HR on the High Road in DC: #TChat Recap
Washington, DC. Our nation’s capitol. What better place to discuss the intersection of business leadership, HR and public policy? It’s the venue for this week’s Society of Human Resource Management Leadership conference (#SHRMLead). And it was the backdrop for yesterday’s dynamic #TChat session, as Illinois SHRM Director, @Donna Rogers, moderated the discussion with polish and panache.
(Speaking of panache, did ya get a peek at #SHRM’s hottest swag? Check the “Ask me about #TChat” bling that the leadership conference crew is rockin this week, thanks to Donna. We like that style!)
But of course, this week’s session went way beyond the buttons.
(To see highlights from the #TChat session, watch the Storify slideshow at the end of this post.)
Tackling Today’s Toughest Topics
Anytime the relationship between business and government is on the table, it sparks passionate opinions from all sides. And this #TChat was no different.
Although there were plenty of lighthearted moments, participants were engaged and the flow was intense. But yesterday’s discussion was different from many “business/government” forums I’ve encountered – especially on social media. This session was actually constructive. The ideas were grounded and realistic. Moreover, the tone was respectful. Despite diverse viewpoints, there were no snarky “gotchas.” No dismissive “know-it-all” comments. No locked-down partisanship on display.
A Lesson for Lawmakers?
Actually, that’s why I consider #TChat such a useful resource. Each week, hundreds of professionals who are deeply interested in the human side of business gather to focus on a single topic that affects us all. Everyone brings “A-game” ideas to share – and the loosely structured virtual environment makes crowdsourcing an efficient and exhilarating experience.
It’s not about intense “win/lose” debate. And it’s not about steering everyone toward the same conclusions. Rather, it’s about creating a forum for knowledge sharing that honors plurality of thought. The process is the goal. It’s a model for corporate collaboration. But more important, it’s a laboratory for collective virtual learning. No one has all the answers. But together, we have an opportunity to improve everyone’s game.
It makes me wonder – how much could our nation’s policy makers accomplish, if they embraced the #TChat model as a framework for brainstorming and problem solving?
Hopefully, enlightened organizations like #SHRM can influence the nature of policy dialogue, and show Washington the way! It could happen – even only on a limited scale. In the meantime, we can continue to demonstrate how these new forms of communication can make a difference. What’s more, we can continue to share the #TChat concept with others. If we don’t do it, who will?
To quote one of last night’s participants, Michael Clark at @ReCenterMoment:
“Revolutions are always created and sustained by people, not policy.”
We, the people. We, the #TChat people. It’s our revolution. Let’s own it!
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NOTE: For highlights from yesterday’s business/HR/government #TChat session, see the Storify slideshow at the end of this post.
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Closing Notes & Highlights Slideshow
SPECIAL THANKS to this week’s guest moderator, Donna Rogers (@Donna Rogers), HR Management & Development Consultant, and Director of Illinois Society for Human Resource Management. She’s a strong advocate of TalentCulture and #TChat, whose tireless support has helped our community thrive.
Did you miss the #TChat preview? Go here.
NOTE TO BLOGGERS: If this #TChat session inspired you to write about business/HR/public policy issues, we’re happy to share your thoughts. Just post a link on Twitter (at #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll add it to our archives. There are many voices in the #TChat community, with many ideas worth sharing. Let’s capture as many of them as possible.
WHAT’S AHEAD: No #TChat next week – Happy Thanksgiving! But be sure to mark your calendar now for our special 2nd-Anniversary “double feature” event, the following week! On Wednesday November 28, at 7-8pm ET, we’ll celebrate by looking at how #TChat has helped some of our best-known participants. And the day prior (Tuesday, November 27) we’ll showcase some of those community members on a live Radio #TChat show. It promises to be a week filled with great memories and glimpses of the road ahead. Look for the preview early next week via @TalentCulture and #TChat. Thanks!
Image Credit: Matt Tillett via Flickr
#TChat INSIGHTS Slide Show: Business Leadership, HR & Public Policy
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#TChat INSIGHTS: TalentCulture Goes to Washington
Storified by TalentCulture · Thu, Nov 15 2012 07:25:55