Sundays General Session speech given by Kat Cole set the SHRM17 conference on fire, there is no denying this fact. She delivered one of the best presentations of the entire conference. Giving examples that HR professionals could relate to, she has been through the storms and comes out on the winning side.
Kat Cole gave so many pieces of wisdom when speaking to the SHRM17 attendees. I loved her entire speech and I would still love for everyone in my company to hear it exactly and these are the 4 reasons why:
- If Not You, WHO? – As HR professionals we have a lot of pressure to take care of not only our company but also our employees. This question isn’t asking, who will be there to do the admin work, who will be there to complete payroll, or who will be there to fire that late employee. Be honest, even with the highest degree and all of the certifications, someone else can always replace you, if that is all you have to offer. Instead, I want you to question, who will have the passion for going the extra mile? The passion to be more and do more for those who’ve put their trust in you. Better yet, take a moment to be selfish and answer the question for yourself, if not you, who?
2. If you don’t handle the bad stuff right away, you can never enable the good stuff – Trust is a tricky thing, they say it can take years to gain and seconds to destroy. I can’t imagine losing the trust of your managers and employees or the people that have put their company in your hands. How you handle the situation that causes the loss of trust, can either make you in that moment or break you forever. We speak often on honest, whether it’s to our employees about money or our franchise or CEO about the direction our company is heading. Honesty is and should be the #1 rule for every HR department, but how we handle the bad, will decide if that trust can ever be obtained again.
3. Stay close to your employees on the frontline – I’ve said it many times and will continue to say it again, GET OUT OF YOUR OFFICE HR! We talk about being there for the people and yet we don’t see the people until they come in our office for discipline. How can you understand what your employees are facing if you’re sitting behind a desk every day? How will you gain the trust of the employees that you have their best interest at heart if you don’t show them you know the job? I’m not talking about proving to your employees that you know what you’re doing, but think about showing them why they can trust you, and sometimes that’s as simple as coming into the store and introducing yourself, letting them know that you’re here and you care.
4. Don’t you dare forget where you come from, but don’t ever let it solely define you – if you’re honest with yourself, this really doesn’t need an explanation. We might see a lot of bad in HR, according to others we only hire and fire employees, but we can’t let what we deal with every day define the persons that we are. Never forget why you came to love your career and do whatever it takes to push you and help your passion grow.
These were the 4 special takeaways from Sundays General Session. I hope you have a moment to really think about these 4 trinkets and figure out where you are on your journey.
What were your favorite moments from the Sunday sessions? Comment with your answer below!
Until Next Time …
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