Jennifer McClure`

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Written by Jennifer McClure

How to Start a Movement — The Origin Story of DisruptHR

 

As the Chief Excitement Officer of DisruptHR, I’m often asked to share how DisruptHR got it’s start. Were we planning to start a movement? Did we have plans for it to grown into what it’s become today? The easy answer to both of those questions is “No.” 🙂

You may already be familiar with DisruptHR. But I’m sure there are some who’ve never heard of it, or they have, but they’re not quite sure what it is, and if it’s something they should get involved with.

So I decided to share the origin story in an episode of the Impact Makers podcast. And whether you’re a huge fan of DisruptHR or not, I think you’ll get some great takeaways!

DisruptHR has grown from an idea shared over lunch, to a global community that has helped thousands of people around the world to get their ideas heard, and to connect with like-minded people.  It was created out of a desire to encourage leaders to take risks, to stir the pot and to “disrupt” in order to succeed.

My hope is that by listening to this episode, you’re encouraged to go out there, find a place where you can start dancing, get somebody else to dance with you, bring on even more people, and create the change you want to see in the world!

You can listen to the Impact Makers podcast on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking the link below. (Email subscribers will need to click here to access this post online and see the link.)

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 34

More Info and Resources:

King University Online

Creating A Movement In HR: The Power To Create Change | Jennifer McClure | DisruptHR Talks

How to Start a Movement | Derek Sivers | TED Talks

First Follower: Leadership Lessons from a Dancing Guy by Derek Sivers

Guy #3 by Seth Godin

Ignite Talks

DisruptHR

DisruptHR website

DisruptHR videos

DisruptHR cities

DisruptHR Cincinnati

DisruptHR Cincinnati 1.0 videos

DisruptHR Denver

Chris Ostoich: LinkedIn | LISNR

Steve Browne: LinkedIn | Impact Makers Podcast Episode 3 – The Heart of Human Resources with Steve Browne

Laurie Ruettimann: Website | Impact Makers Podcast Episode 2 – The Thriving Contrarian with Laurie Ruettimann | Why Not You | Laurie Ruettimann | DisruptHR Talks

Mary Faulkner: LinkedIn

“The First Follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the First Follower is the spark that sets the fire.”

“The Second Follower is a turning point: it’s proof the First has done well. Now, it’s not a lone nut, and it’s not two nuts. Three is a crowd, and a crowd is news.”

—–

Thanks to King University, who’s support makes this podcast possible! King is proud to offer sixteen online degrees with accelerated programs and affordable tuition so you can start a new career faster than ever. You can choose from programs in technology, communication, and business – like an online MBA with six concentrations including human resource management. And because the program is offered fully online, you can earn your degree on your own schedule in as little as 16 months. Visit https://online.king.edu/impactmakers to learn more about the King Difference today.

Categories: DisruptHR, Podcast
Posted on January 8, 2020

Written by Jennifer McClure

Flipping The Script: Conflict Isn’t Bad, It’s Good

It’s probably safe to say that nobody likes conflict.

But, it’s also true that conflict can be helpful – maybe even necessary – if you want your ideas to become the best that they can be, and for disruption and/or innovation to occur.

Conflict Produces More And Better Ideas

In fact, studies performed in both the United States and France examined the role that conflict played in generating and producing creative ideas. The researchers assembled participants into three separate experimental conditions (minimal, brainstorming, and debate) and formed them into teams within those conditions.

Each team was tasked with generating ideas for the same challenge: how to reduce traffic congestion in the San Francisco Bay Area. Teams in the “minimal condition” were given no further instructions and told to develop as many ideas as possible. Teams in the “brainstorming condition” were given the traditional set of brainstorming rules; paramount among those rules being the notion that all judgment should be suspended and no idea criticized or debated. Teams in the final, “debate condition” were given a set of rules similar to brainstorming with one important difference: they were told to debate and criticize others’ ideas as they were generated.

