Welcome to Boxing Day. Or whatever you call it in your neighbourhood. I hope you are recovering from Christmas Day and have something equally valuable planned today. Its a good time to be writing your post if you haven’t already…
Today at home it is another relaxing day. In years gone by we would prioritise getting out to the shops and retail park for sales and bargains, but those days are long gone and most shopping is done online for us now. We will start on the rest of the Christmas food and have at least one, if not two, buffet meals. I will also try to get out for a longer run. Boxing Day always reminds me of Christmases with my parents – I always preferred Boxing Day to Christmas Day, as it was less stressed but equally as happy.
Today’s post is from Steve Browne. Yes, THE Steve Browne. You are already connected with Steve on some platform – X (@sbrownehr), Threads (@sbrownehr), BlueSky (@sbrownehr), and LinkedIn and probably on other social media – and to be honest, who isn’t? If you’re not, you should be. Steve has an online presence beyond almost all in HR, and whilst I could share a bio of his, it wouldn’t do him justice. He’s the Chief People Officer at LaRosas. Steve and I have interacted lots as part of the #HRPubQuiz community and he’s another I know well. He is one of the nicest people you’ll ever want to meet. Steve is a regular contributor to this series.
Over to Steve:
It’s daunting to believe that I am a mere two years away from being an HR practitioner for 40 years. I had no preconceived notion that I would do ANYTHING in my life for such an extended period of time. During this lengthy adventure, I’ve experienced many ups and downs just as you would expect. There have been many situations that I would consider to be successes that mattered and impacted the lives of others. I’m grateful to have remained in this profession, and I still carry a fierce passion for it.
I think there was a tipping point though that transformed me to keep this fire for Human Resources continually lit.
Way back in the mid 1980’s when my career journey began, I was part of an HR department, but I wouldn’t say I had any meaningful connection to my co-workers, the company or the profession. I had an incredible job in a Fortune 100 company. When I mentioned where I worked, people would gasp and tell me that they would love to have the chance to work where I was. I never felt that draw. The company was, and still is, amazing in what it does and the products they produce. I just never felt that I was an integral part of them.
My friends and family were shocked when I chose to leave this organization. They were sure I had made a fatal error. I didn’t. I thought there had to be something more to this field I had chosen to pursue. The jobs (yes, plural) I had after my first one were great learning grounds. I was able to hone my skills and my approach to HR. I was in what is called an HR “Department of One” in these companies. I was responsible for every facet of HR. I loved it !!
There was still something missing though. I enjoyed the work I did and the people I worked with immensely. I still, however, didn’t feel connected to the greater profession. I wondered if that sort of connection existed. Being in roles where I couldn’t make time to get involved away from my day-to-day job limited my view of anything available outside the four walls of my company.
After several years, I landed a role where I was in another Department of One position with one difference. I had a boss who wanted to see me grow professionally and not just fill a job with my time and effort. Kathy told me that she wanted me to get involved outside the company so that I could learn more in order to be better at my job, and, in turn, make the company better. Having that boss in my corner was priceless. I jumped at the chance and started by attending a local HR Roundtable.
Over time, I was fortunate to become the leader/facilitator of that Roundtable. It started to grow, and I started to meet more and more of my HR peers. After one of the Roundtable attendees challenged me about the local HR chapter, I chose to get involved there as well. Once I joined the chapter, my reach to other HR peers only grew. I started an internet forum to reach even more people. This level of connecting with more folks in HR was 14 years into my career. I felt reignited more than ever and felt there was more out there. There just had to be.
I chose to get involved not only locally, but throughout our State HR organization with the encouragement of some dear HR friends and mentors. They opened more doors to more people, and I stepped in willingly. Little did I know that taking this step would open a landscape that has led to making connections across the nation. At the same time, I felt the call to start speaking about the positive reality of how HR can, and should, move companies forward. People were kind enough to let me visit and share presentations with them at chapter meetings and conferences. Throughout all of this, I continued to meet more and more HR peers on purpose. I still had the sense that there was even more out there, but I would have to wait.
In the mid 2000’s, that landscape opened up with the dawn of social media. Various platforms began to form, and we came to the realization that there were people practicing HR around the entire globe. I dove in and couldn’t get enough. I made sure to be active on Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. I was encouraged that others wanted to be connected as well. The wave of positive social media lasted for many, many years. And then . . .
The tide turned. For several reasons, the world has chosen to pull itself apart instead of doing what it can to stay together. It saddens me. The level of divisiveness is staggering, and it draws too much of our daily attention. I find more people talking about which side they’re on far more than the relationships that we had once founded and cherished. This action has become a wedge for far too many folks. People are deciding to move away from each other.
This isn’t healthy. I don’t want to go back to being on my own – personally or professionally.
Here’s what you need to know. I won’t go back !! It won’t happen. People matter too much to me. I want to do whatever I can to keep us connected to have constructive and meaningful relationships. I’m committed to this because I know it makes a difference. So, I choose to be active in social media. I choose to reach out with a text, email, WhatsApp message or telephone call. I don’t want to see one person fade away. Not one.
I know this may seem that I’m a contrarian and out of touch with the social and political camps of the world. I disagree. You see. I see life through the lens of people. People first. I always will. So, be on alert !! I will find you. I will do my best to get to know you. And, I will do all I can to keep you connected. We were designed to be together. Let’s make sure that this happens. Always.
I’m really pleased Steve put this together. He was concerned about the length of the post, but forget the length and focus on the quality. He has commented on similar themes in previous years and this underlines how important it is to him.
I smiled my way through reading this. Steve means every word of it, and if he says he will find you, he will. If he says he won’t let you go, he won’t. He is a man of high principles and is right to have connection as one of them. He comments well on how the world has changed but we don’t have to. We don’t have to be isolated, and we shouldn’t.
Where can Steve find you, and how will you receive him?
Till next time…
Gary
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