January 5 Carnival of HR: Reflections, Resolutions, Predictions and Rants

Between you and me, I thought no one would have time for the Carnival of HR so soon after the holidays. Which is why I'm extremely pleased to present 35 fantastic posts to give 2011 a big HR welcome.

I've divided the Carnival posts into 4 categories:

• Reflections critically examines the previous year.
• Resolutions looks at what we should do differently next year.
• Predictions foretells the future with amazing accuracy.
• And Rants... well, you know.

I hope you enjoy these posts as much as I did AND that some of you will join the conversation by leaving comments for the good folks who wrote them.

(If I overlooked anyone please let me know - it wasn't intentional.)

And now... drum roll please... the January 5 Carnival of HR Line Up, including my spoilers favorite quote from each post.

Reflections

Why people would rather plan than execute by Wally Bock, with an important reality check about planning. “Praise execution, not planning. Execution is real results. Plans are fond hopes that never survive a brush with reality.”

Some Great Books from 2010 by Mark Bennett with great reading recommendations on topics ranging from navigating change to defying logic. “When we achieve meaning through our work, we succeed beyond our wildest dreams.”

Hopes, Disgusts and the Best Albums of 2010 by Paul Smith with reflections on 2010, hopes for 2011 and a few musical recommendations. “I never read another resume that is written in the third person. Unless that person has a personal assistant which chances are they do not, it is creepy.”

Before You Make Your New Year’s Resolutions by Kevin Eikenberry on how the why is more important than the what when it comes to goal setting. “Before you make your New Year’s Resolution or set your goal, decide why. Make that why exceedingly clear and compelling. and remind yourself of that why every time you think about the goal or resolution. “

A Dozen Things the HR Technology Market Needs in 2011 by Steve Goldberg, reminding us that while HR tech’s come a long way, there’s still a ways to go. “Here’s a list of a dozen things that would continue advancing the HR technology market in material ways…”

Takeaways from 2010 and Thoughts About 2011 by Dave Ryan with a surprise prediction for 2011…“My oldest son graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineer from M.S. & T (formerly University of Missouri – Rolla). It is my understanding that now as parent though I must pay for his cell phone forever, and car insurance until about age 30 or so. “

Farewell 2010 by Steve Boese, a post that ‘attempts to take a breather, to look around a bit, perhaps at falling snow, or anything at all that may provide a kind of respite prior to the New Year.’ “I think sometimes we do ourselves a disservice with the need to summarize, to compartmentalize, to decode the events, relationships, or desires of our lives using externally devised deadlines.”

Help Me Blog: Your Best Memory from 2010 by Trish McFarlane with a request to share your favorite memory from 2010. “It can be whatever you want to share. Make it a short sentence or a long paragraph. I just want to hear all the best that 2010 had to offer us collectively.”

If Hindsight was Foresight by Shauna Moercke herself looking back over the personal and professional challenges of the last year and decade. “And not only is it the end of a year, it’s the end of another decade. Looking back over the last ten years and how I’ve changed… dude.”

What’s Your Digital Succession Plan? from the Devon Group, with an interesting twist on succession planning. “Today, valuable corporate information is locked behind passwords and on individual computers or handheld devices. Ironically, more than ever before, much of this information has the potential to be forever lost or inaccessible following an employee’s departure.”

Values and Beliefs are the Foundation by Susan Heathfield sharing several deeply held personal principles. “In a workplace, we are all equal. We just have different jobs and callings through which we are challenged to add value every day.”

Silver Bullet – Who Should You Look to for Answers? by Benjamin McCall, reminding us how important it is to find the right answer for ourselves. “There are times you will, whether you like it or not, have to spend time with failure before you can live with success.”

Highlights so Far… and Hopes for 2011 by Alison Chisnell on a mostly positive year in which blogging and work life balance played an important role. “Funny how a few months can change things. The lesson from which, of course, is that you always make time for the things that you enjoy doing.”

History: Learn or Rinse and Repeat by Lynn Dessert on the importance of focusing on the big picture when it comes to solving challenges. “There is only one common denominator – you. There is something you have to fix otherwise you will continue to rinse and repeat the cycle.”

Raise Your Glass by Lois Melbourne with personal reflections about the past decade. “Standing in my old office and thinking about 10 years ago having a play pen in the corner for my then-newborn son, I got a little teary eyed.”


Resolutions

Reflections on 2010: The More I Know About Leadership Development the Less I Know by Dan McCarthy on the relationship between humility and great leadership. “While it’s great to take the time to bask in those moments of glory, it’s also important not to let it go to our heads. Because it seems like when we do – when we start allowing ourselves to get all puffed out and feel like some kind of guru or role model- that’s when we uncover some blind spot about ourselves, screw something up, or discover some new ideas that challenges our deeply held beliefs.”

