Now that it’s summertime, I’m back at the beach. From now until Labor Day, I’ll be at the beach at least once a week. I’ll wake up at the crack of dawn, drive to the ocean, fall asleep, read, eat some snacks, and then drive home in time for dinner. We had some weather, so…
The only HR competency that matters is trustworthiness. Go ahead and earn your SPHR and SHRM-SCP. Add it to a distinguished list of undergraduate and graduate degrees in areas that are directly related to the world of business. That’s fabulous. But when the chips are down, will you do the right thing? If you make…
It’s hard to take a break from social media when there are big news stories. I wouldn’t know what to say, anyway. I’ve been thinking about this quote and how it pertains to the horrors we’ve witnessed in Orlando: The end of the world will be legal. ― Thomas Merton It’s already legal, and it…
Last November, I went to Havana with a bunch of HR professionals. We had an excursion to the National Museum of Fine Arts, which houses an impressive collection of Cuban art. Lots of good stuff in there. If you’re in Havana, check it out. I wasn’t there long enough to truly appreciate the accumulation of…
A few weeks ago, I tried to connect with a woman on LinkedIn. Nothing good comes from being online, but I’m trying to meet new people. She is an accomplished leader who works for a successful venture capital firm. We have many friends in common, and her name has popped up in recent conversations. LinkedIn…
Working from home can be a lonely and isolating experience if you let it. Here are some ways to ensure you don’t go crazy. 1. Have some animals in your house. It’s easy to sit on your butt for 10 hours, but cats and dogs will bother you for food and attention. Animals force you…
I’m giving a commencement speech at my alma mater in London on July 14th. I don’t think my husband can make it, but Jennifer McClure will join me. And I have enough friends in London that one of them will surely record the speech. I promise to share the video once it’s live. I can’t wait…
I spent the first twelve years of my career working in recruiting and HR departments. Then I spent nine years writing and speaking about HR, recruiting and technology. Working in HR makes you skeptical, and the first part of my career made a formative impact on my worldview. Whenever I hear a story about anything…
Every June, I run a half-marathon in Raleigh. It’s very hilly and hot, but it’s the last race around here until autumn. Last year’s race was when I totally blew out my hip and groin for what I hope will be the final time. I spent months resting and doing physical therapy, which is a…
I’m not one for sentimentalism — except when I am. You know what makes me sentimental? The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. My husband and I went there before we were married, and we argued about the validity of modern art. For the record, I liked Rauschenberg and Oldenburg. My husband wanted to throw his…