HR and Indie Culture
SteveOne of the mainstays of the 'business' blog world is the occasional book review post. Bloggers get pitched by PR agencies or writers all the time to see if there is interest in reading and potentially reviewing the latest work on management, marketing, leadership - you name it. Other times bloggers provide their take on one of the popular business books of the day that have a subject matter in line with their blog's focus and target audience.
Some recent (and good) examples of this kind of review are Paul Hebert's look at 'Switch', or Kris Dunn's take on 'Linchpin'. Switch is all about influencing people to change, right in Paul's sweet spot, and Linchpin, with its focus on results and getting stuff done aligns well with some of the recurring themes of Kris' blog.
I don't write many book reviews on this site, since in the case of books like Switch or Linchpin I am either a bit late to the party, or don't really have much to add to or improve upon what people like Paul and Kris (and lots of others) have already covered. More so, in the case of the majority of books I read, they are not really in line with the realm of what this blog is (theoretically) about, technology and HR topics.
So when I picked up Kaya Oakes' 'Slanted and Enchanted : The Evolution of Indie Culture' a few weeks ago I did not intend on writing about it on the blog. I am actually not sure why I bought the book, maybe I was a bit tired of reading about how to convince people to do stuff they really do not 
want to do, or undergoing more admonitions of how to be fantastic and awesome by just being fantastic and awesome. Possibly it was the cool looking cover.
Either way, after completing the book I felt like posting about it. Not so much a 'review' but just some observations of the similarities between indie culture and what is going on in the HR space lately. The book is essentially about the history and evolution of so-called indie culture, that is creative works done outside the 'mainstream' of corporations and organizations and without much concern about the viability or financial rewards.
In the book's retelling of the origins, early heroes, development, and export of indie music, books, art, and design I saw some parallels in the creation, distribution, and eventual attempted absorption by big corporate interests of indie culture, and some of what is starting to happen in the HR and Talent world where this little blog (and hundreds of others) reside.
When I think about the growing influence of the HR and recruiting blogs, radio shows, and bootstrapped 'unofficial' Unconferences in the Human Resources community it seems to me not unlike some of the stories in Slanted and Enchanted. Death Cab for Cutie gets a major label deal and makes regular appearances on The OC, and HR bloggers now routinely get press credentials to 'mainstream' HR events, get asked to make speeches or sit on panels, and many major and entrenched organizations and associations are trying to figure out how to understand, embrace, and possibly even absorb elements of this growing 'indie' movement in HR.
I think it is fantastic the the 'Indie HR' community is getting more recognition, notice, and is gaining (subtly) in influence with the mainstream HR world. But here is the thing, as 'Indie HR' gains acceptance and gets more intertwined with 'traditional' HR is it in danger of losing what makes it so vibrant and meaningful? Will it get toned down, homogenized, or otherwise turned into just another extension of the status-quo?
Last thought, in 'Slanted and Enchanted' Kaya Oakes says this about what being 'indie' really means:
Independence means rebellion, risk, tenacity, innovation, and resistance to convention.
She was referring to art, music, and poetry. For those of us in 'Indie HR' we could be talking about interviewing, social networking, performance management - you get the picture.
As Indie HR goes more mainstream, can it still remain rebellious? Or will it resort to making VH1-friendly videos and counting the royalties?
Reader Comments (14)
Steve, I feel the indie HR you refer to (and I'm a big fan of) is enchanting and slanting in the direction of the definition "independence means rebellion, risk, tenacity, innovation, and resistance to convention" -- but, by it's very roots is the antithesis of that same definition.
The indie HR population is very small compared to the entire space, but has become one helluva an influencer. When it does acquiesce into the mainstream, I feel that businesses will benefit tremendously.
I think about what used to be Indie - and has now become mainstream - and each example I can think of has been a catalyst for change in the mainstream, so that new, more independent, innovative ideas can come behind it.
So does Indie HR risk being assimilated? Only if it gives up the ideas that made it Indie to begin with... changing thoughts in performance management, ROWE, social networking. If those ideas become mainstream, IndieHR has accomplished the mission.
Just like Death Cab for Cutie.
Great point Tammy.
Solid post Steve. I quite enjoyed it.
As Indie HR goes more mainstream, can it still remain rebellious?
jay.sara
Advanced Technology
So does Indie HR risk being assimilated? Only if it gives up the ideas that made it Indie to begin with...
changing thoughts in performance management, ROWE, social networking. If those ideas become mainstream,
IndieHR has accomplished the mission.
jay
Advanced Technology
Steve - great post and comparison. The key for the indie HR people is to stay true to what made them indie to begin with, but gain access overtime to the mainstream... Kind of like the Chili Peppers or Rancid, don't you think?
KD
@Kevin - Thanks very much, I think you are right, at least I hope so anyway!
@Tammy - Good points, and if you are the guys in Death Cab for Cutie it is hard to argue things are worse for you
@Jamie - Thanks!
@Jay - I agree and thanks
@KD - The Chili Peppers are still doing it, even still. Power and influence are still only slowly coming to Indie HR, so I think the jury is still out on whether it will remain true. When KD becomes Global Head of HR for IBM will he still be the Capitalist? Or perhaps a better question is whether he will be nurturing the people 2 and 3 levels down on the team to become new and improved Capitalists?
Stevie B -
Great question... I'll still be the Capitalist, and I think the key to remaining indie in that situation will not only be encouraging those down the org to become Capitalists, but to be secure enough to be OK that their form of the HR Capitalist won't look like mine - but still encourage and provide all the tools and freedom to explore and experiment - right?
KD
@KD - Amen to that. When the student exceeds the master then you know you have done well. When you get the gig at IBM or Microsoft or wherever, don't forget all of us little guys as well.
I agree to you When politics becomes Global Head of HR for IBM will he still be the Capitalist?
I can think of has been a catalyst for change in the mainstream, so that new, more independent, innovative ideas .
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