Everyone's talking about the HRevolution

The next iteration of the justifiably legendary HRevolution event for Human Resources and business leaders is set for October 2, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. We do have a fantastic lineup of sessions and presenters once again, to learn more about what you'll learn, check out the HRevolution Sessions and Speakers page here.

But, rather than me go on (again), telling you how amazing the HRevolution events are, and how you need to be there, I'd like to point you to two other pieces that make the point for me.

First, Jay Kuhns on the 'No Excuses HR' blog offers 'HRevolution: Did You Answer the Challenge?', which is simultaneously a challenge and a re-commitment to apply the lessons learned, and the connections made at the last HRevolution to Jay's role as a senior HR leader. That kind of passion, and ongoing support and community that manifests at HRevolution events is like none other in the HR space.

Second, head over to HRevolution co-founder Trish McFarlane's HR Ringleader blog today to get the rundown on the specifics and logistics for next month's event. On her piece titled 'Teamwork and Sticks in a Bundle', Trish spells out how she sees important parallels in the her team of HR professionals and the team and community from HRevolution.  Trish describes what we who have attended previous HRevolution events all have realized, these events do make us better at what we do.

The HRevolution information site can be found here, and to register for your ticket to attend the event on October 2nd, head over to the registration page.

As a bonus, in partnership with the 14th Annual HR Technology Conference that will be held October 3-5, 2011- immediately after the HRevolution, all attendees of HRevolution will receive a special discount code for HR Technology, good for $600 off the HR Tech show listed rate. This is the largest discount code for HR Tech that is still available, and it is good right up to the day of the show.  

I hope you will make the decsion to come to Las Vegas to participate in what is a really special and different kind of event, and better still, stay for the HR Technology Conference, which is the pre-eminent event of its kind.

If you have any questions at all about the event please shoot me a note - steveboese at gmail dot com.

Thanks!

Shameless Promotion Warning: Catch the HR Happy Hour Show Tomorrow Night

Over the last year or so I have tended to shy away from posting that often on the blog here about my other little project, The HR Happy Hour Show (Thursday nights at 8PM ET), but this week's special guest, and the topic are so important to me that I feel that no amount of shameless promotion will be, well, too shameless.

For this week on the big show, HR Technology Conference Co-chair, columnist for Human Resources Executive magazine, and leader of the best LinkedIn discussion group for HR and HR Technology professionals, and occasionally referred to as the most interesting man in the world, Bill Kutik will return for his annual appearance on the HR Happy Hour Show.

You can listen to the show tomorrow night at 8PM ET/5PM PT on the show page here - on the listener call-in line of 646-378-0186, or using the widget player below:

Listen to internet radio with Steve Boese on Blog Talk Radio

You can also follow the conversation backchannel on Twitter using the hashtag - #HRHappyHour

We will be talking about the upcoming 14th Annual HR Technology Conference set for October 3-5, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. This is a can't miss event for HR leaders, professionals, and the HR Technology community.  So we will preview the event and make sure you understand what you need to know if you are planning your trip to Las Vegas, or if you have not made the move and booked your place, we'll make sure you have the info you need to make the right decision.

We'll also get to touch on into some other topics, like the state of the HR Technology market, the ways social networking has changed our industry, and even the best ways to get yourself in a little trouble while in Las Vegas.

Tune in to the show tomorrow, Thursday August 18 at 8PM ET to get the lowdown from the man himself, Mr. Bill Kutik.

Relax, your 401(k) bounced back - time to make plans for Las Vegas in October

This post was more or less completed over this past weekend, and I fully intended it to run yesterday. But after the bloodbath across global equity markets on Monday, it seemed a bit ridiculous to run a piece on Tuesday morning with a pitch to attend not one, but two events in Las Vegas this October. Sure, they are both fantastic, can't miss type events, and yes, I can offer you a really attractive discount to attend one or both of these events, but let's be honest - was anyone on Tuesday going to think seriously about approaching the boss for some travel budget, or consider a little additional personal investment in their professional development on such a disastrous financial day?

But then, perhaps shockingly, the markets rebounded yesterday, and while certainly the uncertainty surrounding US and global economic conditions are likely to persist for the time being, the sting of Monday's sell off has been assuaged at least somewhat, and I figured I'd better make my case quickly this morning, since who knows what might happen when the bell rings a couple of hours from now.

