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!

Traveling at over 500 mph is certainly NOT ordinary

Many people who practice in the area of human resources will either never have or never take the opportunity to learn from others in a setting like a large HR conference. For many, the way things are being done in their company or organization is the only way that HR is done and to veer away from that would require a leap of faith and a willingness to push beyond ordinary. Going beyond one’s comfort zone is essential to beating what is ordinary and making things, if not extraordinary, at least at little less ordinary.

This will be only my second SHRM Annual conference, although I am a veteran of several other SHRM conferences and remain heavily involved with a great state SHRM conference, HR Indiana. To me, these conferences are a valuable opportunity to learn from others, expand horizons, and challenge my own conventional thinking.

It’s been an interesting year for me professionally. A little more that a year ago, our family relocated to Portage, Michigan from our longtime home of Bloomington, Indiana. We moved as my wife pursued a tremendous opportunity to join Stryker, a leading medical device company. I am happy to say that move continues to be a positive one for her! This leap of faith then brought me an opportunity that I could not have imagined even a year ago.

That pursuit of things beyond ordinary leads to new experiences and the dissolution of barriers that I myself once imposed upon myself. For example, as an HR professional, I had never worked in a unionized environment. Now, I serve as the HR Director for a public school with five bargaining units with contracts that all expire June 30, 2014 and a sizable non-unionized workforce. A year ago, I would have told you that I couldn’t do this type of work as it’s too different from what I had done before. As it turns out, applying the same principles that worked well for me before provide great benefit now.  3 of our 5 groups now have tentative agreements, we are seeing success of our students in so many ways, and I’ve witnessed great development on the HR team I lead.  I count among the good fortune a great superintendent to work for, dedicated people in leadership focused on educational excellence, and another organization that has wonderfully dedicated people in every role!

One of my goals while at SHRM in Orlando is to find other HR professionals working in public education so I can learn from them and their districts.  Naturally, unconventional thinking is welcomed and I hope to find some kindred spirits who want to focus on the new and build greatness into their organizations. If you’re looking for, you will not find me in sessions on FMLA compliance or getting updates on the Affordable Care Act. These (to me at least!) are ordinary and will not help push my organization to the world-class level I know it can be.

So, if you have a session that pushes boundaries and will prompt new ideas, let me know. Life should always be less ordinary and more extraordinary!

Bradley Galin, MBA, SPHR is the Director of Human Resources for the Portage Public Schools in Portage, Michigan and serves as an official WeKnowNext blogger and member of the #SHRM14 blog squad! Follow him on twitter @bradgalin and subscribe to www.RollerCoasterHR.com for the latest updates.