Today is the final day of the ERE Expo recruiting conference in beautiful Hollywood, Florida (the picture to the right is the view from my room at about 6:15 this morning), and I will be spending another day hosting the HR Happy Hour Live Show on the conference's web stream. If you are interested at all in the recruiting/workplace/talent management space, you should try and tune in to the web stream today to catch not only some of the conversations we will be having with industry leaders and experts (Eric Winegardner from Monster.com, Heather Flynn from Nike, Ryan Healy from Brazen Careerist, to name just a few); but to also see and learn from the ERE keynote and general sessions.
View from the 30th floor
One session, at about 9:15 AM, will be presented by United States Navy Commander Brent Phillips, about the Navy's recruiting strategies and approaches to engaging its community using social media and networking, as well as other more traditional techniques. I was fortunate to get a chance to meet and talk with Commander Phillips yesterday as part of the HR Happy Hour Live stream yesterday, and I can assure you based on the engaging and interesting conversation and preview of his session today that we had on the Happy Hour, that you will not want to miss the Commander's presentation.
Aside - I almost asked the Commander if we were far enough away from Cuba for him to be wearing the 'dress whites', but I thought the better of it. Seriously though, the Commander was a super guest and genuinely nice guy, so I be he would have let me slide.
When you talk to men and women like the Commander that have made the decision to serve their country, and who often and unfailingly place themselves at personal risk to safeguard and protect their country and their fellow citizens you realize (at least I did), that their service and commitment is too rare and incredible to take for granted. Whether it is military servicemen and women, local police, firefighters, and other emergency responders, heck, even the dedicated people that teach in our children's schools and drive the school buses; their collective concern and dedication to something bigger and more important to themselves is something we just can't recognize as much as we should.
With the upcoming 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks in just two days, we will see, hear, and think about these brave and noble men and women much more than we typically do. We will remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice on that day, and in the ensuing years, and we will honor those who continue to serve today. I hope that we will continue to honor and support them long after this anniversary on Sunday has passed, and we have returned our focus to our own busy jobs, lives, and families.
I have had a fantastic couple of days here at the ERE Expo in Florida. The venue is wonderful. The people are welcoming, intelligent, and engaging. I've learned a lot.
I am really lucky to be able to be here. And I'm also grateful to everyone who works in service to our country and our communities that I'm able to stare out at the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean on an impossibly beautiful September morning.