The deadly sins of a HR strategist

I had an awesome opportunity to listen to Steven Miranda, Chief HR & Content Integration Officer , SHRM on last Saturday during the SHRM-MTHR HR event in Chennai. Steven shared his thoughts on addressing HR issues through simple yet profound ways of lateral thinking. The analogies and examples he used were inspired from geometry and mathematics which made us think even more objectively.

He then made a thought provoking presentation on the 7 deadly sins of HR strategists. Lets me share a few key inferences from that delightful presentation:

1. Do not take a position of advocacy without assuming accountability: He quoted Arnold Schwarzeneggar ' No one ever got muscles watching me lift wait'. That approrite quote explains it all. Need I say more!!!!

2. Forming an opinion without doing your homework: Seems very simple but lets face it that it's neglected most of the time.

3. Understand the business with a greater amount of sincerity as I insinuated from the presentation that it helps a great deal in execution and in making a strategy work.

4. First know what you want to change before being a change agent- Let's put the issues in a better and sincere perspective before being the change agent.

5. Do not get over romanticized by strategies- Give facts it's due consideration too.

6. The real need can be that of some 'genuine conversation' and 'context' while you are busy communicating.[My favorite mantra of the day]

7. a. Do not believe HR is simple when HR is hard ;-)

b. Do not believe HR is hard when HR is simple ;-)

My first 'Fire Walking' experience...

Today I had an ecstatic experience of walking on FIRE!!!! A BIG thanks to SHRM-MTHR HR event in Chennai where Priya Kumar gave one of the most inspiring speech i have ever come across till date.

Before I share the fire walking experience, let me share a quick lesson I learned from her talk:

• Some of the best philosophies behind success are simple yet a little wierd but genuine.
• Courage & self belief are the two ingredients in overcoming our fear.
• Once a person overcomes his fear, he grows as a person in multi-dimensions ie emotional, spiritual, mental etc.

The fire walk experience started off with great amount of doubts [not really fear] and once I completed it successfully [did it twice :-)], it helped me to gain greater clarity. On further retrospection, my self belief became stronger [it has always been quite strong though :-)].

I am sure a fire walking experience can be transformational for people who have acute fear of fire.

A FIRE walk might also help a great deal in removing insecurities of getting FIREd from your company.

PS: I also bought a book titled 'I am another you' by Priya Kumar. Read a few random pages. Seems very impressive. I even got it autographed by Priya :-)

What makes Chennai MTHR Global-SHRM, India HR event so interesting and unique!!!!!

What’s compelling about the Event:
1. Event with true variety: Not a series of Seminars but variety – Interview (Dr. Khandelwal), Workshop (Steve Miranda), Leadership Training (Priya Kumar)
2. Speakers with a difference: Speakers who are not celebrities but are huge Achievers – transformed Banking (Dr. Khandelwal), redefined Space science (Dr. Bhattacharya), proved HR can become COO/ CEO (Pranesh Anthapur)
3. Engrossing Methodology for Learning: Speakers who engage through stories, not Gyan; thus participants draw their own learning without prescription!
4. View of Reality: Speakers discuss challenges and failure as objectively
5. An event where Fun and Networking never stops: Inclusive Group – HR Leaders of top Groups such as Murugappa, CSC, Deloitte, Verizon, Cognizant; Managers and executives; as well as Academicians and students of various B Schools all mingle without prejudice

6. Promoted by two of the largest HR Groups: SHRM with 3L members globally and MTHRG with 10K members in India, both not-for-profit and progressive
7. Participants combine Learning with experience and confidence: Fire-walking will reinforce that individuals can be Trailblazers
8. Where Learning does not stop: Creation of Learning Forum post Event
9. Partnership between Students and Industry: Watch 20 students volunteer and run the Event – never happens at a non-college Gathering
10. Finally, the Event will be high on Content, very little PPT and Jargon or technical stuff.

