WORK

We cannot talk about work today without talking about AI. In the HR world, it seems most people fall into two camps: "I love AI" (people who are doing everything and everything with AI) and "I want nothing to do with AI" (the people who are either scared or extremely cautious.)

But the truth of where you should be - and where I am - is somewhere in between. Cautious, but excited. And curious.

Because the future of work belongs to the curious.

Never before has my (sometimes annoying) habit of asking a million questions about everything been so valuable in the workplace!

My innate curiosity drove me to dive into learning about this new thing called ChatGPT in November 2022 and though I slowed my learning, I never stopped. And recently, I've accelerated it, including giving a keynote at DSG's Applied AI for Distributors conference in June - one of the best events I've been to in recent memory.

I've been writing and speaking about AI for awhile, but I'll be exploring much more about AI here, and elsewhere, moving forward.

And now for some breaking AI news!

I'm partnering with the University of New Hampshire for a one-time three-hour virtual workshop: "AI for HR: A Practical Introduction for Human Resources Professionals." And the registration is now live! This will be a live workshop on September 5, built for the HR pro brand new to AI - but curious about it. More below!

My UNH AI for HR Workshop

COMMUNITY

If you don't know me well, you may not know I started my career in a Fortune 50 company.

I worked part-time at UPS in the HR department of the large Shrewsbury MA facility for the last two years of college, and when I graduated, they created a role for me that would become the foundation of my career. I learned a ton, I was able to attend and graduate from grad school while working there, and I took those skills to then lead an HR department (as a department of one) in my mid-20s. I found my work home in small and mid-sized manufacturing and distribution companies.

Which leads me to community.

For the last ten years, I've been involved in the Distribution community in a number of ways, from being a volunteer leader with the ASA, to speaking at various events hosted by NAW, ISA, DSG, HARDI and many more. I had worked in Distribution before, but as I grew in my career and realized, ten years ago, this is where I wanted to stay, I really dug in. I listened and learned. I participated. And I found my community.

Are there issues in Distribution? Of course. It's an industry that hasn't historically attracted many women or others in underrepresented groups. But that's changing. It's also an aging industry, with challenges attracting younger talent. But that's changing too. On the other side, I'm watching organizations like Distribution Strategy Group and NAED host AI conferences specifically for Distribution - how cool is that?

It's a community that I love, and that has embraced me in so many ways. And it's also the community where many of my clients come from, and where most of my keynotes are delivered.

So, Distribution, this newsletter is dedicated to you! And if you have read this far, click the button below. I've included a link to my CLEAR framework for Distribution Culture building that I've used in recent presentations. It's designed for Distribution, but others may find it helpful as well.

And, stay tuned in future weeks - if you subscribed to my newsletter through attending one of my Distribution keynotes or events over the past year, I've got some great, newsletter-specific resources headed your way. Practical, helpful, and designed specifically for you - and sent only to you.

Have any questions? Want to chat about your culture? Just reply to this newsletter.

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My Distribution CLEAR Culture Building Framework

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COFFEE

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I fly quite a bit, both for work and for fun.

I remember the day a few years ago when my friend Kate Bischoff posted about mobile ordering being available at Starbucks in airports.

For a coffee lover like me, who also travels a ton and cannot stand to wait in long lines, I'm not exaggerating (much) when I say that was life changing.

MHT is my home airport - and with JetBlue flying from there now, I spend a lot more time there than Logan, thankfully.

This is my mobile ordered starbucks (doppio espresso over a venti cup of ice, splash of cream, topped with vanilla cold foam) from my most recent trip.

For me, coffee is more than just coffee. It's community. Comfort and routine when I travel (Starbucks is ALWAYS there.) And a little bit of fun.

Wherever you are today, I hope you are enjoying your coffee or other beverage of choice!

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Have a great rest of your week!

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One more thing!

Starting with the next issue, I'm going to add a new section answer questions from readers, people who have emailed me or posted/messaged on LinkedIn. Have any feedback, questions, or something you'd like to see? Click the link below!

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Questions and Feedback

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Tracie

My Partner Spotlight High performing teams start with better reviews. WorkStory makes the review process easy - and while maybe not fun, much more human - through using AI. I'm thrilled to continue to partner with WorkStory! Click on their logo to find out more. ​

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