What happens when an analytical HR professional decides to break down every session at a state SHRM conference? The results are both hilarious and disheartening. Warren meticulously categorized all 64 breakout sessions and discovered that a staggering two-thirds could only be classified as “whimsical” – filled with motivational speaking and feel-good content but lacking substantive professional development.
Taking his analysis further, Warren compared this HR conference with professional gatherings across other fields – from accountants and lawyers to scientists and physicians. The contrast couldn’t be more striking: while HR professionals were being told “the hardest journey is the 18 inches between your brain and your heart,” other professions were engaging with rigorous, substantive content directly applicable to their work. This disparity helps explain why HR sometimes struggles to be taken seriously in the business world.
The conversation takes an unexpected turn when Warren admits that despite his past criticism, SHRM President Johnny C. Taylor delivered an impressively substantive keynote about the future of work and AI in HR – proving that meaningful content is possible when organizers prioritize it. Meanwhile, CeeCee shares her experience starting a new remote position with exemplary onboarding, highlighting how thoughtful processes can make all the difference in employee experience.
This episode poses important questions about professional development in HR: Are we setting ourselves up for failure by accepting low-quality content at our professional conferences? How can we demand better? And most importantly, what would truly valuable professional development look like for modern HR practitioners? Whether you’re planning your next conference experience or evaluating your own professional development path, this candid discussion will make you rethink what you should expect from HR education.
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