“Undervalued person or thing: Somebody or something originally considered ordinary but whose true beauty or value is later revealed or appreciated.” – Encarta

Which brings me to today’s post – Does the HR blogosphere reward ugly ducklings? It may be too soon to tell, but let me give you two examples where unrecognized value is a big mistake:

1. Punk Rock HR: This is one of the most controversial blogs in the HR market and is written by my good friend Laurie Ruettimann. And if you’re a fan, you know that if Laurie so much as sneezes her opinion on any issue (cats, poop, HR… all quite similar topics at times, mind you), the comments start rolling in. Now a lot of people don’t “get” Laurie’s whole approach, but I think she’s brilliant in that she uses questions, an engaging conversational tone and an openness to ideas to get her audience involved. So what exactly is she? My verdict: A Duckling in Doc Martins
2. YourHRGuy: Then we take a look at another wonderful and popular blogger, the venerable Lance Haun. Lance is also a friend (who isn’t, right? I like most people), but you’ll notice that he takes a completely different approach. He doesn’t write very often, but when he does, it’s thorough, thoughtful and even poignant, at times. Lance disarms the reader with his self-deprecation and doesn’t claim to know the secrets of the universe. But here’s the thing – although Lance’s content is actually more “radical” than most, he doesn’t set off alarms in how he delivers his dissenting opinion. Where’s that leave him? My verdict: A Duckling in Swan Clothing

I am a huge fan of both of these bloggers. They are bright, cutting edge and important voices in today’s HR world. But my suspicion is, that when comparing them, you’ll have a very different reaction to the concepts and content they promote.

And that’s okay. But my point is this – take the time to look beyond the presentation and focus instead on what HR bloggers are actually saying. If you are true to Encarta’s definition, you may find that you’ve undervalued or overlooked some of the best new voices in our industry. So keep your mind open, keep your feathers dry and let’s keep the conversation going.

• Toby’s Support Group – Head on over to The Office and share some of your HR nightmares with Toby.  If they’re good, he may break confidentiality and post them on the NBC website.
• Out of Office Advice – Resident punk Laurie Ruettimann tells her readers that out of office messages are for one thing only (namely to convey who can help in your absence).  Enjoy the rebel yell.
• “Regulators!” – Research warns that many “highly regulated industries report no code of conduct”.  I can think of one governor and one former Nasdaq chairman that might agree.
• Blue Blood, Red Face – The venerable Harvard allows the “Top 10 Ways Obama Can Change American Culture” to get online. The most offensive?  It’s difficult to choose, but maybe, “#8, Kansas will go cosmopolitan and develop children like Obama’s mother, with curiosity about other countries.”
• Sick of Sick Time – HR Wench takes the temperature on PTO in her post “Thank you for not being sick.”  Jenn responds to a reader’s email with her typical no-BS style.
• Still Can’t Get No Respect – With apologies to Rodney Dangerfield, a recent study shows that HR executives still don’t get C-suite respect.  What?  You’re shocked?  C’mon. Really?

Revel in these goodies while I continue to fight the head cold from hell.  Be sure to post your own stocking stuffers for others to enjoy and let’s keep the (congested) conversation going.

Shaking our cobwebbed minds free of the oxygen-deprived ramblings of those around us, we attempted to remain focused on the next phase of the climb.  With heavy hands we put on our press badges, strapped into our gear and made ready to tackle the Summit.  It was a clear morning, but a storm was brewing and we had to move swiftly to avoid certain cerebral death.

Strapping into the line outside our tent, my group was immediately pulled skyward by Scott Fleming, President of dinnerware company Replacements Ltd.  Scott leapt crevasses of corporate bias with his support of the GLBT community, war-torn immigrants and the formally incarcerated.  We learned about fully paid domestic partner benefits, gastric bypass surgery, pets at work, onsite nurse care and limos to encourage mammograms.  His ice axes shattered preconceived notions and we ascended with ease.  Scott left with tremendous gratitude from our group, his parting words ringing with truth:

“The rewards of doing the right thing far outweigh the challenge of doing so.” – Scott Fleming, Replacements Ltd.

