Paul Smith's Page

This is a difficult story to tell. It's difficult because it's about a mistake that I made and I'm too embarrassed to reveal all of the details. Therefore, I'm going to be intentionally vague.



The mistake occurred at work. It was not scandalous or bad enough to warrant a reprimand. But it angered several employees, who in turn expressed their anger verbally and in writing.



While discussing the circumstances with another employee who had a similar incident recently, it…

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It starts with a minor liberty. On the surface, it seems innocent enough. Perhaps no one will notice the indiscretion. There is no guarantee though. What if you're wrong? What if someone does notice?



There is no accounting for what people will think or feel regarding your action. But why take the chance? Is the indiscretion worth the possible damage to your reputation? Is it worth the possible damage to the HR field?



And this is what it all boils down to ...…

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The curtains come down. The tables are folded up. The conference hall is eerily quiet. And another HR Technology Conference comes to an end.



As I sit on the airplane coming home, I am reflecting on the last day of the show and on how completely exhausted I am. The last day of the show is comprised of only a quick tweet-up, one session and a closing…

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There are events that occur in everyone’s life that change how you think about your world. The frequent ones are birth and death of family members, moving your home, and working with a new employer. In my life, I can attest to having some of these events: the birth of my nephew, moving from the state of Washington to Indiana, meeting my current partner to name just a few. But these all fall under the category of obvious.



The less obvious events are to me the more interesting ones.… Continue