Showing posts with label #SHRM12. Show all posts

My Short and Sweet #SHRM12 Review

by Matthew Stollak on Friday, June 29, 2012



This was the 12th straight SHRM Annual Conference I've attended.

At this point, I've come to expect the enormous exhibit hall with the massive lines of HR ladies waiting for an item that cost $.49 to produce (I spent a total of 20 minutes in the expo hall), the big name talent as keynotes (with repeats of Gladwell and Collins) and big name Tuesday night entertainment (a significant step up with Jerry Seinfeld).    Kris Dunn at the HR Capitalist hit most of the main points before the conference was even over. 

I'm in it now for the novelty.  Two things stood out:

1.  The Hive

Sponsored by Dice, The Hive featured a smart bar area that provided an opportunity for individuals starting off, or wanting to take the next step, in social media to get individual consultation in these matters.  With a significant number of volunteers (including myself for 6 hours), it was impressive to see the energy and advice being given, as well the significant support provided from SHRM to make it possible.  A special shout out must be given to Curtis Midkiff, Director of Social Engagement for SHRM, who grew a small social media initiative in 2010 with a 5-member "Blog Squad" into this huge and exciting endeavor.  Dawn Hrdlica-Burke provides an excellent summary of the events in the Hive here.

2.  The Future of College Relations

As a student chapter advisor of 16 years, I have a significant investment in seeing student HR leaders becoming the HR leaders of tomorrow.  I was able to sit down for two hours with Nancy Woolever, Director of Academic Initiatives, and Tara Fournier,  Manager of Member Engagement, to discuss the state of the College Relations Program.  While details need to be hashed out, for the first time in several years, I am excited about the changes that SHRM Student Programs is working on and confident in the new leadership taking the program where it needs to go.

Why Tom Izzo and Mark Hollis Get It

by Matthew Stollak on Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Right around this time, the Top 50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America are announced.  I'm beginning to think that playing basketball for Michigan State University should belong to this list.

It was announced that the Spartans will open up the 2012-2013 Men's NCAA College Basketball Season for the second straight year on Nov. 9 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany against UConn— an event to be played in front of troops and televised by ESPN.

According to Mark Hollis, Athletic Director for Michigan State:

“Once again, we are excited about participating in an event that pays tribute and respect to the men and women that serve in our nation’s armed forces.  With that focus in mind, all other challenges and obstacles in participating in an event of this significance are secondary.  Pending final approval by the Department of Defense and with the collaboration of ESPN, we look forward to participating in an NCAA men’s basketball regular-season game against Connecticut at Ramstein AirBase in Germany on November 9, 2012.
“Coach Izzo has a talent for recognizing and bringing to Michigan State University student-athletes that want to be the best on the court while developing themselves as young men.  All of us at Michigan State believe in providing our student-athletes with championship opportunities and amazing cultural experiences.  The student-athletes on our men’s basketball team have had an opportunity to play the game they love in NCAA Final Fours, for Big Ten titles and aboard a USN Aircraft Carrier in front of the President of the United States of America.
Coach Tom Izzo added:
“This is another amazing opportunity for Spartan basketball and Michigan State University. I’m thankful that ESPN reached out to us to be a part of this great event. Being a part in the first college basketball game to be played on a military base overseas is truly an honor.”
“Playing in the Carrier Classic on the USS Carl Vinson last season provided memories that will last a lifetime, as the historic event was so much more than just a basketball game. The opportunity to honor the great men and women of the US Armed Forces was a humbling experience, as we felt that we got so much more in return than we gave. To now have the opportunity to take our game overseas to the servicemen and women serving to protect us is an awesome experience. I’m reminded of my trips to the US bases in Kuwait, and what a life-changing experience that was for me. Everyone associated with the Michigan State basketball program is excited for this unique opportunity.”
 So, your Senior Keith Appling.  In the past three years, you've:
  • Played three straight years in the NCAA tournament
  • Won two Big Ten Titles
  • Played in the Final Four
  • Be featured regularly in nationally televised games
  • Played on an aircraft carrier.
Now, you get to experience something no other college basketball player has done - play on a military base overseas.