So here are the facts, and once I lay them out it will be clear what the only logical conclusion will be for you, the Human Resources or HR Technology professional at which to arrive:

1. The 14th Annual HR Technology Conference is set for October 3-5, 2011 and will be held in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Resort. This event continues to be the pre-eminent event in the world of HR Technology, and in fact, rivals (and likely surpasses), any mainstream Human Resources conference for its sheer number and depth of exceedingly outstanding sessions, the scope and breadth of the solution providers that exhibit in the Expo hall, and the opportunity to rub elbows, break bread, and engage with the sharpest and savviest thinkers in the world of Human Capital Management.  

2. If you skip this event, you will lament your decision for the remainder of 2011, and will almost certainly begin scheming planning to attend in 2012. Why put yourself through a year of regret?

3. At no other event can you attend presentations from executives from the most important, innnovative, and exciting technology providers in the space, see case studies from innovative organizations like Facebook and Groupon, and even get the opportunity to hear from me, your dedicated servant not once, but twice during the course of the event, as I have the privilege to co-present a session with the HR Ringleader, Trish McFarlane, as well as participate on a HR and Social Media panel moderated by the HR Capitalist, Kris Dunn.

4. If you move fast, (or really before September 19th), you can use the discount code STEVE11, (all caps), to receive a $500 discount off the published registration price. Again, the conference information and registration details can be found here. And you should really take advantage of this opportunity. Truly.

But wait!  There's more!

If you act now you can double your learning experience in Las Vegas this October!

Here's how:

The 4th HRevolution conference for Human Resources and talent professionals will be held on October 2, 2011, one day before the HR Technology Conference kicks off. HRevolution has partnered with the HR Technology Conference to present the latest in what has become well known in the HR community as a challenging, engaging, informal, and boundary stretching program of facilitated conversations that is sure to enhance and support your HR Technology experience. With sessions from leaders from Zappos and Glassdoor, as well as some of the leading voices in HR and social media today, the HRevolution - Las Vegas is the perfect way to get your HR Technology Conference experience started. And thanks to the partnership with HR Tech, all attendees of HRevolution will receive a special, top-secret discount code (even better than STEVE11), that will give you the best value for HR Technology that you can find.

So here is what I really think you ought to do:

1. Register for the HRevolution event on October 2nd. You can get your tickets here.

2. Then take your HRevolution discount code and register for the HR Technology Conference here.

3. Book your room at Mandalay Bay or at any one of the dozen nearby Vegas hotels offering rooms at half the price.

4. Get ready for the best learning and networking experience you will ever have.

Take my word for it, or better yet, ask anyone that has attended HR Technology or HRevolution, you won't regret it! 

Calling all HR revolutionaries - #HRevolution Las Vegas is Coming

There are lots of events in the Human Resources and Talent Management space, and plenty of opportunities for HR leaders and practitioners for professional development, for furthering their knowledge and capabilities, and for networking with like-minded and engaged peers. And we know that everyone is busy, budgets in organizations for travel and development initiatives are still tight, and for HR pros, figuring out where and how to invest their limited time and resources is proving to be a more complex endeavor each year.

That's why it is more important than ever to make the best choices about where to invest your development dollars, your energy, and most importantly your time. 

The HRevolution event for Human Resources leaders and professionals is staging its next event on October 2, 2011 in Las Vegas, at the Mandalay Bay Resort. The HRevolution is partnering with the HR Technology Conference, that will also be held at the Mandalay Bay from October 3-5, 2011, to offer HR and HR Technology pros a fantastic combination of content, networking opportunities, and exposure to the latest and greatest in ideas, tools, technolgies, and innovations that are impacting the workforce today.

If you are not familiar with the HRevolution events here is a quick primer - the HRevolution is a grass roots, practitioner-led, non-traditional Human Resources experiences that while presenting fantastic content and session leaders, is much more about the people who attend than about a bunch of talking heads delivering boring PowerPoint decks about typical HR topics. At HRevolution you will be challenged by new ideas, expected to engage and contribute to the conversations about the current state Human Resources, and also where the profession is headed. At HRevolution you'll learn about new technologies, talk about new ways to engage the workforce, and most importantly, meet and connect with over a hundred like-minded people that are just as passionate as you are.

