A look at the forthcoming HRO summits
As we approach the HRO Summit, (October 21-23 at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa www.hrosummits.com/home.asp ), I have spent some time thinking about the word “summit.” Summit is defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “a peak,” “the top most level of performance attainable,” or a “high level conference.”
In reality, going to educational events is never about the mountain; it is about ourselves. As HR professionals, we all know the value of learning as an important part of our personal growth. It is how we advance our understanding of our world and how we fit into it as professionals and executives. This event is a first of its kind.
It is a combination of a long-standing meeting of the independent HRO Buyers Group, which is now affiliated with the HROA, and non-member buyers who wish to attend buyer-only sessions. The conference chair is Leanne Andersen of Best Buy, who heads the HRO Buyers Group. This is truly a conference for the buyers, designed by buyers. It is being offered by conference manager Shared Xpertise Forums* in concert with the HROA itself. It brings in the valuable resources and membership of HROA and its leadership who collaborated in the design of the program. It is a truly an industry event and a gathering of the community. Buyer-only forums and discussion group formats promoting peer-to-peer learning environments will generate great opportunities for the exchange of knowledge, and the development of a personal network.
Also, HRO is not just for mega companies anymore. The co-chair of this event, Lisa Knutson of E.W. Scripps, who heads up the Middle Market Special Interest Group and the Middle Market Buyers Group, has worked hard to ensure that the agenda also addresses the needs of the middle market and smaller companies. This valuable insight will allow the event to truly address the needs of all buyers who attend.
One of the most pressing issues in the HR community and the business community is the impact of the November elections on trade policy. Our keynote, Dan Griswold, director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute, will present “The U.S. Presidential Elections, Free Trade, & Outsourcing.”
Keynotes on the future of technology for HR by Dr. Christaan Baader of SAP, a former HROA Person of the Year, will peer into the next wave of innovation in HR and HR transformation. In addition, a keynote on leadership will take center stage. Often it is the quality of leadership that determines the success of the large and complex nature of managing transformation. A presentation by Dr. Robert J. Bies of Georgetown University titled. “Living a Life of Leadership: Passion, Purpose, and Practical Skills” will provide valuable personal perspective.
As Sir Edmund Hillary, said it not about the mountains but ourselves. The purpose of achieving the “summit” is to strive to overcome our limitations and to expand our horizons. It is also about achieving peak performance, and we do this via the high level conferences that elevate our knowledge and perceptions. Regardless of our level, we all need learning and training throughout our careers. It also brings us together to collaborate and share experiences in a way that leadership personalities cannot within the walls of their own companies. I think there is great value to community and great value to learning by past experiences. It spurs the evolution of the HRO product and the sophistication of the buyers. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.hrosummits.com/home.asp. We hope to see you at the Summit.
*(Publishers disclosure: Shared Xpertise Forums is a division of Crossing Media, LLC, publishers of HRO Today Magazine.)
