Posts Tagged ‘unconference’
Lance Haun and Laurie Reuittmann
Every now and then a person has to take a stand, be willing to be unfollowed on twitter, and lose friends on facebook. That is exactly what happened yesterday when I critiqued the unconference, HRevolution. First, I want to make an open apology to the conference planners.
The hundreds of hours you spent planning, and working tirelessly to produce this event was not lost on me. In fact, I respect, appreciate each of you, and the unique contribution that each of you make to our industry. I genuinely regret that I hurt your feelings. I now realized that I did so, which is why I am retracting what you perceived as a personal attack.
TheRedRecruiter, Michael Long admired my bravery to tilt at the HR windmill, and state honestly my thoughts, and feelings. While he did not agree with me 100% he encouraged me to put my post back up. He was concerned I was being censored. Indeed, that is not the case. I was not being censored. Rather, I realized that I was personally attacking one person. This blog is not the place for that.
In hindsight, what I should have done is pick up the phone, and tell her what I thought about her comments. Instead, I used my blog as a bully pulpit. It was the wrong way to going about it. I apologize to everyone who felt hurt by the thoughts expressed here.
A wise man once said, praise publicly, and criticize privately. Attacking someone in public reflects poorly on my brand, not theirs. Only 69 people read the post before I pulled it. Fellow attendees read it, and only a handful of my followers. In the larger scheme of the universe, my opinion is not that important.
Here’s my stance and I’m sticking to it: I am a fierce advocate for the little guy, for the unheard voice, and for the downtrodden. My dear colleague, Jennifer McClure spoke up for the underdog, and the unemployed people in the room. She extolled their virtues and their ability to have influence. You see, that is why I admire Jennifer. She has a sensitivity to the unemployed population in America that few others have.
There are countless others that are also underdogs for those in transition. In all fairness, my colleagues that planned HRevolution garnered funds to offer scholarships for people in transition. I applaud their action.
Now a word about the conference. It wasn’t the planning that I was criticizing. The sponsors were incredibly generous, and I have no doubt that he organization efforts were solid. I just did not learn anything during the sessions. As I stated in my previous post, the learning took place between the sessions. That is not uncommon. The relationships and alliances that are formed at national events are where the real value is derived.
I had the distinct pleasure of attending the first HRevolution event in 2009. In my opinion, there was no comparison. The first version of the unconference was uniquely structured to accommodate the needs and interests of people either new to the occupation, or new to the social media, blogging scene. The tracks catered to advanced bloggers, and techno geeks, and geeks in training. That is what I loved.
There was what I considered real tactical knowledge shared during each and every session. I took home, experienced, and mastered new skills as a direct result. That experience was invaluable. The access I gained to the thought leaders in the HR community was beyond compare. The ability to pick their brains, and really learn from them was worth every moment I invested.
In addition, after the first HRevolution, I was able to pick up the phone, ask and receive great advice from those in attended. What I appreciate about the people in our industry is the generosity of spirit, and comraderie that is inherent within most of the leaders in Human Resources, and Recruiting.
What disappointed me about this conference is that I did not learn anything new during this conference. That is not a reflection of the planners or facilitators. It could be because I read voraciously, and when I set out to learn and master a new skill, I take it upon myself to do so. Maybe I read all of your articles, posts and derive value. Maybe it is because I read news, and articles outside of our industry to stay current on business practices. Perhaps it is because during the sessions I perceived that the same old issues were being rehashed, and very little new practices were discussed.
Here’s what I’d like to see happen at the next HRevolution:
- Conduct pre-assessments for the tracks. Give the information gathered to the track leaders so that they can address the professional needs of the attendees.
- Conduct post-conference evaluations. Act on the feedback that you find valid, and include that information during the planning process for the next unconference.
- Return to offering two tracks. One for new bloggers, one for advanced bloggers. Provide tactical best practices, and new tools that the attendees can take back to their offices for experimentation.
- Provide a track or two for those professionals new to the occupation to nurture their professional development goals.
- Offer tracks designed for people who’ve been in the field for many years, and offer them an opportunity to bench mark best practices.
