Resource scarcity leads us to borrow, and that pushes us deeper into scarcity. Why? Because when we have scarce resources we tunnel (i.e., we focus on the here and now, the fires, what needs to get done right now). Tunneling leads us to neglect. Tunneling today creates more tunneling tomorrow, and leads us to borrow — in a borrowing from Petra to pay Paula and eventually needing to pay back Petra with significant interest scenario — so that we’re using the same physical resources less effectively, placing us one step behind.

Why People Ops Can’t Wait Until Tomorrow This piece details a core belief of mine, and why, especially if you’re a leader in the cultural sector, I believe you should share it too. Strategic HR — or People Operations — is a senior-level management competency that needs to be embedded in every decision we make in our organizations.

The Education/Experience Proxy is what I call the phrase organizations include near the end of their job postings: “High School Diploma Required,” “Bachelor Degree Required,” or “Masters Degree Preferred.” Please nix it. It’s a lazy proxy used to approximate experience or ability that’s making it harder for otherwise talented people to be a part of your candidate pool. It neglects people who learn differently, or have different life experience, from being considered for positions.

Learning with Others to Improve Ourselves Learning new things with other people is fun! After publishing an extensive list of HR resources and announcing the launch of our Strategic HR Bootcamp in January, a colleague recently asked me where I turn for my own professional development training. Here are some of the highlights I’ve enjoyed for structured learning:

Hi, Philadelphia artists and arts organizations! I’ll be in town for some meetings this Wednesday, November 8 and have a few open windows in my schedule.

As part of our commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression, Fractured Atlas has been hosting race-based caucuses since late 2016. Each space serves a unique role in our work. We’re sharing our experiences in the hopes that more organizations will implement the practice.

Deadline to Apply: November 30, 2017 I’m thrilled to announce that Fractured Atlas will be offering a one-day Strategic HR Bootcamp on Saturday, January 27, 2018 in New York City. Only 20 people will be accepted into this cohort, and the deadline to apply is November 30, 2017. (Don’t sweat, it’s a brief application with only two questions aside from your name and contact information).

My mentor and friend, Steve Morris Over the weekend, I learned that one of my longtime mentors — Steve Morris — passed away from cancer at the end of July. Not knowing this at the time, I emailed him in August to see if he had any availability to meet up for our semi-annual breakfast this fall.

For the Aspiring or Accidental HR Professional What resources have you found helpful in your People practice? Break out your Trapper Keeper, throw the Jansport strap over your shoulder, and sharpen your no.2 pencils. It’s back to school season! This post is full of resource recommendations for those looking to put a couple more HR arrows into their quiver.

Do you want, or need, to talk with someone about an HR challenge your cultural organization is facing? For the next few months, the three members of the Fractured Atlas People team — Nicola Carpenter, Jillian Wright, and me — will be available a few hours each week for anyone interested in picking our HR brains. We’re offering this free of charge as a way to share experience and expertise with cultural sector colleagues.