the idea or event. The limited number of people that attended the first iteration of HREvolution in Louisville generated quite the stir and excitement that others wanted to belong.

 2.  Triggers

 Triggers are things that are at the top of our mind or on the tip of the tongue.  According to Berger, "give people a product they enjoy, and they'll be happy to spread the word."  One creates ongoing word of mouth, where people talk about it weeks later.

 HREvolution certainly has brought a strong response from others.  Excitement is shared on Twitter, Facebook or a blog about the experience.   When each event is over, people want to know when it will be occurring again.  Check out at some of the HREvolution experiences people have shared in the past, and actively recruit others to attend.
3.  Emotion

 An idea becomes contagious when we care enough to share it with others.  It creates what Berger describes as the "power of awe."  For an idea to become contagious, it must focus on feelings.

 HREvolution concentrates on conversations that haven't or aren't this taking place.  Whether it focuses on eliminating of keeping the performance review or the intersection of politics, pop culture and HR, HREvolution creates high arousal emotions that drive people to action and inspire attendees by showing how they can make a difference.
4.  Public

 Berger argues that "when we can see other people doing something, we're more likely to imitate it."  This is the power of observability.  When one follows the HREvolution hashtag, the conference advertises itself when one sees the passion and excitement that is being tweeted by the attendees, and those not in attendance.  Just ask Steve Browne how he felt about missing it.

 5.  Practical Value

Does the idea help people help others? Does it provide news one can use.  

 Not only do people take back to the workplace ideas from HRevolution that can create actionable change, it is incredibly cheap to attend.  Thanks to the kind people at SumTotal Systems, the premier sponsor of the event, 50 tickets are available at an early bird discount of $125.  In addition, registering for HRevolution gets you a code for $600 off the registration fee (most promotional codes you'll see in the coming months will be in the $500 range) for the HR Technology Conference.  It's almost like you get to attend HRevolution for $25.

 6.  Stories

"Is the idea embedded in a broader narrative that people want to share?  Is the story not only viral, but also valuable?"

 "Bifurcation." "Creepers."  "Cinco De Wempen."  People who have attended HREvolution soon develop their own jargon and stories of their shared experience.  See, for yet another example, the HR Improv session was particularly popular. 

In sum, I hope you see how exciting the HREvolution conference can be.  I was one of the 50 original attendees in Louisville and moved from simple acolyte to co-planner for the past three years.

I hope to see you in Las Vegas in October.

Eight Things NOT To Do at #SHRM13

by Matthew Stollak on Tuesday, June 4, 2013


Advice has already starting flowing in about what to do while in Chicago for the big event.  In case you missed it: China Gorman provides some excellent advice about maximizing your SHRM Conference experience.  Jessica Miller-Merrill provides you with the top 10 things to do while you are in Chicago and not going to the conference.  Trish McFarlane has brought back her 10 Conference Commandments.

 This will not one of those posts.

 I will be attending my 13th SHRM Annual Conference, and below I, instead, will provide you, based on my years of experience, the things you do NOT want to do while attending.

 1.  Do NOT suffer from SWAG remorse.

 The exhibit hall is going to open at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 16 and you going to be tempted by every vendor with some sort of gee-gaw or doo-dad that you absolutely have to bring back to the office.  You may have already received an inch tall pile of vendor mail and you've mapped out your strategy for maximizing your haul.  You may have even packed light so that you have plenty of room in your suitcase for the haul.  It is free, right?  You HAVE To grab it.  Trust me, as a former victim, you will suffer from SWAG remorse.  It may take a week....it may take a month, but you are going to look at that tote bag full of "goodies" you brought back and you are going to ask yourself why you grabbed that 7th t-shirt or 14th squeeze ball.  Regret always tastes sour.

 2.  Do NOT bring a rollerbag to the conference

 I have posted this several times since 2010, and people are still not listening.  Rollerbags are the scourge of the exhibit hall.  They get underfoot, and people are often unaware of the people behind them when toting it along.  Don't be that person.

 3. Do NOT get in the way

 You make think the exhibit hall is huge, but the rows are narrower than you think.  If you see someone you know, step out of the way, so that others can traverse the area more freely.  If people have to walk around you, you're doing it wrong.