When the results were calculated, the winners were clear. While teams in the “brainstorming condition” did generate more ideas than the teams given “minimal” instructions, it was the teams in the “debate condition” that outperformed the rest. Teams that debated their ideas produced an average of 25% more ideas than the other teams in the same period of time.

— Why Fighting For Our Ideas Makes Them Better

If conflict and debate can help us produce better work, and come up with more creative ideas, then why do we do we tend to avoid it like the plague?

Because we often do it wrong.

The good news is that we can fix that. The best leaders seek out conflict, and also establish ground rules and cultures where healthy conflict can occur.

Leaders Should Own Conflict

I recently watched a DisruptHR Talk given by Amanda Ono – VP People & Culture at Resolver – at the December 2017 DisruptHR Toronto event about the importance of embracing conflict in the workplace. In her Talk, Amanda makes some great points about conflict, including:

Conflict isn’t bad. It’s when it gets wrapped in ego and blame that it’s bad. Otherwise, it’s about peeling the onion to understand why incompatibility exists, and airing genuine fears and concerns.

As the Chief Excitement Officer of DisruptHR, I’ve watched hundreds of DisruptHR Talks (there are currently over 1,700 online), and this one ranks right up there as one of my favorites.

Amanda takes a traditionally held belief (conflict is bad – avoid it), and flips it (conflict is good – seek it out). She makes the case that it’s time for us to embrace conflict in the workplace, so people can create their very best work.

Teams Need Conflict

I love Amanda’s message, and encourage you to take 5 minutes to watch her Talk.

Then, go out and encourage some conflict in your workplace. 🙂

Surviving The Kool-Aid Hangover: Your Team Needs Conflict & How HR Can Make It Happen | Amanda Ono | DisruptHR Talks from DisruptHR on Vimeo.

Categories: Effective Communication, Leadership
Posted on February 21, 2018

Written by Jennifer McClure

You Can Change The World – Without Changing Who You Are

When you think about people who have changed the world, who comes to mind?

Maybe you think of people like Henry Ford, who transformed the automobile into an innovation that has moved the world. Or Orville and Wilbur Wright, who made the world accessible to all.

It makes sense that these individuals are thought of as world-changers. They’ve invented or improved upon everyday things that have had a lasting impact on us all.

Now, think about who has changed YOUR world?

If you were to make a list, it might include a parent, a teacher, a boss, or maybe even a religious leader. These types of people hold places in our lives that position them for great opportunities to influence.

But what about you? Would anyone name you as someone who has influenced his or her life?

If not, why not?

5 Reasons You May Think You Can’t Change The World

“I’ve got nothing to offer.”

The truth is, there are many good things – and maybe a few not so good things – that make up who you are. So you’ve got something – and you can use your life experiences to help someone else.

“I’m not really that interesting.”

The good news is that influencing others is not about you. It’s about them. You influence others by focusing on their story – not yours.

“I’m not super successful.”

Your level of success has nothing to do with your ability to listen. Many people are seeking influencers who they can simply talk to, and who will share a different perspective.

“I’ve got some skeletons in my closet.”

Failure makes you human. There’s someone out there who can relate to – and learn from – your failures. So can you.

“Nobody has ever asked me to be a mentor or influencer in their life.”

Then your first opportunity is ready for you! Don’t wait for someone to ask you to speak into his or her life. Most likely, the people who have influenced you the most weren’t invited to do so.

So how can you actually change the world?

One person at a time.

[Tweet “You don’t have to invent something with lasting impact or create a movement to change the world.”]

Somebody in your life needs your influence. Somebody is ready to benefit from your knowledge, skills and expertise.

Steve Jobs said: “…the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

I believe that you can change the world.

Just do.

Jennifer McClure – You Can Change The World – #DisruptHR from Jennifer McClure on Vimeo.

—–
Unbridled Talent LLC is a consulting and advisory firm providing services to clients in the areas of talent strategy and leadership development. Jennifer McClure offers keynotes, workshops and training that inspire and teach business leaders to be more effective in their careers and as leaders of their organization’s most valuable resource – people. Contact us to schedule an event or to discuss our strategic consulting and advisory services.