Be at the ready and resolute: EQ and Effective Communication by Kevin Grossman on the importance of taking time to think so emotional intelligence doesn’t slide. “Emotional intelligence isn’t fixed. It can be learned and then it can be lost and then it can be learned again.”

New Year’s Career Resolutions by Quashan Lockett with a few helpful resolutions we should all consider for 2011. “It doesn’t take Einstein to see that by networking you can significantly increase your chances of landing that new job as opposed to simply doing the RDD (Resume Dump Dance) as I like to call it…”

New Year’s Resolutions from Leading HCM Executives from i4cp that compiles the 2011 resolutions of six HR executives at high performing companies. “Our goal for Human Capital Planning in 2011 is to drive change in our business processes and systems to enable an integrated and holistic approach with all of our talent processes.”

Resume Roulette - Is Yours Ready for 2011? by Kelly Dingee with some practical advice for updating your resume and getting it noticed. “Want to see if you come up in my results? Search Google for yourself.”

I Hereby Resolve for 2011 by Evil Skippy with some humorous suggestions for 2011. “Twitterers: Tweet no tweets unless they are (a) interesting, (b) funny or (c) funny and interesting. (In most circumstances, what you’re eating for lunch is none of the above.)”

Put Up or Shut Up. That is All. by Ben Eubanks with a look back at 2010 goals, a new set of goals for 2011 and an offer to help new HR bloggers. “If you have something to say but don’t know how to get it out there, reach out to me.”

Year 2011: Let’s Make it a Smoking Free and Debt Free Year by Gireesh Sharma, with a story of personal goal achievement and suggestions for HR organizations in 2011. “Organizations should educate employees on better financial management. Financially stable employees are less likely to quit jobs because they achieve higher satisfaction in the same salary.”

Time for Due Diligence on Personal Objectivity by HR Introvert with thoughts about achieving greater objectivity by interacting with others. “Objectivity is not maintained by keeping to yourself. You get objectivity by opening up, sharing with others, and providing them feedback as well.”

5 Resolutions You Shouldn't Make (and One You Should) by Drew Tarvin on the 'unresolutions' he recommends for 2011, as well some serious advice for a happier 2011. "In space, no one can hear you "Mooo."'


Predictions

The Top 10 Talent Management Trends of 2011 by Mark Vickers with predictions and recommendations ranging from performance management to HR transformation. “Don’t throw emotional dimwits into your high-potential pipeline.”

2011: The Year of Reactionary HR by Mark Stelzner with a candid assessment of his own 2010 predictions and his prognosis for 2011. “Suddenly buzzing past you are the 2011 wing-walking fools who squint their eyes into the blinding sun and pretend to see what’s ahead, often misinterpreting the smallest of clues as a means of preparing a seemingly interested world for what is most assuredly an uncertain future. I am one of those fools.”

2011: The Year of Visibility from Laura Schroeder on the absolute necessity of understanding your workforce. “In 2011 HR professionals will be challenged this to provide timely, accurate, operationally relevant information about the extended workforce.”

Taking it Up a Notch – What Does 2011 Hold in Store for HR? by Amit Bhagria with some great predictions for 2011, including the increasing strategic importance of corporate sustainability and putting the ‘human’ back in HR. “Nowadays customers want more. They want to be involved with the companies they do business with. Who runs the company, what is its mission? Do they care about me?”

A 2011 Human Resources Forecast by Michael Haberman with a list of trends we can expect to see in 2011. “As communities realize the disparity between desired skills and those people actually possess, the issue of workforce development will become more important.”

What’s the Future for HR? by Judith Lindenberger on what HR professionals can expect to see in 2011. “Flexible work schedules and using consultants will be the new reality of doing business.”

10 HR Analytics Predictions for 2011 by Cathy Missildine-Martin on how companies will use HR analytics in 2011. “Metrics are yesterday.....(tracking). Analytics are today and tomorrow (insight based decision making).”

Where will social media and #socialrecruiting go in 2011? by Bill Boorman on social media trends in 2011 and the increasing importance of popularity rankings. “Being found will be more important than being heard.”

The Social Network for Workforce Planning by Mick Collins on how social networks can impact workforce planning. “Also of note: the concept of workforce planning networks – beyond stakeholders and champions, who else in the organization will be affected/influenced by workforce planning and what impact will it have?”


Rants (alas, only one, but a fine one)

Thomas Wailgum Inspired Post #1 -- My Airing Of Grievances by Naomi Bloom on how HR executives, vendors and customers should get their act together in 2011. “If you really don’t know what about the people side of the business drives your business outcomes, then you sure as hell don’t know what about the people business you should be working at measuring and improving or rethinking completely.”