4.  Do NOT use the phrase "Seat at the Table" or you'll be fined $100

The phrase "seat at the table" is officially barred from mention at the conference.  If you say it, you owe $100 to the SHRM Foundation.  If you overhear it in Chicago, tell that person they owe $100 to the SHRM Foundation. If a speaker uses it in a session, please tweet out the following phrase:

"(Insert speaker name here) owes $100 to the @shrmfoundation for saying "Seat at the table." #SHRM13 #SHRMShame"

5.  Do NOT attempt to scalp your Kelly Clarkson wristband

Unless you're registered as a "ticket broker" with the Illinois Secretary of State, selling/bartering for tickets anywhere at an event venue aside from the box office is illegal.  It is a Class A misdemeanor and you may be subject to a $5000 fine from the state of Illinois. 

Note: I am not a lawyer, nor will I be staying in a Holiday Inn Express while at SHRM Annual.

 6.  Do NOT, under any circumstances, sing "Happy Birthday" to Jennifer McClure at 8:15 a.m. on Monday, June 17.

While it is Jennifer McClure's 32nd birthday on June 17, she would TOTALLY be embarrassed and would just hate it if a capacity crowd began singing "Happy Birthday" to her as she closed out her Mega-Session.  Instead, she would appreciate it if you simply attended...oh, and some Diet Coke, cupcakes, and M&M's.

 7.  Do NOT text or tweet and walk

 There will be 13,000+ individuals in attendance at the McCormick Place.  When that General Session with Dan Pink or Blake Mycoskie lets out, you and all your new friends will simultaneously be trying to get out of the hall and head to the next session, the bathroom, or to grab some coffee.  Please do not start walking and stare down at your phone.  I am excited that you have the Twitter, Facebook, or Hootsuite app, and you are using the #SHRM13 hashtag.   But, inevitably, you will run into the back of someone.  This will not be one of those "meet cute" scenarios you see in the movies. Instead, you will likely be called out because that person you just ran into will see your name on your badge.

 8.  Do NOT wear your SHRM Conference badge at night.
  
As SHRM notes, wearing your badge outside of McCormick Place will peg you as a visitor from out of town and a target for crime.  Even worse, many of you will likely heading to one of the bevy of parties, or, from what I hear, Chicago has a few bars.  Drinking will likely lead to bad behavior on the part of some of you.  Wearing your badge will likely make your name live in infamy as people mention your sordid exploits at future conferences.  Try to drink in relative anonymity and leave your badge in your hotel room.

 So, what else would you tell attendees NOT to do?  Leave a note below, or tweet your suggestion to #SHRM13Festivus (h/t to Laurie Ruettimann for the hashtag)

On Hugh Howey's "Wool"

by Matthew Stollak on Tuesday, April 16, 2013


Based on sterling recommendations from Laurie Ruettimann and Neil Morrison, I picked up the Omnibus edition of "Wool," a series of science fiction novellas from author Hugh Howey.

 The basic premise is that the outside world has become toxic forcing humanity to live in 144-story silos, where the bottom third is dedicated to farming and mechanical upkeep, the middle third to IT, and the top third to the professional class and living quarters.

 In the first novella, Wool, Holston, the sheriff, is investigating the death of his wife, and decides to resign; this means exile to the outside where he is expected to clean the sensors and windows and die.

 In the second novella, Proper Gauge, Mayor Jahns and Deputy Marnes, look to find a replacement for Holston.  They engage in succession planning, a series of reference/background checks, and interviewing to make a selection among three candidates.

 OMG...ITS A SERIES OF BOOKS ABOUT HR!!!

 No wonder Laurie and Neil liked it.

 I'm continuing on with the 3rd novella, Casting Off, but I swear if I read about the talent communities at the hydroponic farm...I'm done!!!

On Googling Candidates and Laurie Ruettimann (@lruettimann)

by Matthew Stollak on Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Earlier this month, Laurie Ruettimann wrote a nice piece for TLNT.com entitled, "Are You Googling Job Candidates? When You Do, Everyone Loses."