Categories: Blog, Leadership, Personal Development, Presentations
Posted on February 19, 2015

Written by Jennifer McClure

Recommended Human Resources Conferences To Attend in 2015

Recently, one of my contacts who is planning her 2015 schedule sent me a question asking for my recommendations for the top 2 – 3 conferences to attend in the US for HR professionals.

I am doing my planning for 2015 and wanted to reach out to you and get your thoughts on something if you don’t mind. One of my plans for next year is to attend more conferences in the US; ideally I’d like to attend events where there is a lot of networking, collaborating and great speakers.

Since there are so many events happening all the time, it’s hard for me to assess which ones are best. Do you have any recommendations for the top 2-3 conferences in the US for HR professionals – other than the annual SHRM conference in Las Vegas?

I shared my recommendations with her directly, but I thought I’d also share them with you – and get your recommendations too!

My Top 5 HR Conference Recommendations

1. 2015 SHRM Annual Conference (Las Vegas, NV)

I’m assuming my contact asked for recommendations other than the SHRM annual conference because it’s an obvious choice – and it is. If you’re an HR, talent acquisition or learning and development professional, you should definitely make plans to attend #shrm15. The sheer size (12,000 – 15,000 attendees) typically means there are numerous networking opportunities, the chance to visit and connect with vendors who provide every conceivable product or service in the industry, and a wide variety of speakers on topics ranging from compliance issues, to talent management, to personal growth, and strategic leadership.

I’ve attended the SHRM Annual Conference each of the last five years, and I’ve spoken at the last three. I wouldn’t miss it!

2. LinkedIn Talent Connect 2015 (Anaheim, CA)

If your organization uses LinkedIn (i.e. you have some level of paid LinkedIn Talent Solutions) as part of your recruiting and employer branding strategies, then I’d definitely recommend attending Talent Connect. At Talent Connect, you’ll find a high concentration of recruiting, sourcing and employer brand leaders, as well as quite a few HR professionals. The quality of attendees, great networking, informative content – and fun – makes it a must-attend event. In 2015, the main Talent Connect conference will be held in California, but there are also similar events in Sydney and London.

I’ve attended and spoken at four of the five Talent Connect conferences and it remains my personal favorite.

3. The Conference Board conferences (various)

To interact with senior-level leaders, typically from Fortune 500 companies, I’d recommend any of The Conference Board’s events. Their conferences are typically focused on specific aspects of human resources or talent management and are relatively small (maybe 100 – 300 attendees), but the content and caliber of attendees is great. While there is typically not much scheduled networking, there are plenty of opportunities to connect and learn from other attendees.

I’ve been a speaker or blogger at several of The Conference Board’s conferences in the past (Talent Management, Leadership Development, Employer Branding and Executive Coaching) and have always enjoyed their programming mix, which includes plenty of case studies shared by senior-level practitioners.

4. State or Regional SHRM Conferences

When I asked my network for recommendations, many enthusiastically put in a vote for their own state’s annual SHRM conference – and with good reason. (Specific shout outs were given for HR Florida, HR Southwest, ILSHRM, HR Indiana, HR West, OHSHRM, Strategic HR New England and WISHRM). State and regional conferences are a great place to network with peers and make good connections, and also offer a variety of content typically targeted at HR Generalists of all levels.

In 2014, I spoke at nine different state or regional SHRM-affiliated events, so I’m obviously a Fan. When I speak at a state SHRM conference, I try to attend as much of the programming as I can, because the networking and learning opportunities are often on par with many of the larger national events.

5. DisruptHR

As one of the organizers of the first Disrupt HR held in Cincinnati, OH back in December 2013, I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend these events. Disrupt HR events are different than traditional conferences and are run by passionate local volunteer organizers. The team at BlackbookHR came up with the concept and assists each organizer by providing a framework for speaker submissions and sharing videos of the presentations online. To date, Disrupt HR events have been held in Cincinnati, Denver and Cleveland, with more planned for 2015.