The HRevolution - Las Vegas event is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the Fall/Winter HR conference season, where HR thought leaders and practitioners from around the globe will be converging for a day of exciting, provocative, and cutting-edge discussions. With session leaders like China Gorman, Kris Dunn, Joe Gerstandt, Jason Lauritsen and more the event is shaping up to be a 'can't-miss' opportunity. But since the HRevolution is a different kind of interactive and participatory experience, space is limited, so you will want to get your tickets soon.  

You can learn more about the HRevolution event here, and register for event here.

And as an added bonus, when you register for HRevolution - Las Vegas you'll receive a major discount code good for the subsequent HR Technology Conference.

Notes from #SHRM11 - Day 2

Trying to come up with four or five notes from SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition - Day 2 has proven to be a little more difficult than I figured. Mainly because I have realized I am not actually attending the event, but rather participating in it in kind of an odd way. I have not had a chance to go to any concurrent sessions, and have only caught parts of the keynotes.

I have spent most of my conference time hanging out in the Dice booth, taking a few meetings with some interesting vendors, and catching up with some of the HR Social Media posse that has descended en masse on this event. The booth work has been fun, a little crazy at times (fuzzy dice are a really popular swag item), and we have had a chance to meet lots of nice and interesting people.The bass player looks like Rick Fox

So we'll give the SHRM Day 2 notes/rundown with a nod towards some of the ancillary activities and sights and sounds surrounding the event. 

1. Expo Hall and other circles of Hell

I finally had a chance to stroll around the Expo Hall yesterday and after a few minutes it becomes a kind of numbing experience. Sort of like all the casinos here in Vegas. Similar kinds of displays, giveaways, pitches, and sort of hard to differentiate providers from each other. Sure, here and there you'll see a few innovative ideas, but honestly one of the most effective ones I saw simply involved giving away water to tired and slightly dehydrated attendees. I think you can stand-out by doing a few simple things, rather than massive, over-the-top demonstrations of force. 

2. Vegas - Part 4.

The only thing I have left to offer is that it is kind of amazing that a city so dependent on the tourist trade makes it so difficult to actually get from one place to another in a reasonable amount of time. Cab lines, hotel check in lines, interminable waits in numerous hotels to have simple requests answered and addressed somehow are not enough to keep people away. I guess the potent combination of gambling, sunshine, and Elvis impersonators make for too compelling a draw.

3. Industrial Pipe Manufacturing

The best question that Laurie Ruetimann and I got in the Dice.com booth was from an HR professional at a traditional, B2B manufacturing company about how she can better promote, organize, educate, and support social media efforts in her organization. It was a great question, and while I hope Laurie and I offered a few decent suggestions about how she can try to move the needle in the B2B space, it reinforced to me how there is still a huge swath of the workplace for whom 'social' is still new and scary territory.

4. Parties

The Monday night combination of the SHRM/BranchOut Tweet-Up followed by the Monster.com party/concert made for a big night. You know you are in the right place when you see a Tim Sackett in the front row of a Natasha Bedingfield concert. Natasha put on an excellent show, cementing her place in the illustrious category of 'singers you think you have never heard of but once they play a few songs you say, 'oh yeah, I know her'.

5. Tony Hseih is not smarter than you

I am writing this while listenting to Zappos.com CEO's Tony Hseih speech. Tony's speech really stands out compared to the last two keynotes since it is seems much more personal, a bit less formally structured, and more directly relevant to HR professionals in the audience. Ideas about company culture, hiring and firing for cultural fit, specific approaches to interviewing and onboarding are all practical and meaningful to the SHRM population.  Sure your company can't simply mimic Zappos, and Tony agrees that you shouldn't, but that you can take the lessons from Zappos (and others), and apply them in your organization.  But the takeaway really is most if not all of the success of Zappos stems from simple things - hire people that fit, stay true to your cause, find a higher purpose than making money. Tony Hseih is not smarter than you, really. But he makes it happen, and most of the rest of us get stuck in rhe reasons why we can't make it happen.

That's it for now, probably only one more of these posts coming to try and wrap-up the event.