For those that haven’t figured it out, I’m in New Orleans for the SHRM09 HR Conference.
NOLA has been nice but I’m hot and sweaty, just saying. For those that are attending and see me, I want to apologize ahead of time for the shiny face and flat hair, I don’t do heat gracefully.
Now where was I….
First day of SHRM09 was a whirlwind of excitement. I arrived around 115 to pick up my badges, tickets and bag and then off to meet up with my coworkers. We were fortunate enough to get a place in line close to the front of the door so we weren’t caught in the mad rush for a good chair. My coworkers made the mistake of letting me decide where we sat, second row to the left of the stage.
From our seat I saw China Gorman doing her thing, cute suit by the way. I saw the HRBartender arrive as well but I was too far away to ask for a drink.
The opening session kicked off with a jazz band, jugglers, beads and what I can only describe as someone dressed up like the Burger King guy except NOLA style.
The Michael Jackson music was a nice touch but the Chairman of the Board dancing was hysterical.
Jack Welch came on stage with Claire Shipman, informal dialogue style. Jack Welch had a lot of great things to say about HR. My favorite, right now, is “Find a job that turns your crank” I love that! He had two things he wanted everyone to take away from the opening session.
- Trust, you must have the trust of your people in order to be successful at HR. “Get out of your cube” – another great quote.
- “Don’t be a victim, get angry!” Do something about HR not being on level with the other C levels.
Communication was another key point Welch seemed to want to make. He suggested you tweet with your coworkers, get out of your office and mingle on the floor with the front line staff.
After the opening session we headed to the expo hall. I love the free stuff, all of it. I came out with a slinky for the cat, a rubber ducky, a plush dog, some coffee, a puzzle, a yoga mat and so much more. The ADP and Ceridian booths are doing massages and Career Builder has Top Chefs cooking up a storm. I saw booths with fudge, cookies, and one with wine glasses.
I ran into three great ladies while in the expo hall, Sharlyn Lauby, Laurie Ruitterman who flagged me down and Dawn Hrdlica.
Tomorrow will be the first day of concurrent sessions for me and I still haven’t confirmed where I’m going. There are far too many great sessions to attend.
Now, where can a girl get some good food and a cold beer around here…..
