Friends at Work

I just told a reporter that I might still have a job in human resources if I had friends at work. That feels true, on the surface, because I always had more enemies than buddies. Work was a hassle, and nobody liked me. I came back from getting married, and only one person congratulated me.…

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“Volunteering for My Homeowner’s Association”

I remember being a punk-ass 22-year-old kid and laughing at people who included “volunteering for my homeowner’s association” on their resumes. That’s so lame. Who puts that on a resume, right? Well, since that time, I’ve bought and sold a few houses. While some homeowner’s associations are full of fundamentalist weirdos, my neighbors are okay.…

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HR Technology Trends in 2015

I just leafed through a report on “HR Technology Trends for 2015” that made me laugh so hard. Apparently, everything is going So+Lo+Mo … because we live in an episode of Silicon Valley. I can’t wait to tell the teacher in Indianapolis or the oil worker in Billings that 2015 will be the year when…

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Leadership Trends in 2015

There are some days when I think leadership is about character. Then there are some days when I think leadership is all about developing unique skills and exercising adept, creative thinking. But after having spent time around leaders in 2014 — and appointing myself as leader of a merry band of miscreants in the HR…

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Only You Can Find Yourself a Job

God, I hate the holidays. More importantly, I hate going to parties and telling people that I work in human resources. “Why don’t you find me a job?” I purposely don’t walk around with a baseball bat in my hands because those people would be the first to feel my wrath. I try to tell…

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HR Always Organizes the 5K

HR always organizes the summer picnic, the holiday party , and the company 5K. If they are sharp, your HR lady asks the local admins for help. (This is why the admins think they work in HR, by the way.) Organizing a company event is a pain because people always ask the same questions. Do…

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Living a Big Life in 2015

I vowed that 2014 would be the year that I started to live a big life. I sent out a note and told friends and acquaintances that I would be interested in doing new and different things. I asked people to keep me in mind if they had any projects that required a different type…

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“Your HR Blog is Boring”

One of my very best friends told me that my blog is boring when I write about human resources. “Where is the human in human resources? I go there for you. You are at your best when you write about politics, cats and running. I don’t want to read about HR technology or employee engagement.…

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