Now I Understand Why I Talk to Myself

I talk to myself.  A lot.  I admit it.  I have for years.  I did it today; I was prepping for a direct feedback conversation with a team member.  That’s when it hit me – the years of talking to myself has all been for a reason. 

On May 25^th I had the pleasure of giving my first DisruptHR talk.  It was the inaugural event for DisruptHR Columbus (Cbus).  I had waited several years for this event to come to my hometown, and it finally happened.  To be included in the fantastic lineup of speakers was truly an honor. 

I’ll be honest – the process of preparing to give a DisruptHR talk threw me a bit.  Over the past few years, I have joined the HR speaker circuit – I have presented at many events, including the national SHRM conference.  I absolutely love public speaking – put me in a room with a bunch of fellow HR geeks and I am home.  I am in my element sharing experiences and stories with fellow practitioners.  And while I spend a lot of time preparing my presentations, I sometimes go off the cuff.  I feed off of the audience’s energy.  If someone asks a question that redirects the conversation, I go with it.  DisruptHR is different.  It is very structured – 20 slides in 5 minutes and the slides advance every 15 seconds.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  Whoa.  I struggled in my preparation.  But…in a moment of talking to myself (of course!) I figured it out.  I stopped overthinking and I went with what I know.  It was a really fun experience, and I am pretty proud of the result.  If you would like to view my talk, here is the link: Christie Engler, “Outsourcing is NOT a 4 Letter Word”. 

In addition to the speaking gigs, I do a lot of talking.  And I am a person who has to process what to say before I say it; I am not one of those cool ‘quick wit’ people who have fantastic immediate responses in the heat of the moment.  I am actually much better in writing.  But in HR, we have to have a lot of conversations – with employees, with managers, with leaders.  So I believe the Lord gave me the gift of gab for this purpose – I talk to myself to practice and ensure that I am as clear and effective as possible in my verbal communication.  And for that I am grateful. 

If you are in the Central Ohio area and want to join our HR Unite! monthly Coffee Talkies, please reach out and I will add you to our group.  Just a group of cool HR people talking shop in a safe space for one hour each month.  Learn more at https://hrunitemichigan.com/.  (Yes, this group originates in That State Up North but the founder is cool, I promise.) 

I am thrilled to have several speaking engagements coming up in 2022!  I have provided a list with links below.  I hope to chat with you soon!

July 26^th – SHRM-Atlanta SOAHR 2022 – https://soahr.net/

August 31^st – KYSHRM 2022 – https://kyshrmconference.com/

October 4^th & 5^th – NHRMA22 – https://www.nhrmaconference.org/2022/

October 13^th – WISHRM22 – https://wishrm.org/2022-State-Conference