On April 30th, HR Advisory's diverse community of People professionals gathered together at the Marriott Marquis in sunny San Diego for another electric day of insights, education, and connection. Taking the reins for our fifth annual in-person meeting was our most talented emcee, Danika Davis, who led us through a day of powerful keynote speeches, informative expert panels, insightful peer-led roundtables, and more.
A bright, friendly energy filled the halls this year, made extra colorful with our 16 ft flower wall, a perfect selfie spot. Breaks between sessions were a great opportunity for attendees to connect with colleagues, grab some great freebies like swag and professional headshots, and meet with the vendors whose services power their day-to-day. At day's end, we dipped from the Marriott and met back up at Puesto for happy hour with everyone.
This year’s sessions were a deep dive into the topics that sit at the forefront of every HR leader’s mind, exploring the methods of better management, turning our ample data into clearer, more actionable metrics, and asking the tough questions about AI integration and how we as HR pros can and must prove our value. Whether seeking actionable business strategies to help organizations thrive or simply looking to better themselves, this year’s panels provided something thought provoking for everyone.
Danika said it best: in a business landscape where outcome is measured over intention, HR leaders prove their value every day by embracing the power of “and” and building organizations that actually perform. This year’s meeting, and the many educational opportunities offered, set attendees on the road to accomplishing just that.
Our Value Isn’t Hidden – It’s In Human Connection
Our day began with an eye-opening keynote from Founder and Host of Adaptive Features, Al Adamsen, who guided us through the overwhelm of an increasingly automated and AI-dominated work landscape with a few research-backed leadership strategies. The most important element? Human connection and collaboration. Healthy friction and compassionate curiosity were just two of the uniquely human qualities Al highlighted as vital to becoming agile, adaptable, and proactive HR leaders.
"Collaboration between people is the way we learn best.”
After outlining several human-centric frameworks that could help HR leaders to reduce risk without hampering efficiency or decision-making, Al sent attendees along with a serious reminder of the importance of compassion in an age of increased isolation and automation – remembering that our people are people, and seeing that their basic needs are met, will be crucial to the success of everyone going forward.
Community, Camaraderie, and Connection Made for a Special Day
With the keynote concluded, attendees set off on a day of roundtable discussions, educational sessions, and informative talks all designed to help HR professionals thrive as organizational leaders and champions of their people. What stood out right away was the strong sense of community; something of a trademark of meetings in years past, it shone especially bright in San Diego.
HR Advisory's in-person meetings have always been a fantastic way for members to connect and collaborate across industries, sharing unique perspectives and generating new ideas, but this time, with five years under our belts, the sense of camaraderie and friendship was undeniable. Networking opportunities are part and parcel of the HR Advisory meeting experience, but just as striking this year was seeing connections formed online or in meetings past renew and grow.
Whether finally putting a face to a name or reuniting with colleagues met in years past, a sense of fond familiarity pervaded from the open hall to individual sessions. Enthusiastic speakers and highly engaged audiences -- many of whom knew each other by name -- drove home that tight sense of community. In talks and panels, attendees shared personal experiences and helped one another to untangle issues unique to their work. The friendly, helpful atmosphere made for sessions as enjoyable as they were informative -- and that's just the icing on top of the wide variety of topics we explored this year.
“We have to build intentional connection time.” - Bobbi Wegner, Session Speaker & Founder, Groops
Attendees enjoyed sessions on evergreen topics like solidifying culture and embracing DEIB as well as emerging trends like fractional work and managing the balancing act of people and AI. Instructional panels gave actionable advice for harnessing automation, making sense of metrics for the C-suite, and providing meaningful feedback. Frank discussions didn’t shy away from difficult questions about automation, collaboration, and the future of HR. No matter the topic, attendees charged forward with passion and compassion, both.
“Culture is not what you say, it’s what you signal.” - Lisa Hickey, Session Speaker & Sr HR Business Partner, CompTIA
Breakout sessions highlighted the unique energy of HR Advisory's in-person meetings; from room to room and down the main hall, the air hummed with enthusiasm. Each session was marked by electric engagement. Every room was bright with laughter and insightful discussion, and it wasn’t just one-sided.
Audience members were active participants, sharing experiences, finding common ground, and connecting with others. Speakers and panelists encouraged questions, turning each session into a lively, insightful conversation, and universally made themselves available after each session for deeper cuts into the subject matter.
The passion on display was palpable. We really were making our own music – a song for embracing diversity and individuality, for finding balance in this unsettled time.
“When I think of DEI, I think of lightning in a bottle.” - Shawn Essien, Speaker, Attorney & HR Consultant
At Day’s End, We Harnessed the Power of Our Voices
Author, motivational speaker, and self-defense expert Jennifer Cassetta closed out our day with an empowering and high-energy send-off keynote. With an emphasis on firm boundaries and some accessible meditative strategies, Jennifer taught attendees how to lead with confidence and protect their peace -- valuable lessons at a time when burnout is high and HR professionals are finding themselves busier and more stressed than ever before.
“Setting boundaries is more about saying yes to yourself and your priorities than saying no to others.”
As the caretakers of organizations, HR leaders have a lot riding on their shoulders, but we can't carry that weight if we're burning the candle at both ends. As Jennifer said, we must pour into ourselves before we can successfully serve others. As always, in spite of uncertainty and continued pressure to automate, automate, automate, it's important to prioritize the human element of our work -- an equation that includes us as HR leaders, our health and well-being.
"The words we speak to ourselves truly shape our world and our energy."