- Give people homework. That’s right-after evaluating and learning about new technology, give people sample templates whereby they can practice the new skills, and report back with their experience in their blogs or the newly formed linkedin group.
- Pair an intern, or a person new to the occupation with an experienced mentor. For those who have the time to nurture the mind of another human being, this is an experience not to be missed. HRevolution is a phenomenal opportunity for professionals to cherry pick experts they would like to learn from. Granted, not all leaders have the time to mentor, but for those who do, what better way to use an unconference. Unconferences are unstructured, yet provide an opportunity for deep dish learning.
- Execute post-unconference webinars to continue the learning. This can be divided in sub-topic areas of interest. A lot of people would pay for these webinars, I know I would. For instance, I would like to learn more about 2.0, emerging technologies, and advanced blogging, mobile recruiting, health care, compliance, employer/employee brand development, andemployee relations.. I’d love to be able to continue my studies with the track leaders in attendance at HRevolution.
- Have smaller tracks where people can really probe the minds of the brilliant track leaders, and get their questions answered.
- Deliver a final session where attendees can share their take-aways, and what they are going to do when they get home. Allow time for a healthy debate and discussion about these next steps, and give participants a chance to get unanswered questions addressed.
That is my wish list for the next HRevolution, and Tru Unconference. There may be those who say, this is a tall order, and cannot be addressed in 1 day. To that, I push back and suggest a 2 to 3 day event. I see the unconference movement in Human Resources and Recruiting filling a gap that the large, established organizations are not chiseling. The ground swell of professional experts who are demonstrating leadership in the unconference movement have a unique opportunity to provide professional development, benchmarking, and networking for participants around the world. I encourage my colleagues to keep the spirit alive.
I’m not a big fan of titles, or influencers, and people with an inflated sense of self importance. Nor am I a fan of conferences that rehash the same old-same old with no new learning, or tactical take-aways. With that said, I know for a fact that the majority of those who attended HRevolution 2010 received tremendous value.
Maybe my take-away is that I need to break out of the HR echo chamber by attending conferences outside my industry. If I really want to deep dive into new information that peaks my interest in the social media sphere, that is where I should focus my future attention.
Yesterday, I caused personal injury to a select few individuals. On the other hand, I believe it is important to tilt at the wind mills, the big well oiled machines, and directly confront the titans when I think they are dead wrong.
I work for lawyers. My boss is a former litigator. He is still a fierce advocate for the down trodden. He is my professional mentor. He attacks opposing counsel each and every day. I love working with the feisty advocates. I belong in the legal industry, and I thank the heavens above that I finally found my niche. The managing partner of my firm loved yesterday’s post.
He thought is was good, and courageous. If he had told me, do not post this, I wouldn’t have. To the contrary, he told me he would defend my right to free speech. His parting words to me were, “Sometimes it’s cathartic to go after the titans, I do it every day.”
You may agree to disagree with me. That is your choice. Please know that I write this blog as much for me as I do for you. Someone told me yesterday, my blog is not a good place to vent because it is a permanent record. I concur, and I agree, but my answer remains the same. So be it. Social media must be a place where we can freely express our opinions, debate those opinions, and push back against one another’s viewpoints. That is how we learn and grow.
I appreciate your readership.
Sincerely,
@HRMargo
Group think is dangerous! This video reveals the pitfalls that can happen as a result of group think. Consider viewing this video as you read this post. Group consensus can be railroaded. Of course, at HRevolution, we will not be making major decisions. In the meta-communications sphere, we ought to bear in mind the power of group think, and how it can be the death of dialogue.
As HRevolutionists, falling victim to “group think,” is not something we may consider. Have you attended a break-out session at a (un) conference where the group process was usurped by a charismatic personality? Can you recall a time when you were in a meeting where everyone in the group adopted an opinion that was pushed through by an influential person?
In an effort to feel a part of the group, attendees may want to offer tacit approval of an opinion, even if it is not their own. Sometimes a facilitator is overwhelmed by a few powerful participants.. Before we get the cart before the horse, let’s define group think.
