June 3, 2014
I consider myself fortunate to get to attend a number of HR conferences each year, and even more so to be invited on stage with a live microphone at many. I've had that honor in eighteen states, as well as in other countries on two continents. I enjoy it immensely (probably because it helps me overcome my shyness) and have made no small number of friends and professional contacts along the way. When I joined Dovetail two years ago, though, I was very surprised to receive a call from a colleague congratulating me on the move, and letting me know I would not be invited to speak at their conference. I was now a vendor, and vendors aren't invited to speak. I was disappointed, but I understood. In the last two years, I've been invited to speak at…
The Problem with Vendors as Speakers
June 3, 2014
I consider myself fortunate to get to attend a number of HR conferences each year, and even more so to be invited on stage with a live microphone at many. I've had that honor in eighteen states, as well as in other countries on two continents. I enjoy it immensely (probably because it helps me overcome my shyness) and have made no small number of friends and professional contacts along the way. When I joined Dovetail two years ago, though, I was very surprised to receive a call from a colleague congratulating me on the move, and letting me know I would not be invited to speak at their conference. I was now a vendor, and vendors aren't invited to speak. I was disappointed, but I understood. In the last two years, I've been invited to speak at…