Research from McKinsey, Deloitte Bersin, and Catalyst all show that diversity leads to better outcomes. If that is the case, why is HR still struggling more than 30 years after the inception of diversity work to make a case to senior executives? Can you think of another business problem that companies have continued to stumble […]

Purpose of the performance review: to improve employee performance. In recent years, there’s been a continual and growing number of executives calling for death to the performance review.  In January the Human Resources Executive Form (HREF), a peer learning group facilitated by Suzanne Elshult, owner of HRNow, met to share experiences with transforming the performance review […]

Another lively and provocative discussion occurred amongst Human Resources executives from companies all around the Puget Sound region.  This group meets monthly and is part of a peer learning community facilitated by Suzanne Elshult, executive coach and owner of HRNow.net. Peer learning communities like this one that Suzanne formed bring real, everyday challenges front and […]

I had lunch recently with a colleague who coaches HR professionals on how to become more strategic. Ah yes, that elusive destination called “the seat” at the corporate strategy table. Whoever said “it’s the journey not the destination that matters” might be living in what ought to be the cobwebbed halls of human resources. Let’s […]

In our recent HR Executive Forum, a peer coaching community built by Suzanne Elshult of HRNow, some 20 or so of my peers and I explored “OD.” Two driving questions guided our discussions:     What are the prevailing schools of thought around OD. Why should business leaders care about it? I learned a lot […]

    Enjoy the mix of professional and personal highlights in my May 2015 YakNews – loss, learning, and reflections, K9 search and rescue, coaching and peer group events, and family experiences – a medley of stories! http://bit.ly/1Hy1J7A  

At one of my recent roundtables I eagerly listened as my marketing executives discussed how their jobs have  evolved. The change is nothing less than breathtaking. No wonder marketing leaders feel stressed! Here are some of the highlights I took away from this session: While we used to focus on creating consumer demand and awareness, […]

A couple of weeks ago two dozen+ of my HR Executive Peer Group members met to discuss the shift from “wellness” to “well-being” strategies. The latter is a more comprehensive and holistic approach to defining organizational success than our traditional wellness initiatives. Wellbeing strategies often include physical, emotional, social, career and financial components. I walked away from this discussion with a […]

Once a year my HR executive peer group  has a freeform session (instead of our typical format which tends to anchor the conversation in a theme). It is always exciting to not know what issues will pop up. This year we covered a number of interesting areas, but two in particular caught my interest. One […]

Last week my marketing executive per group explored rebranding. Matt Duncan, VP of Marketing with DatStat and Cathy Cooper, VP of Marketing with Washington Federal were discussion catalysts. We ended up having a rich exchange mostly revolving around how the NEW NORMAL has made it OK for brand to support good causes and make money […]