As attendees of HRevolution, we can prevent group think by:
1. Questioning Authority, and thinking for ourselves.
2. Politely sway the conversation away from the “bull in the china shop.”
3. Involve those who aren’t speaking into the dialogue.
4. Diplomatically presenting opposing viewpoints-interrupting the “group think” flow.
5. Take a break, a few deep breaths, and divert the participants in a different topic, then gently guide the group back. Invite diverse view points, engage, acknowledge, and appreciate thought diversity.
These are 5 simple points- relate directly to the points made in the video. We have to consider the illusion of invulnerability, watch how powerful personalities apply direct pressure; observe and interrupt the illusion of unanimity, observe self-censorship, and diffuse that by interpreting the non-verbal cues of the people in the session. Self censorship by the pressure of a charismatic few can inhibit important meeting feedback, and deter the ability for the team to make a healthy consensus.
Why do I bring this up before HRevolution? We will be surrounded by thought leaders in our field. It’s important to remember that your view point is every bit as important as theirs. Mark Stelzner wrote a wonderful post ““5 Tips For Great Facilitation” – http://bit.ly/dcKmbq .” This is an excellent post. In addition, I recommend Jason Seiden’s post “11 Things to Know Before Heading to HRevolution — Jason Seiden http://bit.ly/aGhR3I ”
I appreciate your thoughts, what do you think? Please comment.
TruUsa, here I come. I just printed my maps, packed my bags, and I’m almost ready to go. On Monday, at 11:00 a.m. I’ll be leading a track about “Compassionate HR.” The ground rules are-no PowerPoint or canned presentations. I like the idea of facilitating an unstructured discussion about how people, and organizations are going the extra mile to serve their communities. I’ll share examples of the steward leaders who’ve appeared on my show, the projects they executed, and the positive impact it had on the communities, the volunteers, employees, and on the organization.
Steve Levy will be my guest on Compassionate HR Monday night, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. For many years, Steve has served as a life guard on the beaches near his hometown. He has many colorful stories to share. He is also a Veteran, and is engaged in new and innovative ways to help military veterans find employment after service to our Country. Steve Levy is a world class recruiter, and is arguably one of the top recruiters in the US. His stories are inspiring, and really quite amazing. He’s helped hundreds of people secure employment over the span of his career, and Steve is a shining example of generous leadership in the recruiting industry. Here’s the scoop from other track leaders on The Tru Conferences facebook page. It’s chocked full of videos and posts, and it’s a lot of fun to read.
While it’s hard to imagine a Tru unconference without Bill Boorman, the show must go on, and Geoff Webb will be leading the Tru Crew. I’m so excited to attend this unconference. I promise to blog throughout the experience. Would you like to learn more about TruUsa? Click on this link
Your twitter pal,
@HRMargo
PunkATL Eric with two great women of HR Laurie Ruettimann and Chris Havrilla
Eric Jacquith is ubiquitous, he’s an enigma, and he wants to keep it that way. He’s so successful exactly because he lurks in the shadows sourcing, providing recruiting strategy, and executive project management for global talent management initiatives. He’s a consultant extraordinaire. Just ask anyone in Atlanta. Just ask anyone in the sourcing & recruiting communities. He’s a back channel ninja, in search of the candidates that don’t want to found. He finds candidates that other recruiters miss because he looks in places others don’t. Because of his low profile, his clients can trust that he can keep their secrets in confidence. Eric is a man of integrity and loyalty, that’s what his clients appreciate.
Last week, I interviewed him on the phone. He spoke candidly about his background off the records. As a blogger of integrity, when someone tells me “this is off the record,” I respect their confidence, and that is why I’m able to interview the best HR/Recruiting professionals. What I can and will do is review his session from SourceCon and ERE.
SourceCon was by far the most valuable conference I’ve attended in the past 5 years. One session stands out heads above the rest. Eric Jaquith’s presentation was brilliant. I loved how he described his method of internet competitive strategy. While I can’t share everything in one post, I can tell you this much.
