Welcome to Allegro HR

Welcome to 2017!

The beginning of 2017 is a start for something new in my life. It marks the official launch of my new HR consulting firm, Allegro HR.

During the last quarter of 2016, there was work put into the planning, launch, and building of this new business and now that 2017 has arrived, the curtains are being pulled back and the official start is underway.

As anyone starting their own venture has experienced, there are so many questions that remain unanswered.  However, I move forward with confidence and an incredible network of people supporting my efforts!

Allegro is poised to focus on organizational development, executive coaching, recruitment and selection, as well as speaking and presenting. My website is active at allegrohr.com and I anticipate starting a monthly podcast within the next couple of months too!

I would like to take this moment to thank the many people who have provided guidance to me. So many of my consulting friends have willingly shared advice with me and have been so supportive as I have moved forward with this venture. Thank you all for your brilliance, your time, and the sharing of so many of your hopes and dreams.

Remember, the term allegro in music means bright and lively. It is my belief that HR can be bright and lively as well!

When you’ve spoken at 20 SHRM conferences, you’ve seen and heard many things!

Many people know Karl Ahlrichs after seeing him speak at local, state, and national SHRM events. For all but 2 of the last 20 years, Karl has been a fixture at SHRM Annual Conferences and returns to Washington DC (his favorite conference city!) to present two (2) sessions this year. During a recent meeting in his hometown of Indianapolis, we sat down to talk about his time as a SHRM speaker and some highlights of his sessions.

In his 20 years presenting at SHRM annual conferences, Karl has been to many cities and heard many speakers. This year’s host city, Washington DC, is his favorite. No where else can you hear a session on the FMLA or an update on the latest from the Department of Labor and then leave the conference and see the Capitol and directly engage with those making our lives more difficult (or occasionally easier!) The energy in DC is unmatched and when fortunate enough to be in town during big events, it’s even higher. Karl was in DC on the day the ACA ruling was released by the Supreme Court and stood outside with the dueling protestors as the ruling came down!

A couple of SHRM keynote speakers that Karl found remarkable were Christopher Reeve whom he described as “amazing” and Madeline Albright when describing her worst moment as Secretary of State kissing Yassar Arafat.

In 2016 Karl is excited to return to the SHRM Annual Conference after a missing Las Vegas last year.  He did not mind missing the conference in his least favorite conference city where messages in the conference about wellness are followed by seeing masses of people sitting, smoking, and drinking!

This year, Karl is presenting two topics. First is Communicating Total Compensation and Benefits to Millennials http://annual.shrm.org/sessionplanner/session/18639 where Karl will talk about communicating complex subjects to people who do not care! Karl believes that it’s important to know that much of what we in HR have been told about generational differences is now dead and there are benefits to making messages simpler.

Karl’s second session is Advanced CFO Wisdom: The Art and Science of Communicating HR and Benefits with Finance

http://annual.shrm.org/sessionplanner/session/18703 Karl talks about the fact that many CFOs have become experts in the ACA. CFO’s are typically fast learners and are quickly becoming expert in engagement and retention since theses are parts of the HR world that affect bottom line. While many HR metrics are evolving, partnering with your CFO can yield tremendous results to the field of talent management.

Karl shared that he speaks to many different types of groups. Karl is a frequent speaker at CFO, CPA, and engineering groups. When stacked against those groups, Karl will take an HR group anytime describing them as engaged, wanting to learn what works (as opposed to what doesn’t!) and are willing to share ideas about what works. HR audiences also tend to forgive poor platform skills in exchange for good content.

My role as HR Director found me entering into negotiations with labor unions for the first time. All five unions reached agreements (some more easily than others!) and one of the five groups even decertified as the year progressed.  The beginnings of a departmental restructure are now underway and I look forward to continuing some of the good work in hiring the best and brightest to be part of our organization.

My outside professional interest also had a few highlights.  Although I purposefully reduced my speaking engagements and conference involvement, it did not stop completely. I had the honor of being part of SHRM’s social media team during the annual conference in Orlando. My involvement in HR Indiana continued (and I am thankful they still accept this Michigander!) and I added the additional role of being a presenter at this year’s conference. One valuable lesson I learned was not to try that again as I did not feel that I brought my best game to either effort. This year, HR Indiana will firmly stay on the planning side. We have lots of great people who can present!

On top of Mt. Baldy at Philmont!

