The 2010 SHRM Conference is over and we had to leave beautiful San Diego to get back to reality. The conference hosted over 11,000 people from all over the world. More than 150 different concurrent sessions were offered over the 3-day period. The sessions were designed to engage the new HR person just out of college, the seasoned professional, and everyone in between.
The general sessions included big-name speakers like Steve Forbes and Al Gore. For me, the best was saved for last – Marcus Buckingham. Marcus was previously employed by Gallup where he engaged in research to understand what makes employees tick and how to get the best from them. He’s written a number of books on these subjects, most notably First, Break All the Rules, Now, Discover Your Strengths, and Go Put Your Strengths to Work. If you haven’t read them, I think you’ll find them most enlightening.
The focus of his message was on “strength-based management”. Buckingham urged the audience to quit obsessing about their employees’ weaknesses, as well as their own. Instead, he implored us to shift the focus toward strengths. Buckingham dissed the conventional wisdom—particularly prevalent in HR circles—that weaknesses are opportunities. “Call a weakness what it is. It’s an activity that weakens you, even if you’re good at it.”
He urged managers to apply the same rule to themselves. But first, he said, you must be honest about what makes you weak and apply “strategies for managing around it.” Buckingham shared how he follows his own counsel. He knows he enjoys and is good at interviewing people. On the other hand, he loathes mingling with strangers at cocktail parties, even though it’s part of his job and helps boost book sales. To make the task more enjoyable, he pretends his brief cocktail party chats are interviews.
The Wichita Chapter SHRM Scholarship Fund has announced the 2010 recipient of its first ever scholarship award. Laura Gerber, Wichita State University, was selected from among applicants from WSU and Friends. Laura is a senior majoring in human resources and management. She is a member of the Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority which supports the WSU Bands through volunteer work on campus and within the community. She is also a founding member of Gamma Epsilon Women’s Organization which volunteers in support of community organizations. Laura has been a member of the WSU Student Chapter SHRM for the past two years and will assume the Chapter Presidency in the fall. Laura has completed two internships where she has been immersed in a variety of human resource activities
Kara Hunt, SPHR, Director of Human Resources at the Wichita Eagle, is the recipient of the prestigious Professional of the Year award. The award is given by the Wichita Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and recognizes a local outstanding human resources professional.
Hunt has been involved in the Wichita SHRM chapter for more than six years and has held numerous offices including serving as vice president of membership, president-elect and president. Hunt has served on the state level as the state SHRM conference co-chair.
She was the inaugural chairperson for the Wichita SHRM scholarship program in 2009, and was instrumental in establishing the first annual golf tournament to raise funds for the scholarship. She holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification through the Human Resources Certification Institute.
In addition to numerous other local chapter activities, she is active in the Wichita community and has been a Big Sister for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization for four years, and has volunteered as a delivery driver for Meals on Wheels for two years. Hunt has served for two years on the United Way Allocations Committee, among other activities. She is active in her church and has been a Sunday school teacher, church secretary, and women’s department leader.
The Board meets on the first Wednesday of each month from 1130a to 1230p at the Kansas Foodbank Warehouse on Douglas. These meetings are open to all members and we welcome your attendance. Please call me if you would like to attend.