Add to the fact that every four-year MSU basketball player has made the Final Four under Tom Izzo's leadership, you have a truly compelling value proposition to sell to recruits.  This is why Tom Izzo and Mark Hollis get it.  They're offering something unmatched at other organizations.  A potential recruit may soon find themselves playing at the site of the first Olympic Games, or, who knows....the International Space Station.

What compelling value proposition to recruits are you making for your organization?

Komen, Virginia, "Disruptive Innovation," and #shrm12

by Matthew Stollak on Monday, June 25, 2012


Several months ago, like many, I was transfixed by the decision at the Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure to no longer provide funding to Planned Parenthood for health screenings, given it was “under investigation.”  The repercussions of that decision echo today as Komen continues to see a decline in participation and donations have diminished.  How could leadership fail so strongly under the umbrella of ideology?
Its hard not to see parallels to Komen in the recent decision by the Board of Rectors at the University of Virginia to force the resignation of President Teresa Sullivan, because of her incremental approach to change, particularly in regards to online education.  This push for “strategic dynamism” has caused revolt on the Virginia campus, as students and faculty unite in pushback for a President who has only been on campus for two years.  Donors have threatened not to contribute and faculty have been looking for jobs elsewhere. Again, how could leadership misread the situation? 
In “Its All About Me: Narcissistic CEOS and Their Effects on Company Strategy and Performance,” Arijit Chatterjee found that narcissistic leaders seek dramatic action, but performance is often no better than incremental leaders. 
In his opening remarks, SHRM President and CEO Hank Jackson focused on a rapidly changing workplace, with HR professionals needing to be responsible for leading the way.  He mentioned “disruptive innovation” as something to be embraced in this environment.  Let’s hope the lessons of Virginia and Susan B. Komen are not lost on him.

Vanishing Point (revisited) - Rollerbags:Scourage of the #shrm12 Expo Hall

by Matthew Stollak on Friday, June 15, 2012



With the SHRM Annual Conference mere days away, we revisit this post from June 22, 2010

Let me channel my inner Andy Rooney (or Harlan Ellison if you will) for a moment. I will be attending the SHRM Annual Conference for the tenth time in a few days. I always leave with a positive feeling both about the experience and the profession. There is, however, an item that makes vuvuzelas sound like Mozart (or Hall and Oates if that is your musical predilection) - roller bags in the exhibit hall.

Why roller bags? On Sunday afternoon, June 24, thousands of HR professionals will descend into the exhibit hall for some food, to speak to a vendor, to try to win a prize, or to pick up some free swag that an exhibitor will giveaway. Presumably given out by vendors to not only promote their product, but to help the attendee carry away the pens, t-shirts, squeezeballs and other geegaws he or she has picked up along the way, the roller bag seems like a great prize. So, where is the fail?
  • The roller bag is always underfoot - I can't tell you how many times I have, or have seen others, nearly tripped over these menaces while navigating the conference.
  • People are oblivious to their own space - Many cities and states are passing laws banning texting and driving. At the SHRM conference, they should ban texting while pulling a roller bag. Don't be surprised to see a person trying to talk or text, while carrying a cup of coffee, and trying to pull a roller bag. Its a bad combo.
  • Space is limited - Filling a conference with thousands of people leads to congestion. This congestion is only exacerbated with a roller bag. As people walk through the passages of the convention center and exhibit hall with a roller bag, they operate as if the bag was not there. They don't realize that the bag acts as a 2nd person behind them, taking up valuable space.
So, if you are an exhibitor at SHRM this year, I implore you to not give a roller bag away as a prize. Similarly, if you are attending the SHRM Annual Conference, have a great time. But, don't be that person with the roller bag.