The BIG thing for the year was in my personal life. Spending 2 weeks in the New Mexico mountains hiking at the Philmont Scout Reservation was certainly an adventure. It was difficult at times and certainly challenged this creature of luxury living, but I did it and look back on the time as precious. Even though I will likely not try such an adventure again, the preparation (including running several 5k’s) and time with my son will do my soul good for years to come.

With that, it’s farewell to 2014 as we see what 2015 brings. While I hope for more time with my esteemed friends and colleagues, I also look forward to the unknown that beckons all of us to journey forward one day at a time!

My current organization tends to be quite formal in their approach to systems, people, and communication. This formality was quite a change for me from my previous workplace and my own informal approach has caught some people off guard. Previous HR leaders in the organization rarely left the administration building, interacted minimally, and relied on the hammer of power to get their way. Needless to say, this is not my way and rather than bend to the formality, I am out of my office, talking to people, and building bonds that go well beyond the formal structure that is in place.

When I requested permission to send an organizational wide e-mail, it was met with a bit of uncertainty. Rarely did anyone do this in the past. I tend to be very open in information sharing (oooh, it’s confidential…) and assume that people want to do the right thing. This is a powerful combination that requires faith in others and ultimately faith in yourself that you are embarking on the right path.

This is the minion who lives in my office! It’s part of who I am.

Here’s the thing though, it works! Even in a formal organization, by connecting with people on a personal level the formality may exist but it gets tempered and allows the work to happen on a level that formal structure and policy can’t dictate. Yes, one may have positional authority, but that shouldn’t mean that is the only way you can get work accomplished.

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, find a process that typically requires formality and break it down so that a new, more informal and personal approach can be used. Run with it and get to know people and connect with them on a personal level. It doesn’t hurt and will bring a new sense of enjoyment and engagement to you and your work. After all, life is too short to be miserable!

The discussion began when a student inquired about handling an employee situation after someone has done something wrong yet they insist that they’re right. After joking that a situation like that would never happen because HR is always right, I shared a story that affected me.  Without sharing the lurid details here, the story was about me being accused of doing something that I did not do. Rather than argue and hold hostility to those involved, there was reflection on the things that I had done in relation to the situation as well as the things that I had not done that could have prevented the misperception from occurring in the first place.  In short, it still benefitted me to learn from the situation and get better so that I would not be in the position again where I could be wrongly accused.

Even when one is not wrong and is still being accused, there is always room to improve. I reminded the group that learning from a negative situation can provide great dividends moving forward and that many of my most valuable lessons had come from the mistakes I’ve made, not the immediate successes.  Had I simply been bitter about being accused and reacted in a hostile manner, it is likely that the lessons learned would not be as positive and I would not have gotten better moving forward. To simplify it, it is important to get better, not bitter.

In his opening keynote this morning at the 2013 Illinois SHRM conference, Dr. Daniel Crosby cited some frightening statistics related to reading.

First, 27 percent of population of the United State holds a bachelor’s degree.  Of that 27 percent, a full 42 percent never read a book again after their academic careers are over.  This leads to the most disturbing statistic of all for me.  A full 80 percent of US households do not either buy or check out a book in any given year.

Dr. Crosby summarized by stating that means that 4 out of 5 households are more likely to get their learning from Duck Dynasty or Honey Boo Boo than from a good (or even bad!) book.

This folks, is frightening!

What does this mean for our workplaces and what we do in HR?  

Think about this as you plan for that next big workforce initiative or new innovation.  The decision about how we communicate something can become even more important than the something we are talking about.  Perhaps we are moving toward a future where reading will not be as fundamental.  As an avid reader, that bothers me a lot!  However, it can mean a shift to recorded messages on video, using social media effectively (although that still requires reading!) or even face-to-face conversations.  The media matters more than ever!

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“I’m Brad and I’m a conference addict”

Please respond in unison “Hi Brad”

The reality is that yes, I do enjoy state HR conferences and the reasons really do go beyond what one might ordinarily expect.  There are certainly great speakers to be heard, HRCI credits to earn (I’m not taking the SPHR exam again!) and enthusiastic vendors to meet.  I think it is my parental duty to bring back at least one souvenir to each of my children and my professional duty to have at least one new idea that can improve my workplace (or the workplaces of my clients!)

Beyond those obvious things, I cherish the opportunity to meet and talk to new people.  There are so many interesting stories to be learned and be shared.  I’ve been to multiple state conferences now of all sizes and times of year.  No matter where or when, I always come away knowing more about someone and getting the chance to see people who love what they do.  This satisfies one of my core beliefs in looking for the best in everybody.

