Pull Up a Chair

Want a seat at the table? Well, let me help you pull up a chair. Let’s begin by talking.

Welcome to what I intend to be “a thought provoking conversation” designed to talk about, invest in, and generate the ideas, dialogues, processes, and models that will begin to improve our workforces and workplaces.

Now that’s a mouthful! But if you know me, and many of you do, you know that I am passionate about business, about HR, and about the people who make up the places where we work. And I’d like us to talk about it. It’s my belief that our collective conversations will expand the seats at table, as well as allow us to set the table at most of the places we gather.

At this table it’s all about conversation and hospitality. I grew up in a home where we ate fast and talked long – about everything, but with a focus on adding to our understanding so we could in turn make something better. I’ve tried to do the same thing in my home and in my office. At home, my children, now grown, insist that everyone be seated at the table. While it makes for some interesting holiday table configurations, every voice is heard. And at the office, we intentionally make a space and a time for conversation, for the purpose of understanding and encouragement.

And now, because I want to hear from you, I’m extending the table to this virtual environment. Think of this as safe place to present a point of view – no whining here, but rather a place to talk about what could be, what is, and what we can do and might do to move from “is” to “could be”. So grab a cup of coffee or a diet coke (we do hail from Atlanta, after all), pause, think, and contribute to the work in front of us.

Every employee, every manager today is impacted by “human resources” work. We’re a relatively new profession and we’re having plenty of growing pains. But the work we do matters – because people matter.

We’re all tired of the negativity we’ve garnered and we all also know, professions and people “earn respect” – it is not easily given. I’ve told a few of you that a simple goal for me is that the next time someone writes about what’s wrong with HR, the response will be – “gosh, you sure haven’t been to Atlanta!” Our HR community and conversations are becoming stronger by the day.

There are a couple “ground rule expectations” at this table.

When you respond - remember this is a conversation - contribute, don’t complain.

• In Atlanta, we respect both practitioners and resource partners – we all have something to add to the conversation.
• We want to hear a broad array of perspectives – from all the specialties as well as the generalists, junior and senior folks, professors – hiring managers and employees, too. So encourage others to join in the conversations.
• We follow all the rules of hospitality – collectively we want everyone to feel welcome here.
• We have some really good models from folks like Lawler, Ulrich and Fritz-ens (and I’m sure you will remind me of others). Do some research.

So now, go warm up your coffee or ice up your coke and let’s talk. So lets begin with the topic of Business Knowledge.

How do we leverage business acumen to create better workforces and workplaces? What does it mean (really mean) to be a business partner? What kind of partner do workplaces need?

Let’s talk. I look forward to hearing your perspective.