I fell into HR. Unlike many HR or Business majors in college, I did not set out to have a career in HR. In fact, I never even heard the words “Human Resources” uttered in school. And, later, in the “real world”, when “Human Resources" was thrown around, my understanding of the term didn’t amount to a hill of beans ("You mean Personnel?" P.S. I, of course, now loathe this antiquated and ignorant terminology). If someone had explained the field to me, maybe I would have been interested or majored in the subject, but frankly, I doubt it. My HR love had to be a result of a journey of personal discovery: of what drives me, of what values are important to me, of what my strengths are, and of what plays to those strengths. Had I been exposed earlier or later even, I may have missed it altogether. Timing doesn’t just apply to relationships. That said, I fell into HR, and thank the heavens that I did!

To avoid redundancy (and boring you from the jump), I won’t run through my resume here. You can check out my LinkedIn profile, if it interests you. What I will tell you is HR is a passion, not just an occupation (eureka!). In the words of Keith Ferrazzi, it is my “blue flame” –where passion and ability converge. If another occupation exists that combines a focus on people - solving problems with both brains and heart - celebrating diversity in thought and culture - a need for strategic thought and business acumen - honest and substantive verbal, nonverbal and written communication - being open-minded and adaptable with a dedication to values - coaching and collaborating - all while promoting organizational and individual growth and development (etc.,etc...), I do NOT know it. Perhaps others do or more should. HR, if done right and with-the-times, is the department of a thousand hats - and you might get credit for 1 or 2 of them. But I love it, because of the former and in spite of the latter. So, here I am...Sharing my passion with you and hoping you’ll find it helpful or, at minimum, mildly entertaining.

Regarding the blog title, a Polestar, per Dictionary.com, is formally Polaris or the North Star, which ships often used as a guide when traversing the seas, and informally “something that serves as a guiding principle.” (For those of you who had visions of Demi Moore literally dancing in your head, this is not that kind of blog!) Hence, I thought it fitting for my blog title, as my intention is to provide my perspective and counsel on the guiding principles vital for any business that wishes to be viewed as one of the best in today’s ever-shrinking and always-changing world. (And yes, it's catchy, too!) In addition, HR tends to be the department primarily responsible for helping to shape and drive these values in most organizations. Each subsequent posting will therefore focus on one of these principles based on no pre-determined agenda, just what tickles my fancy (or boils my blood) at the time. It’s important to note, while I admit to being intensely opinionated, I am also open to and genuinely welcome alternative views - formed from thought and personal insights - and subject myself to continuous and rigorous internal re-examination. Thus, I reserve the right to change my stance on an issue, resulting from new experiences or any subsequent “Come to Jesus” moments. Anyway, thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

Now, let’s go to work!
http://hrpolestar.blogspot.com/