Illinois SHRM Leadership 2014

Drury Lane - Home of the ILSHRM Conference

Tomorrow I am headed for a meeting in Northern Illinois - Tinley Park to be more specific. It is a meeting of the Illinois SHRM board and officials from, all of the SHRM chapters, within the state.  We are coming together to plan for 2014, discuss agendas, see how we can support one and other as well as (the old SHRM stand-by here)  advance the profession, and listen to Pam Green speak. Why?  Why do people who will attend this event do this?  While it is almost a rhetorical question I know a lot of people, many very smart people who simply just don’t get it, and I am really hard pressed to explain it to them.  I have  been questioned about this by bosses, relatives, spouses, neighbors and the list goes on.

In addition to the things mentioned above there are two things that most of us get on a personal level, that being networking and kindling friendships.   I must say that over the years I have come to consider many of my friends who are active within the community to be my very good friends, so my much so that  I know about their families, their outside interests (other than SHRM) and  who they area as a person.

As part of the ILSHRM  group,  two or three times a year we get together, attend some meetings, support our profession,  put together a conference or two, create and get some HRCI credits and really and truly enjoy ourselves immersed in our own little world of HR.  Those outside of the cult are left with bewilderment.  Perhaps that’s how it is supposed to be, for if they knew how much fun we have discussing employee engagement or emotional intelligence they would all want to come and crash our party.

So to all of my ILSHMies, old and new I am looking forward to seeing you, being with you and doing our cult thing!  ILSHRM Rock-on!

- Dave Ryan