I’ve given 2 talks at previous DisruptHR events (see my Awesomeness Is Not Accidental talk here) and love the format – 5 minute talks, 20 slides auto-advancing in 15 second intervals – content and energy. The attendees are typically an interesting mix of HR and recruiting practitioners, business leaders/owners and community leaders.

Recommendations From My Network

A quick poll of my Facebook network included many of the events listed above, as well as the following:

– Achievers Customer Experience Conference (2015 San Francisco, CA)

– Association for Training & Development International Conference (2015 Orlando, FL)

– Dreamforce (2015 San Francisco, CA)

– Equifax Workforce Solutions Forum (2015 New Orleans, LA)

– Great Place to Work® Annual Conference (2015 Dallas, TX)

– Halogen Customer Conference (2014 Washington, DC / 2015 TBA)

– HRevolution (2014 Dallas, TX) / 2015 TBA)

– HR Summit and Expo (2014 Dubai / 2015 TBA)

– Human Capital Institute Events (various)

– National SHRM Conferences (various)

– Ultimate Software Connections Conference (2015 Las Vegas, NV)

Question: What are your top recommendations for conferences or events for human resources leaders – US or global? Please share them with me in the Comments!

—–
Unbridled Talent LLC is a consulting and advisory firm providing services to clients in the areas of leadership development, executive communication skills and talent strategy. Jennifer McClure offers keynotes, workshops and training that inspire and teach business leaders to be more effective in their careers and as leaders of their organization’s most valuable resource – people. Contact us to schedule an event or to discuss our strategic consulting and advisory services.

Categories: Blog
Posted on October 28, 2014

Written by Jennifer McClure

AWESOMENESS Is Not Accidental [Slideshare] #DisruptHR

Last night, I had the honor of hosting the first Disrupt HR event in Cincinnati, Ohio along with my friends Chris Ostoich and Steve Browne.

Well actually, Chris and his fantastic team at BlackbookHR did all of the hard work, and Steve and I just sort of showed up. Which was perfect.

On the agenda for the night was some good old fashioned networking, festive beverages at the historic Rhinegeist Brewery and 13 brave presenters delivering Ignite-style talks on variety of topics including human resources, talent, diversity, culture.

Chris Ostoich – Founder & CEO, BlackbookHR

Elizabeth Borton – Owner & President, Write On Target

James Biro – Plant Director, Kellogg Company

P.G. Sittenfeld – Cincinnati City Councilman

Kristie Aiuto – HR Manager, Procter & Gamble

David Le – Managing Member, The Lang Thang Group

Steve Browne – Executive Director of Human Resources, LaRosa’s Inc.

Josh Heuser – Founder, AGAR and Partner, Mainstay Rock Bar

Pat Reiber – Relationship Manager & Executive Recruiter, Centennial Inc.

John Herman – CEO, Epipheo

Craig Bryant – Founder & Product Manager, Kin

Jennifer McClure – President, Unbridled Talent LLC

Laurie Ruettimann – Writer, Speaker & Consultant, The Cynical Girl

 This was my first Ignite-style talk (5 minutes, 20 slides automatically advancing in 15 second increments) and it was a challenge!

Thankfully, I survived and it’s sufficient to say that I have used up my quota for saying the word Awesome in 2013. Which is Awesome. 🙂

Below is the deck from my talk (email subscribers click here to view).

AWESOMENESS Is Not Accidental from Jennifer McClure

Special thanks to the Disrupt HR sponsors, for without them, this event wouldn’t have been possible.

BlackbookHR

Centennial, Inc.

Paycor

Plum Street Productions

Event Enterprises

Interested in hosting a Disrupt event in your town? Let me know and I can hook you up with the right folks to get you started!

Categories: Blog, Events, Human Resources, Just For Fun
Posted on December 5, 2013

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