Dump the Frump

I have been lucky to work with a strategic, fashionable group of HR Professionals. So, over the past week, I have had the privilege of attending a few HR Seminars, and to be honest I had forgotten about the HR Professionals beyond my work group.  These seminars always go the same way, walk into the room full of excitement and energy to learn something new and helpful........then BAM your hit in the face with reality.  The reality is (and I'm sorry to say) that HR Professionals are a frumpy group!

I'm sorry, but a frumpy group brings down the excitement level from fireworks to mothballs.

I know what your thinking: "It shouldn't matter what you look like on the outside, as long as you are a professional on the inside."  While this may have some truth, it is also true that if you don't look the part you will be instantly discredited and have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously.

Over this past weekend, I had the opportunity to meet a very inspirational speaker.  In her speech, she spoke about a young girl who had a wonderful, sparkly personality, but you would never have known it by looking at her because her mother dressed her in a plain gray t-shirt.  This struck a cord with me.  HR Professionals need to get out of the gray!

If HR Professionals continue to present a frumpy, gray exterior, then the rest of the organization will think of HR as old-school and frumpy.  Lets dump the frump people!  

I challenge HR Professionals to leave the gray with the mothballs!  Let's move forward and prove to people that HR is a with-the-times, strategic business partner.