Showing posts with label Steve Browne. Show all posts

Q&A with #SHRM16 Speaker Steve Browne (@sbrownehr)

by Matthew Stollak on Wednesday, May 18, 2016


Steve Browne is the Executive Director of Human Resources for LaRosa's, Inc. — a regional Pizzeria restaurant chain in Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southwest Indiana with 18 locations and over 1,200 Team Members. Steve has been a human resources professional for 25+ years and has worked in the Manufacturing, Consumer Products, and Professional Services industries. Additionally, Steve is a former State Director for Ohio SHRM and serves as a member of the SHRM Board of Directors. Steve facilitates a monthly HR Roundtable in Cincinnati and runs an internet message board for HR professionals that reaches 6,000 + people globally on a weekly basis.  Steve is also a contributor to CareerBuilder's Talent Advisor Portal and posts regularly on his own blog, "Everyday People."  Steve is also a HUGE U2 fan.

On Tuesday, June 21, Steve will be presenting a MEGA SESSION at the SHRM Annual Conference in Washington D.C. titled, "HR on Purpose! Five Ways to Own, Lead and Integrate HR Throughout Your Organization."

What was your first Breakthrough HR moment in your career? 

My first breakthrough moment in HR was in my 2nd HR job. It was an HR generalist role and the owner of the company I joined sat me down on my first day and told me I needed to memorize the names and jobs of everyone in the organization in 30 days. He said that he and I would sit down on the 30th day exactly and he would quiz me. If I missed one person, I would be fired.

On the 30th day we sat down and he began to quiz me. We had over 200 employees at 3 plants (one out of state) and a corporate office. He quizzed me for almost an hour !! I didn’t miss one. At the end he asked me what I thought of his exercise. I told him it was helpful because I learned who our people were and what they did. Here’s the breakthrough moment . . .

He said, “I did this so you’d know that the only reason you’re here is my people. If you ever forget that, I don’t need you.”

This has been my approach to HR ever since !!

                       Song: "One" - U2 and Mary J. Blige

Is it possible for someone with a long career to still have breakthrough HR moments?  If so, how?

Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? Unfortunately in most cases, no. People in all professions tend to “settle in” after a long career. It’s easier, it’s had some marked success in the past and people accept it. I think this is a stumbling block for our profession. HR begs people to remain dynamic, engaged and curious. Businesses, and people, change every day. We have to remain alert and in touch with our people. The more we’re in touch with them, the larger the possibility that breakthrough moments will reveal themselves. The “how” for me is to remain vigilant and expect that breakthroughs can happen and I can be a part of them on an on-going basis regardless of how long I’ve been in HR.

You were recently elected to the SHRM Board of Directors.  What has been the most surprising thing you've discovered in taking on that role?

The most surprising facet I’ve found so far is the depth of SHRM as an organization. My experience to this point had some knowledge of the “whole” of SHRM, but now I get to see all sides of it, not just from the Membership viewpoint. I’m fascinated by everything that SHRM has to offer and need to continue to learn how people access things and find a way to make people more connected.

                    "Even Better Than The Real Thing"

What are 2-3 things you would like to see accomplished during your time on the SHRM Board of Directors?

First of all, I want people to know how humbled (and Geeked) I am to be able to serve on the SHRM Board. I don’t take this lightly at all. What would I like to see accomplished? Here are a few things . . .

  1. I’d like to see people who are SHRM members understand the value of their membership so that they are making a conscious personal and professional decision to belong. It needs to “matter” past the paying of membership dues.
  2. I’d like to see the Body of Competency and Knowledge (BoCK) be utilized as a professional development tool for HR professionals as well as be a vehicle for people to obtain their SHRM Certification. It really is an amazing set of competencies that can be applied throughout a person’s career.
  3. I’d like to see SHRM embrace HR pros at all points of their career and throughout their career – from student to retiree, from generalist to specialist, from consultant to vendor. At the same time, move the profession forward while maintaining the solid professional development they offer at various stages of one’s career.

You have a MEGA SESSION on Tuesday, June 21 at 2:15 p.m. titled, "HR on Purpose! Five Ways to Own, Lead and Integrate HR Throughout Your Organization." (which conflicts with my own SMART Stage session...go see Steve) Are many HR professionals not purposeful?  If so, why not?