His session detailed the importance of having the competitive advantage without becoming a “target.”
According to Jaquith, sourcing is about GETTING Coverage, and finding people. Finding the right person for a position is a science, and an art.
He asked, “how many people in the room were just sourcers, and how many were recruiters” Less than half the attendees were sourcers and the other half were full life cycle recruiters. Then he asked how many of you have more than one profile on linkedin to attract a wide range of candidates. Let’s see a show of hands? If you don’t have more than one linkedin profile; you don’t belong here. Jaws dropped, controversy stirred, I smiled with glee. In the back of my mind I was thinking, “I really like this guy.” He knows how to break things down.
For instance, he suggests that sourcing can be broken down 3 ways.
3 sections of sourcing/recruiting are as follows:
- The Find
- The Engage
- The Share
Some people are better at finding information better than others. People are better suited to different areas of recruiting based on their temperament. Sourcers are specialists. One of the more interesting points Jaquith made is “ how NOT to use social media.” With a plethora of people discussing how to use social media, it was refreshing hear how not to use it. He described the strategy.
He stated, “The opposite of recruiting is privacy and confidentiality.” Some clients want do not want to advertise a position, but they want to know who is the best candidates might be. That’s where good sourcers come into play. Many candidates that fit the description don’t have linkedin profiles, or resumes.
Interestingly, Eric doesn’t tweet, blog, nor connect with professionas on facebook. He said it’s because his clients don’t want him to, and he doesn’t want to found. He does NOT give away his competitive advantage. That’s why he’s so good at what he does. Here’s his strategy in a nutshell—in order to be really competitive, working privately, and confidentially is very important.
The next critical point he made gels with my knowledge of personality typology. For the past decade I have led seminars and led groups to interpret their MBTI and DiSc profiles. People have individual temperaments. Based on their temperament, they are going to excel some skills, and not at others. For example, Jaquith said there are two primary types of sourcers:
- Typers
- Talkers
Recruiting is a team sport. Typers are the research people. Researchers (internet sourcers) are typers. The talkers are the phone sourcers. Sourcers are the people who get the leads. Most “typers” would rather lie on a bed of nails than talk on the phone. They want get off the phone, and give what they find to the “talker.” Then there are logistic experts. According to Jacquith that is his specialty.
In order to be a good sourcer, one has to be innovative, curious and have the mindset of a hacker. I liken it to being like a scent hound. You catch the scent, and follow it until you find it! Eric introduced us to lots of tips and tools. Some of the tips were simple, for instance, when speaking with a candidate, always ask for a number where s/he can receive texts, and where he can send secure email. Most candidates can’t, and should receive recruiter correspondence at work. So he makes sure he compiles his candidate’s information in a safe and effective manner.
Here’s a laundry list of tools Jacquith suggested we add to our sourcing tool kit.
- Get a Jigsaw account-data base of business call data. 1 million people have accounts. It has information other sources don’t have.
- Ixcitable for I Phone is a great app. “Ix” will give you valuable information to compile data.
- Zip-code.com can search jobs in a zip radius
Google’s navi-guide, takes in zip code and the center where the loc is Circle radius center
Microsoft users: He suggested sourcers set up separate profiles to compile information from each tool. He even suggested using the names of family members to keep them separate. Set up another user for different accounts e.g.: Microsoft 2010 is in beta, Firefox.
He also recommends investigating the following tools:
- Outlook Social Connector
- TOKBOx
- OOVOO 6 way party calling with web cam conference call. Candidates don’t have to have soft ware. Use it cheap and easy with colleagues. This allows you to do one to one
- Gist.com It allows you to bring information in about your contacts from twitter, facebook, and LinkedIn. He recommend that you don’t load all the contact information at the beginning of the set up.
- LinkedIn Connector: this is a tool he believes every sourcer ought to use.
Jaquith is like a breath of fresh air. If you have more questions, I suggest you contact him. This was by far the highlight of my ERE/Sourcecon experience
Eric Jaquith is on linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/jaquith
Email: Eric@dailyresumes.com Calls preferred +1 (770) 598-2751
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