And then reality set back in.  Our smiles quickly turned sour as it started to snow.  Heavy, wet, putrid, condescending snow.  It seemed to be emitting from the gaping jaw of a speaker self-appointed from on high.  Our entire climbing group unconsciously stepped backward, resisted, and then fell back further.  Entire paragraphs of content were read, the size 6 font clouding our vision.  With covered faces, we turned inward so as to slow the mind-numbing cold of ten-year-old “advice”.  Disoriented, we saw another group of five vanish into the abyss.  I was certain this was the end.

This sensory assault made me recall that I had encouraged others to Summit with me.  I had promoted this nightmare on my web site, in my blog and to my friends.  And how could I possibly make up for my lapse in judgement, my naiveté?  If they (and I) survived, I vowed to offer any of my fellow climbers two times their price of entry in free consulting.  I must make amends and….must….stay….awake.

Then I heard the helicopter, rotors spinning wildly and clearly challenged in the thinning air.  We were going to get plucked from the frozen grasp of mediocrity and live to tell the tale.  The rope ladder slapped against the Summit and the few of us who remained grasped blindly for a rung.  And suddenly we were airborne, lifted into the sky and pulled free.  The pilot, we learned later, was Nicole Ganier-Cosme, President of Magic Workforce Solutions.  She inspired confidence in overcoming urban unemployment, created opportunities for minorities, leveraged tax credits and executed all with grace and enthusiasm.  I remembered Scott’s quote from earlier in the climb and saw it embodied in a bright and driven executive.

We landed and laughed with the nervous joy of those who had survived a near tragedy.  With negative lessons well outweighing the benefits, we walked away wiser than when we arrived.  We told stories, compared notes and promised to never forget our two days at the Summit.  

In all seriousness though, we must do better as an industry.  We cannot cajole ourselves into believing that HR’s journey will be completed by simply passively attending conferences and jotting down catch-phrases for corporate regurgitation.  We must be challenging, innovative and relentless in our pursuit of excellence.  And once you’ve done it?   Talk about it, share it, and help your peers rise with you.  And with that thought, I’ll leave you with a quote from someone I admire greatly, and hope we’ll continue to keep the conversation going.

“No matter how much you pay, even with all the assistance the [conference organizers] and the guides provide, it’s still an incredible amount of work. No one can haul you up Everest. You can’t just buy the summit. You’ve got pay with sweat and puke and maybe with your life. That is worth some grudging respect.” – Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air

We are just over ten days away from the 11th Annual Talent Management Summit and host IQPC has extended a final incentive to Inflexion Point readers.  Simply mention code “TMIP04” and you’ll receive $400 off the main conference (a 20% discount) or the all-access pass for $2,599 (a $1,000 savings).  

With the overwhelming coverage of the economic crisis, I’m certain you will benefit from the wisdom of your peers and colleagues.  All are experiencing similar challenges, but many view today’s climate as a fantastic opportunity to upgrade your talent.  Learn from some of the best and brightest in the talent management industry and come home brimming with ideas and confidence for those emergency executive meetings.

Plus, you’ll get a chance to meet and greet some of our most talented and innovative HR bloggers!  In addition to myself, I’ll be joined by HR Wench (aka Jenn Barnes), Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR and the elusive and lime-green HR Minion.  We’ll all be covering the conference live via Twitter and our respective blogs.  I hope you’ll join us and help keep the conversation going.

It’s been questioned whether this is a fake or not, but either way it makes you think twice about how to take down an emotionally unstable cubicle mate.  A big shout-out to Laurie Rueittmann at Punk Rock HR for turning me on to this gem!

Let’s keep the conversation going (and the violence to a minimum).
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