At the end of this week, HRevolution happens in Chicago!
I’m eager to see what happens. I think it’s going to be fantastic. Because already, there have been a number of pleasantly surprising observations. Today, I want to take just a minute and highlight some of them. I’m not sure if these observations reflect any broader trend beyond HRevolution. I certainly hope so:
- There is a hunger for collaboration. Roles and responsibilities within the HR community are pretty well entrenched: Me HR generalist! You talent development! Them recruiter! (Where go compensation person?) There are those in HR who are OK with this, and then there are people like those coming to HRevolution. In a quiet way, we’ve been taking the walls down. Not by talking about it, but just by… building relationships.
- There is a hunger for more strategic thinking. How many savvy HR people have moved up the ranks through HR, hoping to get involved with corporate strategy, only to find themselves mired in never-ending labor law issues? This pattern leaves a strategic void atop HR, as leaders are pulled into the nitty-gritty of legalese. The groundswell of voices from within HR is beginning to fill the void, with voices that are growing louder and clearer and more sophisticated every day.
- There is a hunger for honesty. Especially for those of us online, we know The Story. We may never know The Truth (who does?) but we know people at the company, at the vendor, at the conference, at the end user’s site… and we’re no more than 2 steps removed from any of them. So about three minutes after we get your marketing glossy, we get in touch with someone who has inside knowledge and we find out how much of your story is real and how much is vapor. HRevolution = consolidation of the honest conversations that’re happening every day online.
- There is a hunger for magic. Are we creating the greatest thing since sliced bread? Please, let’s not kid ourselves. But as someone who was in the muck during the original web craze, I can say this unconference has a sense of excitement surrounding it that can only mean Trish & Ben put their fingers on something that may end up being just a tiny, wee bit bigger than perhaps they thought. Maybe.
- There is a hunger for relationships for the sake of relationships. We no longer know who lives down the block from us (generally speaking)… but we still have a need to be part of a group. For some, HRevolution is as much family as anything else.
- There is a hunger for a shot. Who are the “stars” of HRevolution? ALL OF US. There are 110+ people who will be in that room, and I’m excited to meet ALL OF YOU. (If you think you’re looking forward to meeting me, sorry, but I may just be the least interesting person in the room. Trust me, I know me.) Today’s communication tools mean we all have a chance to make a real difference. And the people coming have all shown an ability and willingness to put them to use… as well as a willingness to support others as they put them to use, too.
The ultimate irony about HRevolution seems to be that despite all the emphasis on “the discussion,” this unconference is actually about doing. Hey… that’s my kind of event.
See you there!
 | Enjoy this blog? Listen to my new podcast, Beyond Social. |
I'm Jason. I make people shine. My mission is to help 1 million people tell their stories better. 
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Amen, Jason. Look forward to it! The only way to be is to do.
Jason, I don’t give a rat’s patoot if you’re the least interesting or not. I’m still dying to meet you.
And yes, this thing has become something much larger than I originally imagined. While that presents challenges, it also gives us the opportunity to share with people outside our little bubble. Fun stuff.
See you Friday!
Ben
@Kevin—In the immortal words of Fred Flintstone…
@Ben—I’m not worth dying for, I promise. But I will make you smile. Also a promise.
First things first – I am clearly the least interesting. Unless we are on the air doing the HR Happy Hour, I have very little to say
.
I think so much of the value is the way that at an event like HRevolution the usual barriers and walls between ‘boss and employee’, ‘presenter and attendee’, even ‘customer and supplier’ are really deconstructed. We are all just people that want to learn, teach, contribute, question, and answer. The vibe, the layout, the approach all contribute to a really different, inclusive, and empowering environment.
I can’t wait.
jason, you said it before I could, being that I was busy in this midst of a debacle this week.
I look forward to having a chance to spend 5 minutes in a conversation again. Hopefully, this time, I’ll think of something sort of intelligent to say.
See ya Friday.
Tammy
@Steve—At least you have your show. I’m only interesting when I write… and as a guy with a show probably knows, people don’t read.