If the time change left East Coast attendees feeling a little off-kilter on the start of Conference Day Two, the marching band, country singing, and an electrified keynote by Chip Madera certainly served as a jolt of excitement.

ASHHRA Board President Bob Walters, SPHR, followed a marching band into the Opening Ceremony, and after a touching 9-11 tribute was joined by Immediate Past President Jeff Payne, SPHR, who unveiled the ASHHRA new brand: ASHHRA, The Human Side of Healthcare. As part of the new brand, ASHHRA steps into human resources’ era of change (the theme of this year’s conference) with new purpose and vision.

Part of that new purpose and vision involves leadership and evolving as a professional – key themes of Leadership Lion Chip Madera’s entertaining keynote speech.

"Our organizations need us, and my opinion is that now is the time for human resources to lead," Madera said. "We are in uncertain and tumultuous times. ... The best thing we have going for us in very tumultuous time is confidence. Confidence trumps competence. If you are confident, people will listen to your ideas. Confidence rules."

Madera discussed his grandfather working in coal mines, then used a "canary in the coal mine" analogy. Coal miners used to take canaries deep into coal shafts, and when the canaries stopped singing, miners knew the air quality wasn’t good, so they’d return to the surface. He compared that with today’s workplace. "I don’t hear the canary singing anymore," he said.

Madera’s energetic, engaging, and funny presentation offered additional great quotes:

• "How you spell respect in this era of change? Not r-e-s-p-e-c-t but r-e-s-u-l-t-s."
• "Stop defining yourself by your to-do list and start defining yourself by your impact."
• "Your boss might not fire you, but your people will quit you tomorrow."

Get ready for another engaging keynote today at the 8 a.m. Motivational Breakfast with actor Henry Winkler in West Ballroom 301.

 

Recap from Yesterday; What's on Tap Today

Sunday’s 17 afternoon learning sessions – many filled to capacity – provided human resource professionals a wide range of information for different learning tracks. Some highlights:

At the session, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Building a New Health Care Workforce," Michael Paruta (Director of Workforce Development, Women & Infants Hospital) and Aime Bressette (Executive Director, The Stepping Up Project), discussed how they joined forces to build a successful workforce development program.

Realizing passionate, "Kool-aid-drinking" employees can be trained to move up in the workplace by learning new skills, they developed a Stepping Up Flowchart for Incumbent Employees. The process required visionary managers who could see employees with drive who, for instance, would not just make a good housekeeper, but possibly a good nurse.

"If we are all here to serve the patient, we really need to work with incumbent employees so they can serve the patients at a different level," Paruta said.
Learn More...

 

ASHHRA spoke to members and exhibitors to get their feedback on conference educational sessions and the exhibit hall experience. Snippets from those conversations follow:

"I’m a consulting member, so I don’t work at a hospital, but a lot of my clients are hospitals. I’m looking at this as an opportunity to build some insight into what my clients are dealing with in their day-to-day work, and see if I can better help them. Things are going very well."
Michael T. Horton, FSA, EA, Senior Consultant
Towers Watson
Parsippany, New Jersey
First-time attendee and new member

"We’re very pleased to be here because many of the hospital employees now in the United States are members of the National Guard and Reserve. We’re from the Department of Defense, and we provide USERRA (the Understand the Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act) information. We are very happy to be here. This is our first time at the show, and we’re hoping to meet a lot of people."
Tom Bullock, Chief, Employer Outreach Headquarters
Exhibitor ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve)
Arlington, Virginia

"The level of contact is what makes the ASHHRA show so special. You’re reaching the decision makers."
Bill Braun
Exhibitor CSI International
Niagara Falls, New York

"A couple of sessions I’ve already been in today have been extremely well-prepared and given me more ability to take information back and transition it into the workplace to make changes for my organization. I’m very glad that I’ve had this opportunity to be here today."
David Lawson, Senior Vice President of Human Resources
Franciscan Health System
Tacoma, Washington

 

Did you enjoy the Exhibitor Appreciation Social? Have a great time with colleagues at the MetLife Social Event? Remember that in addition to the educational opportunities, the conference provides great networking opportunities!

Exhibitors ham it up on the expo floor.

Sunday morning at the Regional Breakfasts, the following award winners were recognized:

2011 Chapter Award Winners
Colorado Healthcare Association for Human Resource Management; Maine Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration; South Carolina Healthcare Human Resources Association; North Carolina Healthcare Human Resources Association; Central Illinois Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration; Montana Society of Healthcare Human Resources Administrators; Healthcare Human Resources Association of Minnesota, Inc.; Washington State Healthcare Human Resources Association; Wisconsin Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration; West Virginia Healthcare Human Resources Association; Virginia Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration; Ohio Society of Hospital Human Resources Administration; Indiana Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration; Texas Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration and Education; Utah Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration; Healthcare Human Resources Management Association of California; Connecticut Healthcare Human Resources Association; Maryland Healthcare Human Resources Association; Dallas-Ft. Worth Healthcare Human Resources Association

2011 Outstanding Chapter Officer recipients: Rhonda Arrington; Gwen Baumel; Joy Benedict; Brenda "Joey" Boyce; Christina Bradley; Eileen Brown; Cathy Dancy; Rosalie Gibson; Thomas Hagerstrom; Sharon Kemp; Mary Beth Knake; Shelli Lind; Nicole Nelson; Denise O'Hara; Rachael Redenius; Jolene Seda; Anthony Solitro; and Carol Tennant.

2011 Outstanding Chapter Achievement recipients: Layton Anderson; Gail Blanchard-Saiger; Lola Brysz; Sharon Connor; Eileen Cross; Judith Goe; Robin Heald; Kelly Klepsig; Brad Malm; JoAnne McNaughton; Stephen Moulton; Deborah Raynes; Katie Slette; and Farrar Stewart.