Next week, I am headed out to speak at and attend the WorkHuman conference in Austin, TX. While I am always excited when given the opportunity to speak, I’m really looking forward to this event for a few reasons.
- I’m debuting some new content. The session I’m doing next week is called “Making Performance Management Human-Friendly.” It’s inspired by the ideas in my new book. It will be fun to put this out there and get some feedback.
- WorkHuman feels like a gathering of my tribe–those people working every day to make work more human for all people. Globoforce, the technology company who created and hosts this event calls it a “movement.” Here’s how they describe it on the website: “Globoforce pioneered the WorkHuman movement to galvanize leaders worldwide to harness the transformative power of people for the next generation of HR. We celebrate breakthrough organizations building human-centric workplaces where employees achieve their fullest potential – where people feel appreciated, connected, and empowered for who they are and what they do.”
- Two words: Brené Brown. Her work has been so profoundly important to so many, including me. I’m really looking forward to her keynote.
- The #MeToo Panel. The planning team at Globoforce put together a remarkable panel of Tarana Burke (who started the Me Too movement in 2006), Ashley Judd, and Ronan Farrow (the journalist who broke the Harvey Weinstein story). Adam Grant will moderate this conversation. I’m excited to learn from this panel and I hope that it sparks a whole lot of sidebar conversations at the event to help us create a deeper understanding of what’s happening in our society right now. I’m also hopeful that it prompts everyone to think deeply about our own role in creating a different future where this type of panel wouldn’t need to exist.
- Thought and action-provoking content. I left last year’s event with some great ideas to think about, write about, and build on. This year’s agenda looks even better than last year’s. Several speakers and thought leaders who have shaped my thinking over the years through their work will be there including Cy Wakeman, David Rock, Christine Comaford, Tony Schwartz, and Simon Sinek.
If you are going to be in Austin next week for the event, let’s connect for a chat.
If you aren’t going to make it to Austin, you might find it worthwhile to check in on the #workhuman hashtag on Twitter between Monday afternoon and Thursday afternoon. It’s a great way to benefit from some of the learning and insights being shared in real time.
I’ll be back in a week or two to share the ideas and conversations that stick with me from the event.