The Human Side of HR: Leadership

It’s hard to believe that March is here and we are five months out from another amazing conference put on by the conference planning team at HR Florida!

If you’ve not been to the conference website and had the chance to peruse the Keynote line up this year, let me be the first to share some insights!

Each year we set out to bring our attendees exciting, cutting edge, informative and thought provoking speakers – that’s just what we do. So, while I cannot speak everywhere and every year, let’s face it – I’m in high demand; we’ve done a pretty good job with bringing you the next best thing!

This year I will have the pleasure once again, as your emcee, to introduce you to an exciting lineup that will speak to the Human side of HR, Leadership at its best and how we brand ourselves, our business and our value proposition to compete in the global marketplace!

Our first keynote will be Mitch Joel…

We know our conference attendees are savvy, forward thinkers and are always looking for what is “over the wall” – that is why we chose Mitch Joel. He will speak to what the HR professional and profession needs to be thinking about and preparing for!

Marketing Magazine dubbed him the “Rock Star of Digital Marketing” and called him, “one of North America’s leading digital visionaries.” In 2006 he was named one of the most influential authorities on Blog Marketing in the world. Mitch Joel is President of Twist Image – an award-winning Digital Marketing and Communications agency (although he prefers the title, Media Hacker). Joel has been called a marketing and communications visionary, interactive expert and community leader. He is also a Blogger, Podcaster, passionate entrepreneur and speaker who connects with people worldwide by sharing his marketing insights on digital marketing and new media.

His debut book, Six Pixels of Separation: Everyone is Connected, Connect Your Business to Everyone (Fall 2009—Grand Central Publishing) is the first book to integrate digital marketing, social media, personal branding and entrepreneurship in a clear, entertaining and instructive guide. Through the use of timely case studies and fascinating stories, Joel offers a complete set of the latest tactics, insights and tools that will help businesses increase revenue, awareness, and overall success in the marketplace—without the support of traditional mass media.

Our second keynote will be Soledad O’Brien…

Day two will bring you face to face with Soledad O’Brien who is an anchor and special correspondent for CNN/U.S. Since joining the network in 2003, O’Brien has reported breaking news from around the globe and has produced award-winning, record-breaking and critically acclaimed documentaries on the most important stories facing the world today.

In 2010, she released her critically-acclaimed memoir The Next Big Story: My Journey through the Land of Possibilities, which chronicles her biggest reporting moments and how her upbringing and background have influenced these experiences. That same year, the National Association of Black Journalists named O’Brien “Journalist of the Year,” and the Edward R. Murrow Awards lauded her with the RTDNA/UNITY Award for Latino in America. She was the first recipient of The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Goodermote Humanitarian Award for her efforts while reporting on the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina and the Southeast Asia tsunami. Soledad is part of CNN’s “Best Political Team on Television.”

Our final keynote will be John Foley…

We are going to close the 2012 conference with a motivating, moving and exciting Keynote speaker by the name of John Foley, CEO of CenterPoint Companies and Former Solo Pilot for the Blue Angels.

Never mind that he has a military background and we have a soft spot in our hearts for that, but his journey to become a pilot and the lessons learned are truly ones that hold true today and can transcend to our businesses and lives.

He says, “What I learned most from being with the Blue Angels had nothing to do with flying itself,” Foley says. “I learned that the process of engaging at this high level, when my very life depended on successful communication, accurate information, trust and follow-through, is the same process leaders and successful individuals use to achieve excellence.”

You won’t want to miss this presentation as John truly brings you into the cockpit and shares how trust and communication can change outcomes for everyone!

So, there you have it! Be sure to get registered and get a front row seat as you won’t want to miss a minute!  For more information, visit www.hrfloridaconference.org.

Carol is the current Vice President of the HR Florida State Council, Inc.   Since beginning to volunteer in 2006 as President of the HR Tampa Chapter, she has become one of the most recognizable forces behind HR Florida. Carol’s career started in the military as a Protocol Officer, where she quickly became immersed in the HR Industry. After working in the staffing industry and corporate recruiter, she found her calling through consulting on Talent Management.