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F a l l 2 0 2 0 • forwardHR | 5 DIREC TOR 'S MESSAGE Letter from John Komosa, 2020 State Director, Wisconsin State Council SHRM 2020 has been anything but certain W hat a difference there is from the beginning of the year! As I reflect as to what I thought the year would be, the Dr. Seuss book "Oh, e Places You'll Go!" resonated with me. To me the story is about exploring new places, facing new challenges and overcoming obstacles. Little did I know that the strange new place started as a small workspace in the basement and then moved to a bedroom converted to a home office. New challenges meant balancing work, family and school as the three crashed together and competed for space and resources. Obstacles abounded each time we all tried to use video conferencing or stream content. e changes brought by COVID-19 are leading to a seismic shi in how we deliver HR services and how we interact as an HR family. ere is no time to wait for things to go back to normal. Many employees are looking to us to provide guidance and help navigate the uncertainty. Dr. Seuss reminds us that "Out there things can happen, and frequently do, To people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things start to happen, don't worry, don't stew. Just go right along, you'll start happening too!" is issue will highlight some of the changes and challenges we are facing. As you read, keep in mind that not everyone has the same access to technology and resources, the workforce will always be evolving, we need to remain flexible and open to ideas, and balancing the needs of family and work are ever present. At WISHRM, we cancelled the Student HR games the day before the event, we experimented with virtual panel discussions where our 50 person target audience became 250, we moved the State Leadership Conference to a virtual event and had our largest attendance to date, and cancelled the State Conference. We have, however, added an online legal update in its place. In December, we will focus on developing our 2021 operating plan. Flexibility, use of technology to foster connections, delivering learning and development opportunities, and serving as a resource for volunteer leaders will continue to be our guiding principles. And while we plan to be back together for many of our events in 2021, we will continue to look at different ways to meet our members' needs. And as Dr. Seuss reminds us, "So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains." Our strength and our ability to succeed comes from our volunteer leaders and you — our members. anks to everyone who has helped throughout the year and if you'd like to get more involved with Wisconsin SHRM or your local chapter, we would love to hear from you. For more information on any of WISHRM's volunteer opportunities, visit us at www.wishrm.org. For more information about SHRM events, visit www.shrm.org. ■ Best wishes! John Komosa, MBA 2020 State Director, Wisconsin State Council SHRM eodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel

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