By Tina Marie Wohlfield
One of the many breakout sessions taking place this year at MISHRM include one of my favorite speakers and best connectors in our #HRCommunity, Tom Daniels. Tom is also a member of the MISHRM Influencer Team (MIT) and an exhibitor representing BGSU! I am very excited to shine the spotlight on Tom and his upcoming session at MISHRM!
Tom, please tell us a little bit about you and your role at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). How did your prior HR/OD experience lead you to your current position?
After a 20 year career in the advertising and marketing research industry, mostly in operations and leading organization development, I moved into a role working in higher education. It’s a career move that most of my friends and former colleagues knew was the right place for me. As the associate director for graduate and executive programs in business at Bowling Green State University, my role focuses primarily on admissions and advising students studying in our executive master of organization development program and our fairly new doctorate in organization development and change program. Both programs allow me to work with working professionals who are looking to grow both professionally as well as personally.
Your session is on helping HR professionals and managers coach employees to take the drivers seat in their own career development. What are some lessons you have learned in your own career that have helped you apply some of these tips on your career path?
We hear it all the time, “people don’t leave organizations, they leave poor leaders.” And while that is true, one of the other main reasons many employees leave organizations is a lack of development or advancement opportunities. Leaders and direct supervisors have a tremendous effect on these opportunities. As a leader, as well as a direct report, I’ve learned that an employee must be willing to do some of the work to determine their own career path. Opportunities aren’t always linear and you have to be willing to be open about your interests and be open to opportunities throughout an organization rather than just looking at the next role on the totem pole.
What are you most looking forward to as a speaker at MISHRM?
The people. It’s really that simple. I’m also looking for an engaging sessions and to learn from so many others.
As a member of the MISHRM Influencer Team what would you like to share to someone who is planning or considering to attend the conference on why it is one you don’t want to miss?
Look at the list of presenters – you know you’ll get the chance to learn something new from each and every one of them. And if you can implement just two or three ideas you gain, you know you’ll make a difference in your organization. Plus, there is incredible value in the networking you’ll get with other HR professionals. I’ve been attending for several years and have developed some really strong friendships with people I know I can count on to help support me when I have a question or need some help.
What is the best way to connect with Tom Daniels either at the conference or after?
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tomrdaniels
Twitter: @tomrdaniels419
Session Information:
You can catch Tom’s session “Coaching for Career Development: Engaging Employees in THEIR Career Development” on Thursday, October 20, 2022 from 8:00 am – 9:00 am in River Overlook E/F.