I think many HR people are “functional”, but I’m not convinced they’re purposeful. I’ve found that doing HR (and life) with passion and purpose is challenging because it calls for an intentionality that is above being able to “do your job.” HR is vital to organizations because they have people. It boils down to people, and it always has. We keep trying to lead with processes, and that is limiting. I think there’s a stripped down way to make tangible, long-lasting impact in companies through HR. The session will hit on these things.

You've attended the SHRM Annual Conference numerous times.  What keeps you coming back each year?

First and foremost the reason I attend Annual is the people. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s real for me !! I love seeing friends and “regulars” who make the Annual trek across the country. I yearn to see the SHRM volunteers and chapter leaders because that has been how I grew up in SHRM. I know the time and effort that people willingly give and I want to make sure that they know that they’re making a difference for the profession. Thirdly, I dig meeting new people from all over the world who also practice HR !! It gets me out of a narrow frame of reference and reminds me that HR happens globally. I connect with new folks because I want them to know someone else “gets them” and what they do on a daily basis.
                                     "Beautiful Day"

What advice would you give to someone attending the SHRM Annual Conference for the first time?  What is the biggest rookie mistake you see?

My advice would be three-fold.

  1. Go to sessions that stretch you professionally so you can grow personally and also help your organization to grow. The technical sessions are good if you don’t feel strong in a certain area, but take a chance and really stretch !!
  2. Be Social !! – Make sure to connect with at least 5 to 10 people you didn’t know before attending SHRM16. Be intentional about it and get to know them and make the connections with them socially as well. (Twitter, Linked In, Snapchat, etc.) Go out to the social events and hang with people throughout the week. Don’t do the mad dash back to your room to catch some TV show. Be in the sea of people !!
  3. Check out the presentations on the Smart Stage. Great content in small bites !! A hidden gem of the Conference.

Rookie mistake ?? – Being overwhelmed by the sheer number of attendees, sights, sounds, vendors, swag, etc. Know your capacity and stick with it. Don’t try to do everything. Take the conference in portions, but dive deep into the ones you choose.

How many people do you hope to meet at the SHRM Annual Conference?

All of them !! Not a joke or an exaggeration. I would relish the chance to meet every person who wants to connect. I don’t want to be overwhelming or intrusive, but I do want to break people out of their Conference mindset that you’re there to just attend sessions. I’ll be at sessions and in the Blogger’s Lounge and in the Volunteer Leader Lounge and at the keynote sessions. I truly enjoy connecting people to others. It completely energizes me !! The more I can help attendees “humanize” the Conference, the better Conference I think they’ll have.

                    "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"

Why THIS #SHRM Board of Directors election REALLY Matters

by Matthew Stollak on Thursday, August 6, 2015



About this time each year, I receive notification that SHRM will be having their annual election for their Board of Directors.  I usually gloss over the names, as few, if any, know how individuals are chosen for the vaunted position, and I rarely have heard of those that are on the ballot.  When the ballot arrives, I give a quick vote for the slate of candidates, and it really doesn't register much more on my mind.   It's very hard to challenge the status quo, as the SHRM Members for Transparency tried to do.

 However, this upcoming election is different.  Why?

 Steve Browne is running for the position.

While there are many great attributes about Steve that make him a worthy addition to the SHRM Board of Directors, I'll highlight two:

1.  Steve Browne knows SHRM inside out as an active volunteer.

 Unlike most candidates for the SHRM Board of Directors, Steve rose through the ranks of SHRM volunteer leader.  Not only has Steve served on his state SHRM conference committee, but has served as OHSHRM State Director and President of the Greater Cincinnati HR Association.  In addition, he served on the SHRM Membership Advisory Committee (SHRM MAC).  Based on this experience, Steve will be an active and responsible voice representing the thousands of individuals who volunteer for SHRM on a regular basis.