It bears remembering though that this requires some effort, and often, a little extra time.  Although sessions and time in exhibit halls can bring these moments, they are much more apt to occur after the conference’s official hours are over and attendees are gathered in more informal settings.  I think back fondly to Louisiana SHRM and my conversation with Laurie Ruettimann and Lizzie Maldonado.  Although I know Laurie, I still learned more about her experience and life beyond HR and her cats.  Liz I hadn’t really known before and now I not only follow her on social media, but know and see firsthand the great vivacious person behind her twitter handle and her work at The Starr Conspiracy.  Moments like these happen everywhere from sitting down with John Jorgensen and Dave Ryan (both from Illinois) while in Ohio to meeting Travis Sinquefield from Michigan while at HREvolution in Chicago.  All great people who are so much more than their Twitter bio can describe!

So, if you’re attending one of the many great state HR conferences coming in the next few months, please take a little time and go out on a limb to meet some new people.  I guarantee that you will benefit from doing so!  I know I intend to meet new folks and gain insight from those I am fortunate enough to get to know during my time at Illinois SHRM from August 18-20 and at my own HR Indiana August 27-30, 2013.

My wife Susanne is truly my better half and I am fortunate that she not kicked me to the curb during our 15+ years of marriage.  Instead, she has found a great opportunity in her chosen field and we have decided to grab it.  We have discovered through the process of working with headhunters executive recruiters that her skill set and expertise is highly desired and certainly much more special than some HR mumbo jumbo that I could develop over time.  So, after 10 wonderful years living in Bloomington and enjoying all it has to offer, we are moving north to pursue her opportunity in Michigan.

As we start out on the road to Kalamazoo, there are going to be bumps along the way.  Those bumps are expected and certainly provide the chance to embrace what is important and to grow as new challenges await.  I am confident that my own future is wide open with possibilities.  I have exactly one week to go in my MBA program and cannot wait to put my skills to work in a new environment and engage in unforeseen challenges.  Although finding an organization to associate with on a full-time basis would be grand, I am equally intrigued at the possibility to start executive coaching on a regular basis and could certainly do that throughout the Midwest. Any referrals would certainly be welcomed!!

Feeling abundant, seeking to empower others, and demonstrating to my children what being good is about provides me with purpose and passion.  These resonate well with my core beliefs:

• Look for the best in everybody
• Take calculated risks
• Dream Big
• Make time for what matters
• Have fun

Although there will be many things to be missed about being in Bloomington, the memories I take, visits that will be made, and lifelong friends to be cherished are always an important part of what’s next!

The stories being conveyed cover the range of good HR tales.  As often happens when HR folks gather, we are able to talk to others who live and understand the daily challenges that come into our world.  In many ways, it’s even a bit therapeutic to know that the weird event that happened at your workplace last week is not unique and that your reaction is considered normal in the typical human experience.

This provides a valuable lesson for communicating on a larger level as well.  So often, we are afraid to show some vulnerability to those around us.  Using stories as a tool can benefit organizations to incorporate others into an organization’s culture, its practices, and as a way to share information.  When using storytelling in an organization, there are three elements that can ensure we are being as effective as possible:

Does the story integrate some portion of your own story?  People need some personal connection so that they can incorporate the lessons into their personal meaning.

Does the story have an element that links the organization to others?  This builds on the larger sense of belonging that we have.

Does the story talk about the situation as it stands right now?  A story must tie the organization’s past to the present day and the current situation it finds itself facing.  It’s an opportunity to remind people that today’s challenges are often similar to those faced previously.

So, what’s your story and how does it convey your sense of the organization?

Image credit - http://www.readersdigest.co.in/

• Enjoying IU basketball being among the nation’s elite programs (Go Hoosiers!)
• Celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the 1st date with a beautiful young woman who would become my wife!
• Watching my kids play their respective sports (volleyball and lacrosse)
• Finishing my MBA(!!!!!)
• Speaking at the Louisiana SHRM Conference (which will allow me get to see so many of my great HR/social media friends!)
• Getting to read lots of non-school related books again (recommendations?)
• Turning 40 (hey, it beats the alternative)
• Attending my first SHRM National Conference (in Chicago, which is one of my favorite places to go!)
• Being part of the team for HR Indiana (August 28-30^th)

And those are just the things I know about right now!  There will certainly be more highlights so bring on a great year!  Happy New Year to all of you and may you all feel as fortunate as I do.