Chennai MTHR Global-SHRM, India Full Day Learning Event

I am quite excited to attend the Chennai MTHR Global – SHRM, India Full Day HR Learning Event on 24th October, 2009. Let me share further information about the event which was e-mailed to me today:

SHRM, India – World’s largest knowledge body for HR (www.shrmindia.org), and Mumbai-based MTHR Global (www.mthrglobal.com), a seven-year , in-action, rapidly growing new-age HR movement in India present:



"Trailblazers: Stories for HR"


Chennai, Saturday 24th October 2009, 10 am onwards

At The (Adyar) Park Sheraton, T.T.K. Road,

Chennai 600018



Featuring pioneers in Business, Science, Technology, HR, Personal Transformation; and their exciting journeys in organizations and beyond…

Learn valuable lessons in Leadership and Management through Inspiring stories




“ Trailblazers: Stories for HR” is a Program that HR and other Management professionals, influencers in organizations, academicians and students cannot afford to miss.

Your big opportunity to catch up with interesting and innovative learning that “Trailblazers” from diverse fields will share - in their engaging stories of passion, positivity, and ambition!

Within the new pressured environment of organizations, post-downturn, there is a need and opportunity for the Human Resource function to play a critical part in helping organisations innovate and transform their own roles. In order to play these new roles, however, HR has to enjoy a real and perceived value that’s appreciated by Business Leaders and employees alike. SHRMI and MTHRG are organizing this Knowledge Event that will help glean important lessons in Innovation, Leadership, Management and people practices for participants. Learn from these stories - how you think differently, partner with business leaders , develop value of employees, and pitfalls to avoid!





Hear International Gurus such as:

1. Dr. Anil Khandelwal, Chairman, Baroda Pioneer Asset Company, ex CMD, Bank of Baroda and a pioneer of the HRD revolution in PSU Banks

2. Pranesh Anthapur, Chief Operating Officer of Yahoo! India R&D, formerly VP for Yahoo!'s international HR and HR mergers and acquisitions group in Sunnyvale

3. Dr. Sudip Bhattacharya, Scientist, TIFR, NASA Space Science Achievement Awardee , 2007 and credited with a latest Astronomical breakthrough

4. Steve Miranda, SPHR, GPHR, Chief HR and Content Integration Officer at Society for Human Resource Management

In an evening session - Priya Kumar, Corporate Trainer, motivational speaker,facilitator and authority on Personal Breakthrough will take participants through an amazingly powerful way To Ignite Change in Your Life - The Ultimate Fire walking Experience. Often people are afraid of showing and harnessing their own power and instead sabotage their own potential. Learn how to turn this around so that you can radiate the fullness of who you are. Learn how to motivate yourself for success in all areas of your life.

The MTHR Global - SHRM India Roadshow Series regaled audiences earlier at: Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Pune - featuring the best Learning and Networking through power-packed sessions by global leaders in HR, Business, Corporate Transformation, Wellness, Consulting, etc.

Employer Branding

I am doing a non research based project on 'Employer Branding' in my college. I must say it's very insightful and fun :-)

I have few inferences which I personally feel very strongly about. They are as follows:

• Employer Branding should be leveraged as a Strategic Value Driver…
• Focus more on the internal customers during the Employer Branding Process…
  
• Relevance of Employer Branding will increase in post economic downturn situation…
• Web 2.0 can be leveraged for Employer Branding purpose…
• Creating a superior Employee Value Proposition is more important than marketing the company as a ‘Best Employer’…
• Product/Service Branding should have a greater budget allocated than for Employer Branding…
• Your former employees are the best ambassadors for your ‘Employer Branding’ process…
• It makes sense to use TV commercials for ‘Employer Branding’ process…
• The management philosophy and the internal culture influences the ‘Employer Branding’ process the most….
• Employer Branding can be best used for Talent acquisition and retention…
  

Howzzzattt????????

Indian firms best in terms of employee satisfaction!

This article in rediff is bound to make the Indian HR fraternity feel very proud. According to the article " India ranks highest with 76 per cent on a country-level PEI [the Performance Excellence Index (PEI)] index of 14 countries. The index tracks employees' views of product and service quality and the firm's focus on customer service, quality, training and employee involvement."

Also it is observed " India ranks the highest in the country-level EEI[Employee Engagement Index] index as well, with a percentage of 73 per cent and is followed by Brazil (65 per cent). While Japan has the lowest score in this index at 36 percent."

I hope that the Indian employees do not become too satisfied and lack zeal in looking out for challenging assignments!!!!