InFullBloom’s 4th Anniversary — Where To From Here?

Celebrating Our 2010 Anniversary Over Dinner In The Languedoc-Roussillon, France

I launched my blog about 4 years ago, 11-8-2009.  In my wildest dreams, I never expected to attract so many loyal readers nor did I realize how much I would enjoy blogging.  I so wish new readers could start at the beginning because I’ve been writing many posts that are best read in sequence if you want to understand (for better or for worse) my thinking about great HR technology and about strategic planning for both HRM and HR tech.  And although this past year has been one of fewer posts than I had hoped, I have no intention of quitting until I’ve said everything that’s on my mind or until I’ve lost my mind entirely — whichever comes first.

But with the changes I’m making in my professional life (here, here and here), this blog will also change to reflect not only my evolving professional interests but also my personal ones.  Hopefully, this changing mix of topics, along with my having more time to write, will provide enough coverage of HRM and HR technology to retain long-standing readers while more coverage of the many other aspects of my life (for which I’m hoping to have more time to enjoy as I reduce my workload) will interest those same readers as well as attract new ones.

And just as the scouts of yesteryear warned those pioneer wagon trains of the dangers ahead, I hope to share lessons learned about my own passage from total workaholic to whatever lies ahead.  Aging is definitely not for the faint of heart, and I’ll be exploring that territory well before most of you.  Stay tuned for my reports from the field on how to flourish in that potentially hostile territory, how to hang onto your health and your sense of humor.

One wonderful result of winding down my previously ecumenical consulting practice is that I can now focus on those vendors and initiatives which are in the forefront of achieving true HRMS/TM SaaS InFullBloom — and call out those who aren’t.  And I also feel emboldened to SCREAM at organizations and their HR leaders which fail to learn the lessons of the past, fail to prepare for the future, and fail to rethink HRM even as they take advantage of the latest generation of HR tech.  A pox on all their houses!

The Bottom Line:  Even as I write more posts about our travels and boating, my forays into Bloom family genealogy and artistic and literary endeavors, our philanthropic adventures (can you really picture me on a committee of “ladies who lunch” planning a fundraiser?) and so much more that has absolutely nothing to do with my professional life, I will continue to push the HR technology community to deliver better software and services, at better prices, and with greater ease of implementation and adoption.  I will continue to push the HR community to do the heavy lifting of understanding their businesses and how HRM should be shaped to drive improved business results.  I will continue to push myself and my fellow “influencers” to be transparent, innovative, and focused on real thought leadership.  You might say I’m an equal opportunity scold, but no one gets more flak from Naomi than I give myself.  Thank you so much for coming this far with me on my blogging journey.  I’m hoping that the best is yet to come.