As always her advice was spot on, but it really hit home today when I arrived at work and received an e-mail from a former student who had run into a troubling situation where the personal and professional often crosses - romance and work.

 This former student was romantically involved with someone outside of work.  However, the ex was none too pleased that my student was involved with his/her former flame, and began to engage in some despicable behavior. To wit, attempting to hack into my student's Facebook and Twitter accounts.    

However, the straw that broke the camel's back this morning was discovering a duplicate LinkedIn account created with my former student's name and location, with a false profession (think bank robber or prostitute).  Now, when someone does a LinkedIn search for that former student's name, not only does his/her real account show up, but the fake account shows up as well with a false title and false interests (i.e., defacing public property or sleeping around).

Given that this student is trying to establish him/herself in a new position and growing his/her network, this is extremely troubling.  His/her colleagues may want to connect on LinkedIn, and could come across this less than flattering profile.  Or, he/she may want to start looking for a new position, and future employers could look up my student and dismiss him/her based on this profile.

So, as always, listen to Laurie - be careful out there when googling candidates....you may come across a false profile or two.

 Note:  The scenario has been changed to protect the innocent.  Don't bother searching my LinkedIn connections - this former student is not among them.


Fine Time

by Matthew Stollak on Monday, May 10, 2010

So, you’re back from HREvolution. You’re fired up and driven. You’re feeling warm and fuzzy and ready to take action. You want to influence like Jason Seiden and Paul Hebert. You want to make work meaningful like Dan Debow and Jay Goldman. You want to break out of the echo chamber like Laurie Ruettimann and Lance Haun.


You really want to take action? Well, I am going to tell you the first thing you should do. It is subversive. It is brilliant in its deviousness. Shhh….are you ready? Don’t break out of the echo chamber, break INTO the echo chamber. And, how should you do that?

.

.

.

Get involved with SHRM.

.

.

.

That’s right! I said it. Get involved with SHRM. The Big Bad. The 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Godzilla. The Towering Inferno.

That’s crazy talk. You just left HREvolution, an “unconference” that, in many ways, is supposed to be the very antithesis of SHRM. However, there’s a method to my madness…


Now, More Than Ever

This afternoon, in my role as District Director on my SHRM State Council, I will be holding a Chapter Presidents Forum, with the 6 chapters in my region. What’s a major topic? Recruiting volunteer leaders. What was a major topic of discussion when I started as a SHRM chapter president 5 years? Recruiting volunteer leaders. What was a major topic of discussion when I first began getting involved with SHRM as a volunteer leader over 10 years ago? Recruiting volunteer leaders.


The demand is there, the supply is not.


Thought Leader Mark Stelzner implored the audience during the final session of HREvolution to “Speak, Publicly Speak!” However, without that advocate within that local SHRM chapter or state conference, who is going to give you that opportunity to voice your thoughts? You want to effect change? Be the one making the change.


*Serve on your local SHRM chapter board. Did you like the speakers and the conversation at HREvolution? Get on your chapter’s programming committee and have those very speakers come to your turf. Want to know who is speaking at my SHRM chapter’s monthly meeting in 9 days? Thought Leader Laurie Ruettimann.


*Serve on your SHRM state council. Grab a position on the SHRM state council and influence who will be speakers at your state leadership conference. Want to know who will be the keynote speaker closing out our state’s leadership conference in August? Thought Leader Mark Stelzner


*Serve on your SHRM state conference planning committee. Want to make your conference as exciting as HREvolution? Get involved in planning the conference and influence who will be the speakers. What to know who will be the keynote speaker closing out our State SHRM Conference in October? Thought Leader Kris Dunn.


*Talk to SHRM student chapters. This might take time as schools are ending their academic year. But, I don’t know one student chapter who wouldn’t want to have experienced thought leaders share their thoughts about what HR is really like.


China Gorman


A common topic of discussion at HREvolution was the departure of China Gorman from SHRM. To some, she was seen as “The Great SHRM Hope,” “a visible, energetic agent of change for SHRM, an actor on the stage that SHRM really hadn't had before.”


Nothing would carry out the legacy of China Gorman more than taking the energy and spirit of HREvolution by getting involved with SHRM and carrying out her vision.