Ok, the last time I did an update was back in April. Things had gotten crazybusy and I hadn’t been blogging much. It’s now the end of July and things have been crazybusy and I haven’t been blogging much since April. Sigh. Apologies all around and some updates on what’s happened and what’s happening.

 

I Left My Job & Moved Across the Country

After five and a half years as Director of Learning & Leadership for a great organization in Central Texas, I left to return to my hometown in Northern Nevada. Family reasons prompted the move and I’m using it as an opportunity to redefine my career and contribution to the world.

My last day was Friday, June 13, we loaded a 26’ moving van on the 14^th, and my kids and I started driving on the 15^th. After three days, one destroyed windshield, a few whiteknuckle moments of 19,000 pounds of vehicles and stuff getting squirrely, a snowstorm (!) over a mountain pass, and too much time spent looking for gas stations with enough space for the van and trailer, we arrived. If everything goes as planned over the next few days, my wife will have her last day at work, close on our house in Texas, and arrive in Nevada with horses in tow and dogs in the cab of her truck. Looking forward to having a complete family again.

 

Wait! I Left My Job! What Will I Do?

I’m back on my own as an independent. Much like an outrageous roller coaster, being independent is an exhilarating, uncertain, fun, terrifying place to be and I’m enjoying it. My calendar over the next several months is filling up with:

• Advising a very cool training and assessment tech start-up on content.
• Coaching new leaders as they go through a year-long development program.
• Providing leadership and professional development for a government agency.
• Ghostwriting blogs / content development.
• Speaking and presenting conferences.
• ???? Have ideas on how I could help you and your company? Know someone I should meet?  Please reach out. I am always excited to add more interesting work with interesting people to the list.

 

Speaking of Speaking and Conferences

This has been a fun year for conferences. Most I have or will attend are smaller or aimed at shaking things up. What’s great about those conferences is the people who show up are full of ideas for change and the speakers are all very accessible. Such a great chance to pick up new perspectives and insights (if you’re into that kind of thing). Here’s the list so far:

(March) TalentNet Interactive, put on by Craig Fisher and crew. Even though it’s targeted at recruiters and I haven’t recruited in a long time, I still came away with lots of ideas and fantastic conversations.

(April) Louisiana SHRM. Once again, Robin Schooling brought together an amazing group of speakers. The list of speakers and sessions read like the Woodstock of HR (minus the mud). It’s a state conference that would be well worth coming in from out of state to attend.

(May) HR Reinvention. Here’s a tip: if you come across any sort of workshop or conference held in Omaha and it involves Jason Lauritsen and Joe Gerstandt, just go. Not only are they fantastic speakers with kick-you-in-the-back-of-the-head-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that ideas, but they attract and surround themselves with other phenomenal people. And they do it in an amazing, three story working art gallery that inspires creativity and conversation and leaves you wondering why other conferences don’t find more original spaces and formats.

(May) TLNT’s High Performance Workplace. The first year for this conference and I expect it will grow substantially as more people hear about it and it gains traction.

(July) Bank Trainer’s Conference. It was the second year for this niche conference and this is another one that I anticipate will continue to build momentum.

(August) Illinois SHRM. A favorite of mine. Like Louisiana SHRM, this is a state conference with a list of presenters worth traveling out of state to see. You still have a few days to register at get a plane ticket.

(November) HR Evolution. Cannot, cannot wait. Like HR Reinvention, just go.

 (????) What am I missing? What other conferences should I be seeking out or speaking at?

 

Enough about me. How are things in your world?