I've spent decades in HR, primarily in fast-growing, high-tech companies, with a few interesting exceptions.
But here’s the thing: I’ve gathered a vault of bizarre HR stories—outrageous moments that are not only unusual but packed with lessons about leadership, decision-making, and human behavior. And while HR professionals must handle these incidents confidentially, we’re simultaneously driving forward essential work that helps keep the business running. We cannot stop our usual work to investigate the bizarre.
Starting this week, I’m changing things up. No more predictable, “did you know?” posts. I’m pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to be an HR leader—sharing the strange, the unexpected, and how these situations were managed (names, dates, and places will be changed to protect the innocent - and the guilty).
But this isn’t just about weird stories. I’ll be focusing on the strategies and lessons learned, highlighting how HR operates as a true business partner. These stories will show how HR isn’t just about processes and policies; it’s about navigating complex human dynamics in legal, ethical ways that remove bad behavior from the workplace – and there is plenty of it. Trust.
Get ready for some “did that really happen?” HR moments that might change your perspective—from seeing HR as a task-oriented, where-dreams-go-to-die department to understanding we manage the most unpredictable part of a business, human behavior.
