Keep the Conversations Going Series
Published: December 4, 2024
By: Louise Scanes
An event Philly SHRM sponsored on October 15, 2024, debuts, Visionaries: Inspiring HR and Business for the Future, a cram-packed program that featured four entrepreneurial leaders skilled at facilitating thought-provoking and self-reflective conversations. Each session was unique in demonstrating psychological safety and how to ask the difficult questions about what it takes for people at work to move forward with a sense of humanity.
Allyship and Collaboration: Tracy Flint, CEO of Heart for HR, led an inspiring conversation about how to build allyship and foster collaboration in the workplace as a solo HR practitioner. Tracy focused on ways HR can operate more efficiently through processes and systems with the goal of reducing costs, streamlining efforts, and concentrating expertise that strategically aligns with those of the business through strong relationships. Investing in relationships not only strengthens collaboration but also makes the workplace feel more inclusive and empowering for everyone.
Compassion: Elizabeth Finkle unpacked VUCA, or what it means to live in especially “Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous” times. Demonstrating kindness and strength, Elizabeth’s teaching on compassion sent a reminder about what it means to bring our full self to work and how to practice restorative reflection as a technique to nurture psychological safety, inclusion, and humanity.
Resilience: Dean Becker of Adaptiv Learning Systems, continued the conversation of ambiguity starting with an audience poll on election fatigue. How were we feeling? Anxious, excited, apathetic? How to create internally safe spaces and regulate our emotions, manage our individual and collective anxiety at and away from the workplace. It reminds us that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about giving ourselves the space to process, reflect, and move forward, together.
Equity: Tonya Ladipo, a Clinical Social Worker and CEO of The Ladipo Group, reminded all of us about the Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision to upend a 50-year precedent of affirmative action in higher education admission ruling that Harvard and UNC’s admissions programs violate the Equal Protection Clause (Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College & Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina). A decision that rippled through to business and has led to a wave of restriction and hesitation around workplace DEI&B programs throughout the US. Tonya encouraged the HR professional to survey the employees and present the data that often reveals employees who want these programs and employees who want safe spaces that talk about belonging.
About the Author
Louise Scanes brings 13 years of HR experience from a variety of industries, including education, manufacturing, and legal services. Louise holds an MS in Organization Development and Leadership from St. Joe’s University and works as an HR Business Partner at a data privacy law firm. Louise is especially interested in technology, market trends, and positive leadership in the workplace. Louise began volunteering with the Greater Valley Forge HR Association earlier in her career and now supports the Thought Leadership Team at Philly SHRM.
Editor: Dennis Paris
Becoming a Philly SHRM Thought Leader
We are always looking for inspiring minds! If you are interested in learning more about how to become a Philly SHRM Thought Leader, offering your professional views on this or any Thought Leader article, or want to chat about contributing content on a hot or innovative HR-related topic, please reach out to Dennis Paris and Evelyn Reed, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Co-VPs of Thought Leadership at: thoughtleader@phillyshrm.org.
