President's Letter

July 2006

Since Dallas HR celebrates July by taking the month off from our regular luncheon gathering, I’m thinking we should all take the month off, too. Hah!

While we might like to get away from the heat and lollygag by a body of water somewhere, reality is that we’re all busier than ever and can barely get home in the evening to spend time with our friends and loved ones. So much to do. So little time! This is what happens when the economy is heating up along with the weather. We should be thankful, right? It certainly beats the alternative which many of us remember all too well.

So given that we have crazy schedules and limited time, how can we make the most of what we do have? Part of the answer is being strategic about our choices – spending our most valuable resource, time, on those things that are most likely to give us the greatest return on our investment.

Here are some ideas that you might consider…

• Spend the time you’d normally spend at our luncheon this month to get together with someone you admire and from whom you can learn. Yes, it takes a certain amount of guts to extend an invitation, but think about the possible return. Who do you know or would like to know who could help accelerate your professional development?
• Take stock of your professional assets. Look for skill gaps between where you are today and where you want to be, and plan ways to make up the differences. While formal classroom training isn’t always the answer, don’t overlook the offerings that Dallas HR provides to enhance our professional skills. We’re working hard to make sure that our members have learning opportunities that will make a difference in their careers.
• Rev up your networking – an essential business skill for savvy HR professionals these days. One way to do that is to be a Dallas HR Ambassador. Those are the folks whose role it is to connect people with each other at our monthly luncheons, answer questions about Dallas HR, etc. If you’re interested in finding out more, contact Ginger Owen or Lynne Stewart. They’ll be glad to fill you in.
• Take the time to register for the HR Southwest Conference in October. Where else can you possibly get as intense and relevant a learning experience packed into a few days of your time? Dallas HR members who register by August 18 pay only $475 for the full conference. Such a deal!

I’m sure you all have your own ideas of where to best invest your time. Me? I’m dreaming about that body of water…..

See you in August!

Carol Hollen, SPHR
President, Dallas HR

Honor the past – celebrate today – embrace the future!

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