This is my first post since my site redesign. Hope you like it. Getting it ready took me offline for a bit. Now it’s time to write.

For those of you who haven’t seen it in the news, there has been some serious flooding in Wisconsin. On my way into the office earlier this week I noticed that there was an extensive power outage from the same storms that created the flooding (I get in early). I had been thinking about SourceCon, it’s success last year and why it is really a must-attend show for sourcers and recruiters. How to explain that concept? I am speaking at SourceCon and I want my clients to see the educational value of attending the event.

Slamming on the brakes…. All the street lights out. Stop thinking. Don’t get into accident

Yes, all the street lights were out and I saw something wonderful, as well as disturbing. With the street lights being out, people had to cooperate. Ever watch an ant colony? What amazing cooperation. Drivers were taking turns, 4 way intersection, North side, South side, West Side, East Side. How did this cycle start? Order out of chaos? Neccessity? I don’t know, but I did have a child-like enthusiasm for watching the process. Before it was my time to go, I had a chance to see the “rules” of the crowd. North, South, West, East, North, South, West, East. When it was my turn, I had a small yet grand feeling of community. Just as it was my turn to go, some jerk in a SUV went out of turn, cut me off, and almost caused a multi-car pile up. He did not like the community process.

Stop a minute and think now. This stop light process, brought into order by crowd mentality and neccessity. It worked. People were taking turns and progress was occuring (except for the jerk). It became normal. Without thinking about it, I accepted the process. In this case, I had no choice.

Most recruiters and sourcers are in exactly this place in their day-day process. It works. it’s comfortable, others are doing a similar thing, it is accepted, you feel part of the norm.

Then it hit me. I just spent 25 minutes in near bumper-bumper traffic. This is WISCONSIN, I left California and the traffic jams 10 years ago. I hate traffic. I pass cows and farms on my commute and I like it that way.

Give me back my traffic lights. They add a 50X level of efficiency to traffic flow. (I would suggest going solar, however). I have no interest in doing what “everyone else” is doing

So what about SourceCon? SourceCon is to sourcing like a traffic light is to traffic flow. For those math geeks: ( SourceCon:Sourcing :: Traffic light:traffic flow )

SourceCon is an event to bring sourcing and recruiting to the next level. Companies are adding dedicated sourcers in record numbers. Don’t reinvent, find out the best practices from the thought leaders out there. Here are some talks that I am personally excited to see:

The Convergence of Sourcing, Recruiting, Technology, Man and the Machine: What the Future Holds - Dave Copps

The Utopian view of Executive Talent Sourcing -Jeremy Langhans

Metrics for Measuring Sourcing Effectiveness - Scott Biggerstaff

All the world’s a stage, and we are (not merely) sourcers - Matt Grove

Lastly, don’t miss my talk: The 7 Laws of Internet Research. I’m going to have fun with it.

I hope to see you all at SourceCon…except that jerk that cut me off…may all his lights be red.

It’s all about bringing people in.  Broadlook is the undisputed leader in Internet Research Automation and Recruiting Software.  Our challenge:  Letting people know about it.    Stop by ERE in San Diego, see what is all about.  It far exceeds any hype or description of quasi-competitors. 

For those expecting a technology blog today, you can skip this posting.

The most common comment I get from people reading my blog is “thanks for the original content”.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Many of us are tired of “me too” postings.  Reposting Youtube, reposting of this, reposting of that.   Why is this?  Why is there essentially a culture of copy out there?  What can we do to fix it?   Many of my readers are recruiters.  Well, if you are a recruiter then you must recruit or better yet, adopt a blogger.

What stops someone who has much to say… from saying it?  As easy as setting up a Wordpress blog is, it will stop most non-technical people in their tracks.  

I was having a discussion with Dan Hughes, one of the people who helped build and grow Broadlook Technologies with me.  Dan wants to blog.  Dan did not know where to start.  We even thought of a name for his site (The Sales Trench).   Weeks later, no blog.   So I’m adopting Dan.  I registered SalesTrench.com,  installed Wordpress for him and configured it.

Adoption is not a one time event.

I will be pestering the heck out of Dan to get some of his great ideas down.  Right now, the site is empty, so, Dan, you are out there, the world is waiting, now you have to write.   

Dan and I talk almost every day, he can’t escape.  I’ll be a blog-parent until he flies from the nest.  Dan, happy birthday.  Have fun with the site! 

Call to bloggers  

Who will you adopt?  Can you think of someone with great ideas that really should be writing them down?   Adopt them, help them, encourage them, pester them if you must.   More unique content will lift us all.  Send me a note about your adoption.