I Am Evolving (Part Two)

Implementing every innovative idea is not always a good choice as noted on yesterday's PunkRockHR. Similarly, changing for the sake of changing is also not a good choice. Changing because everyone else is changing can range from the ridiculous to the dangerous.  I'm thinking of Ethel Murman' disco album (sadly ridiculous) to joining the Nazi Party (outrageously dangerous).

HREvolution 2010 is this Friday and Saturday. The excitement for this event is a constant theme on Twitter and blogs. It's great to see so many people EXCITED about an Human Resources conference. (I know, I know, it's called an unconference.) I'm excited too. In fact so much, I pushed up my flight to arrive earlier so I had a chance to meet some of the people attending before the actual event.

But as the weekend approaches, I've put the brakes on my excitement.

Why? Because I fear group-think of any sort. Call it a genetic defect. Call it cynicism. Call it a weakness. But when groups gather together, I think my individuality could be assaulted.  When groups start to form and "consensus" moves the group in a certain directions, conformity is created. Then there are rules and directions everyone must follow.  Deviating paths then lead to members being ostracized and ridiculed.

The result of groups forming doesn't always lead to this. But sometimes it does and that's why I fear it.

Fear in itself is not a bad thing. It keeps us from walking into traffic, eating stinky food or touching feral cats.

Granted, going to HREvolution is not going to as dangerous. HREvolution is going to be a (un)conference with this mission:  At HRevolution, we believe individuals and organizations embrace the future when given the opportunity to discuss and test their ideas in a safe environment. The HRevolution un-conference exists to catalyze HR’s continuous development, by providing an open forum for discussion, collaboration, and relationship building within the global HR industry.

But I wonder, will it live up to this promise? Or will consensus form and beat down the voice of dissent? Will the group decide on rules that everyone must follow? Will those that don't fit in be quietly ignored?

This is the first unconference that I've attended, and I know many of the attendees. So I'm trusting that the mission will be carried out.  Still I remain curious as to how the weekend will unfold. But bad or good, I have an inexplicable feeling I'm going to come home evolved in some way.