The MAC Doctor

The MAC Doctor

I just noticed 7/28/14 that I did not post this summary. I think it was because my dad went in the hospital upon my return from this conference and I simply forgot. So even though it's over six months old and I am no longer the MAC rep, it may give those a taste of where SHRM, SHRM Foundation, and HRCI was last fall before the riff. Also, it may give State Directors thinking about the MAC position a taste of what to expect. 

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Written in October 2013:

On my return from the SHRM Foundation Thought Leaders Retreat and the SHRM Strategy Conference where we had a chance to participate in our third in person Membership Advisory Council meeting, I have had a chance to do a little reflection on what we have accomplished so far this year. During the conference we had a chance to see Ben C speak about his 6th grade classmate which he referred to as the "MAC Doctor". Last night a few jokes were made about the MAC as it relates to McDonalds as well as Ben's friend. All kidding aside, "the MAC doctor" isn't all that far from the truth. 

You see, over the past three quarters we have listened to member and volunteer concerns, diagnosed the situation via brainstorming and survey result analysis, and made recommendations for improvement. While you will be hearing more about those results and a full year end report late, I wanted to bring you up-to-dad on a few things that have come up since my last MAC post just after annual conference in July. 

First, we had a follow-up presentation from Amy at HRCI who reported on the status of many of the suggestions we made in June. Much of which have already been put in process or are on schedule to be out in process in the near future. 

Second, we had a follow-up presentation from Mark Schmidt, SHRM Foundation, with practically the same type of feedback as mentioned above from HRCI. 

Third, had a chance to spend some time 

While we are still in process of finalizing our year-end report to include some of the following information (with much less detail), I think it is necessary to provide you with an interim report much like those provided earlier in the year. The MAC (membership advisory council) meets twice annually.

SHRM Board

The last few days at SHRM Annual Leadership Conference has proven to be quite fruitful as a MAC rep. We met with the SHRM board yesterday to report on findings from our most recent MAC volunteer leader survey for which we had over 300 responses. The demographics of the volunteers who responded actually mirrors the majority of the overall SHRM members worldwide.  

Thus, most respondents (over 70%) work in departments with 1-5  HR professionals and have 15-25 years of experience in the field. The majority were mid to top level HR professionals considering their skill set in the senior category.  With that said, many are over the need for HR basics and business acumen focusing instead on the desire to grow professionally.  Executive coaching, strategic planning and other related topics were at the top of the list and are already currently being provided by SHRM especially with their most recent rollout of opportunities via the website. 

The most telling piece of advice that I gleamed from this report that will have the professional development department working to resolve is just how to deliver said programs. The cost is the most important issue to resolve whereas we suggested multiple price points. While cost will affect delivery options, the respondents did say the best method was leader-led/web-based.  I personally just completed a program led by SHRM that used Adobe Connect which is a perfect example of what the respondents find most desirable. Therefore, I know it is possible but the question is can it be done more affordability. One of the board members was curious as to how members will use this education and while we did not inquire, I responded personally based on previous feedback I have heard from members in our region earlier in the year:

"To be CHRO" - its been said that CHRO's don't see any successors in the pipeline even though there are so many of us at the senior level who feel that we are...perhaps this additional knowledge, experience and coaching will convince those currently in the CHRO role that we are ready. It certainly can't hurt!

HRCI 

In addition to the SHRM board we also met with the director and incoming board chair of HRCI. While the website has been updated all the backend technology is still in process which will have positive impact for certificants who are entering data for recertifcation and pre-approved providers such as vendors, chapters, and state councils. The changes are expected to roll-out in 1st quarter of 2014. many of the improvements we suggested to HRCI in June should be implemented within the new back end technology roll out. 

Another improvement is the new techology will also include a learning plan builder as well as improved category names.  Terminology will be changing to better define the types of certification credits to be earned. 

- General will change  HR 

- Strategic will change to Business

- International will change to Global 
- Recertification date changing to your birthday (not year end like in past)

SHRM Foundation 

Finally, we had the opportunity to meet with four staff members and three board members from the SHRM Foundation. They too had already implemented several of our suggestions from the June meeting to include the SHRM Foundation Story brochure that will be helpful to explain the history, research, and scholarship offerings to chapter and state council. Boards as well as members in advance of the ASK for money. Personally, I use the foundations products at least weekly and see the value in fundraising and giving, but I have also been a volunteer for over 16 years now and have the benefit of what I have learned over those years. However, as a lead volunteer I have seen less experienced and educated volunteers turn their nose up at all the fundraising efforts. This piece as well as the shift in approach will go along way to helping bridge those gaps in my humble opinion. 

Other topics included:

- SE winner of Sue Meisinger scholarship and need to get word out better in coming years to increase awareness and applications 

- Directed vs open call research...thus an increase in the directed to move toward a more futurist approach for Thought Leadership  

- Looking for big ticket sponsorships 40-50k cost is 3/4 of a mil total to help fund futurist topics

- Next DVD will be on Aging Workforce which personally I think is a perfect topic

- We asked in June if the Role Model DVD could be updated and that is already in process

-SHRM Foundation staff will on the road more at chapter and state council events so as education and fundraising is not fully the responsibility of volunteers 

- ideas are being sought to give some freshness to how funds are developed similar to other organizations who have known annual events that participants look forward to joining such as Foundation Friday - annual event 

- It was Suggested to use social Media Ambassadors to get bite size information out about the foundation. Detailed suggestions were made on how to do this whereas the time commitment for identified volunteers is minimal. 

-Annual state council foundation donation giveaway suggested new item in place of iPod 

Summary

All-in-all progress is being made and the MAC is making a difference. I am so very blessed to be a part of this process and look forward to my what my successor, Steve Brown, will do for our region in the coming year. 

Thank you all for always being there for me as I work to make North Central Region of SHRM a great place to volunteer.  Happy Thanksgiving!