This Week's Opening Thought: September 9, 2024

This week's opening thought: Being Black in the United States is grieving the unnecessary murder of your son at the hands of a violent young man of pallor who regularly made terroristic threats to the point that the FBI investigated his online behavior.

Being Black in the United States is learning that the violent young man of pallor who murdered your child was "rewarded" by his parents for being investigated by the FBI with an assault rifle, the same weapon he used to unleash a mass school shooter incident that took the life of your child and three other people.

Being Black in the United States is watching as your local news affiliate makes a social media post that makes it appear that your now-deceased son was the active shooter in the event that ultimately took him from you.

Being Black in the United States is watching that news affiliate offer an "Oops, our bad" public "apology," showing how little they care that your now-deceased son was visually slandered across social media for millions to witness.

Being Black in the United States is witnessing this public "apology" and watching as they don't even bother to mention your now-deceased son's name in their "apology" that they made sure to post online and not verbally apologize in front of the entire world and atone for their harm on their local televised newscast.

Being Black in the United States is a journey of trauma, grief, and finding hope and joy in a world that prefers you be the villain, so it never has to acknowledge how often you and your people have been victimized.

[Image descriptions: Image 1 - A tweet from news affiliate WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. The tweet shows a picture of one of the victims of the Apalachee High School mass shooting, a young Black boy named Mason Schermerhorn, being depicted as the mass shooter and not one of the victims.

Image 2 - A screenshot of a "public apology" from WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. The "apology" says, "In a tweet about the Apalachee H.S. shooting posted by WSB-TV, the content and photo of one of the victims was unintentionally presented on X in a way that made it appear as if the victim was the shooter. The post was removed shortly after it went live and immediately after we were alerted to the situation. We deeply regret this error and sincerely apologize to the victim's family and loved ones."]

Image description: A tweet from news affiliate WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. The tweet shows a picture of one of the victims of the Apalachee High School mass shooting, a young Black boy named Mason Schermerhorn, being depicted as the mass shooter and not one of the victims.

Image description: A screenshot of a "public apology" from WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. The "apology" says, "In a tweet about the Apalachee H.S. shooting posted by WSB-TV, the content and photo of one of the victims was unintentionally presented on X in a way that made it appear as if the victim was the shooter. The post was removed shortly after it went live and immediately after we were alerted to the situation. We deeply regret this error and sincerely apologize to the victim's family and loved ones."

This Week's Opening Thought: August 26, 2024

This week's opening thought: I've worked in various industries and professions. This kind of experience comes with being in the workforce since age 13. But in my almost 30 years of work experience, human resources is the only profession I've ever worked in that seems to constantly be trying to rebrand itself. It's at the point of being ridiculous.

People and Culture. People Operations. Organizational Culture and Belonging. Human Support.

Who wants to tell them?

Yeah...it's still HR, y'all. People still know it's HR. New name, same actions.

Suppose your industry and profession must constantly rebrand because of people's longstanding issues with how your profession handles things in the workplace. Wouldn't addressing their problems and reimagining how people view your industry make sense? Wouldn't rebuilding, not rebranding, be the human approach?

However, that would encompass a level of accountability we have yet to see steadily reflected and implemented in human resources as a field and industry.

Y'all ready for that, HR Folx?

Why are y'all so quiet?

Damnit.

So...that's a no, isn't it?

SIGH.

People and Culture it is!

This Week's Opening Thought: August 19, 2024

This week's opening thought: If it's not a work-related function, event, conference, or speaking event that involves you being compensated in some fashion, you are not a representative of your organization.

Organizations love running with this idea that as long as you work for them, you represent the organization in all spaces. I cannot stress enough how big of a load of cow dung that is. That nonsense is the organization you work for overstepping the boundaries of the work agreement. That's the thin line between an employment relationship and an organization believing that they pay you so they own your time and energy.

When I'm at work? I represent the organization. When I'm at a work-related event? I represent the organization. In those moments, I am being paid to represent the organization in some way, shape, or form. But when I'm at an after-work networking event?

I'm representing me. I'm there for me.

When I'm attending a conference that the company wouldn't pay for, that will help me enhance my skill set and grow as a person?

I'm representing me. I'm there for me.

When I'm out in the community, living my life and minding my business?

I'm representing me.

You only owe a workplace 40 hours per week. That's it. That's what they pay you for. Anything outside of actual, legitimate work-related functions is free publicity and labor that most organizations do not deserve.

You are not a 24/7/365 billboard for the place you work.

They better go buy some ad space.

This Week's Opening Thought: August 12, 2024

This week's opening thought: just because you can cook doesn't mean you should be passin’ out plates to everyone.

Everyone doesn't deserve a plate.

Everyone hasn't earned a plate.

Proximity does not make getting a plate a given. Neither does blood relation or history. Real talk? Those things often make it very clear who has and has not earned a plate.

You get to determine who gets fed from your well of knowledge, experience, and empathy in all areas of your life, not the other way around. You get to decide who deserves to be nourished and who doesn't nourish you. Don't let any person or workplace tell you otherwise.

Stop letting people and workplaces invite themselves to dinner.

They better go warm up a Hot Pocket.

This Week's Opening Thought: August 5, 2024

This week's opening thought: Every cishet man who has ever said to me that they’re uncomfortable with being alone with a woman that isn’t there spouse or partner because they don’t want to be accused of sexual harassment, lewd acts, or psychological abuses never seem to realize that the feeling of discomfort is mutual.

You’ve got icky energy, homie.

If your brain automatically turns to thinking someone will report you for your actions when you’re left alone with them?

Methinks thou knoweth thou art a creep.

You’re telling on yourself.