 2.  Steve Browne is active on social media.

When was the last time you saw a tweet from Immediate Past Chair Bette Francis of Twitter?  What about current SHRM President and Board member Hank Jackson?  Or Jeffrey Cava?  It'd be a miracle, because they are not on Twitter.  Current Chair Brian Silva?  One entire Tweet.  The most active member appears to be Jorge Consuegra, who has made a whopping 51 tweets since joining Twitter in 2007.  While being active on Twitter isn't really that big a deal or should be a determinant for Board status, it does demonstrate an active effort to advance the HR profession.  Steve Browne has 35,000+ tweets and over 27,000 followers.  In addition, he sends out a weekly e-mail called The HR Net (sign up here) that promotes the best in HR.  He also blogs regularly at his own blog, Everyday People, as well as a contributor to CareerBuilder's Talent Advisor Portal.  He is one of the most active individuals highlighting what is great about the HR profession and HR professionals.

 So, when that ballot does arrive in your e-mail inbox.  Don't hesitate to vote for Steve.

My-Chau Nguyen

Special

by Matthew Stollak on Monday, September 20, 2010

Pardon me while I go "Inside SHRM" for a bit.

We are currently in the heart of conference season for many SHRM State Councils. Illinois had a successful conference last month. Florida and Ohio just wrapped up their strong events. Wisconsin and Texas are about to embark on their conference adventure. For most state councils, the state conference is THE primary mechanism for raising dollars to support many of their state HR activities. For many local SHRM chapters, conference support is a strong economic driver.

For my state, Wisconsin, this is definitely true. The state council receives 50% of whatever profit a state SHRM conference generates. The remaining 50% gets split up in a variety of ways. The co-chairs each get 20%, which goes to the professional chapter they belong to, committee members each have a certain percentage that goes to their respective chapters, and a certain percentage gets shared with the chapters based on the attendance of their chapter at the conference. All in all, some significant dollars exchange hands.

This all serves as prologue to a Twitter conversation I had with the inestimable Steve Browne over the weekend. He was making a valiant effort to try to bring state conference volunteer community together over Twitter, writing, "After a successful #OHSHRM, would like to personally connect w/ folks who are w/ other State #SHRM conf so we can promote each conf, DM me." I replied, saying it ought to be SHRM directing this effort.

In a little under two months, I will be attending the SHRM National Leadership Conference in Arlington, VA. for the 11th straight year (You'd think I would know more about Leadership after all this time, but I must be a slow learner). As always, it is an excellent opportunity for various state and local chapter leaders to get together and learn how to benefit their respective groups (and Dave Ryan does a fine job discussing it today). In exchange for their dedication, a significant number of leaders get to attend for free, and SHRM has always been commendable in their efforts in this arena. However, one group is conspicuous in their absence - State Conference Liasions and Conference Co-Chairs.

I've served in a variety of roles on the WI SHRM State Council (Foundation Director, College Relations Director, District Director), and have served on our state conference planning committee for the past four years (including a stint as co-chair). SHRM does an excellent job in bringing together similar Core Leadership Areas together to share best practices in those areas. However, in my 10 years attending the SHRM National Leadership Conference, I recall very little time or energy being dedicated to building a successful state conference. Even with sessions dedicated to high performing state councils, the voice of the state conference liaison or conference co-chair was seldom heard.

I understand that the SHRM National Leadership is already significantly large. I also understand that the Volunteer Leaders' Resource Center has a number of items to help organizers put together an excellent conference. But, is it time to provide the similar support that is given to Core Leaders to those that provide the biggest economic impact to the State Councils and professional chapters - the Conference Liaisons and Conference Co-Chairs? The call for support and community is there.

ADDENDUM: One point I didn't emphasize enough earlier is that the entire conference committee is made up of VOLUNTEERS. It is volunteers who put together the programming slate. It is volunteers who work with exhibitors and vendors to fill the exhibit hall. It is volunteers who help put together the conference publication. It is volunteers who work with the hotel and convention center to make sure rooms are correct.

As Mark Stelzner suggested in his excellent piece on "the Conference Economy," costs are often exorbitant, and you may have volunteers who are new to the committee trying to negotiate and work deals out with the host site. In Wisconsin, one has to have served on the conference planning for at least a year before taking the reins as co-chair (though more time on the committee is preferred). It is also hoped that you have some staggered terms on subcomittees (such as exhibits), so that there is someone experienced in a support position, and there is continuity, but this does not always occur. We hold a transition meeting every December, but is that sufficient? Where is the training and support from SHRM to help in the process?