The October 28 Carnival of HR – Halloween Spirits Version

When I lived in Cincinnati, our neighborhood had an interesting tradition for Halloween.  As the kids went from house to house collecting candy treats, the parents would tag along for an “adult” treat.  No fooling.  You can just imagine what this looked like after a few blocks.

Since Halloween is in a couple of days, I thought I would attempt to recreate this Cincinnati memory.  But in a much safer environment – your own office.  Here you can “trick or treat” by visiting the best blogs around the globe and indulging in our bloggers’ favorite beverages.

To start us off, every bar has some sort of “Bartender’s Special” and for this carnival it’s the caipirinha.  That’s the fave drink of Michael Krupa at InfoBox.  Be sure to order one while you’re reading his brand new, hot off the presses post, Is HR Afraid of Technology?

Martinis

The martini holds a special place in the Bartender’s heart…especially since it’s our logo.  And, the bloggers who enjoy a nice martini are very special to me as well.

Lisa Rosendahl, author of the blog “Simply Lisa”, pulled up a stool, ordered her fave (an espresso martini) and told us about her Social Media and HR stories.

Trish McFarlane, the HR Ringleader, tells us Don’t Buy the Datsun B-210. Plan for the Future. over a grape martini (with a sugar rimmed glass, of course!)

Scotch and Whisky

Classy is the first word that comes to mind when I think scotch…and these bloggers live up to the label.

Mark Stelzner at Inflexion Advisors explains to us The Future of HR – Why ‘Do Nothing’ Is An Option over a single malt scotch on the rocks.

Susan Heathfield at About.com says you’re gonna need a Dewar’s White Label or Johnnie Walter Red Label when you review her post Dealing with Difficult Coworkers.

Vodka

When I think of vodka today, I think variety.  Remember when vodka came in one kind?  It was clear and had no flavor.  Not any more…flavored and infused vodkas show us a tremendous amount of flexibility.

Jessica Miller-Merrell at Blogging4Jobs announces her new career as an entrepreneur and declares HR is the New PR.  Let’s toast her new venture with her favorite drink, vodka and cranberry.

While Vishveshwar Jatain at the Benifys Blog might be talking about Ambiguity at Work, there’s certainly nothing ambiguous about his beverage of choice…it’s a Long Island Iced Tea, the recipe that includes a little splash of cola for sweetness.

Only fresh squeezed grapefruit juice will do for Cathy Martin’s favorite drink – a Salty Dawg.  Be sure to have one in hand as she discusses the question Is it Change Management or Strategy Implementation?

Tequila

Just like the bloggers in our tequila section, this liquor has a punch but also has a loyal following.

Does your name determine your success?  Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR ponders that thought in her post, Baby Names, Careers, and CEOs, while drinking her all-time favorite drink – a mango cayenne margarita.

Fran Melmed at Free-Range Communication debates Benefits vs Culture: Which will keep them down on the farm? while sipping her favorite tequila.

Liqueurs

Don’t make the assumption that liqueurs signify the old school.  The art of making liqueurs takes patience and wisdom – the same attributes found in these bloggers.

After Confronting Social Media at Work, blogger Michael VanDervort over at The Human Race Horses suggests a Pisco Sour.

Will you be ready to recruit when the recession ends? Well, once you finish your Pimms with Susannah Cesar from Recruitment 2.0, the answer is absolutely!

Speaking of being ready, are you paying attention to the latest and greatest on EFCA?  Mike Haberman (with snifter of Irish Mist in hand) is talking about Stealth EFCA: New Warning on Union Friendly Legislation over at HR Observations.

Beers and Ales

I have a lot of respect for people who enjoy a pint.  Like fine wines, all beers are not the same.  And, I’ve discovered over the years that people who enjoy a cold one…also are quite the masters of their craft.

Just like the “interesting” ales he’s fond of, Wally Bock at Three Star Leadership shares An Appraisal System Carol Bartz Can Love.

Steve Boese engages us in his latest post, Facebook and Talent Management Technology.  His favorite beverage? None other than the official beer of HR Happy Hour, Porkslap Pale Ale.

Graham Salisbury shares with us the case study, The real bullies: older women, along with his love of German beers.

If you’re looking to try something different, April Dowling at Pseudo HR offers up a high gravity beer and Through the looking glass – I can see you.

Erik Samdahl of the Institute for Corporate Productivity (aka i4cp) discusses corporate volunteerism in his post, Does Your Firm Know What it’s Getting from Corporate Giving?, over his local favorite, Mac and Jacks African Amber Ale.

Coffee and Teas

One of the things that I enjoy about coffees and teas is the presentation.  Having them is not just about drinking a beverage.  It’s an event that’s meant to be savored and enjoyed.

Mary Jo Asmus at Aspire Collaborative Services recommends a good strong cup of Sumatra coffee (with cream) as you read Introverted Leaders: Gifts and Cautions.

Dan McCarthy at Great Leadership also recommends a cup of coffee when you Take the Talent Management Challenge. The results were as surprising as a huge jolt of caffeine! (and be sure to congratulate Dan on the 3 year anniversary of his blog…)

Don’t run out of steam yet…coffee is also the beverage du jour for Mark, Amy and Meg over at TalentedApps.  They’ll have plenty brewing for you when you read Join the Internal Enterprise Conversation, Already in Progress.

Prasad Kurian serves up multiple perspectives (just like the many flavors of his favorite beverage – lemon black tea with sugar) in the post Paradox of ‘business orientation of HR’

Lexi Ruben at Precept Group, schools us on Preventing Cold and Flu Outbreaks in the Workplace: The Best Defense is a Good Offense.  While she doesn’t mention it in the post, drinking a nice cup of hot tea can help with those colds as well.  And, it’s also her favorite drink.

Colas, Sodas or Pop

Depending upon what part of the world you hail from it’s called something different, but most of us can’t resist sweet carbonation in a can.

Our previous host, Mr. Jon Ingham of Strategic HCM, is fond of Orangina closely followed by a nice glass of rose.  And, not just any Orangina mind you…it seems the South of France produces a better varietal than the UK.  But don’t wait until you’re in France to check out his post, Hal Gregersen: How Can HR Drive Innovation?

Amit Bhagria (aka Young HR Manager) pours a sweet lime soda and asks, How Can You Manage Employees Who Are Not Performing Well and Ignorant To Your Organizational Goals?

And, what bar menu would be complete without some kind of decadent chocolate drink?

Melissa Prusher with The Devon Group shares with us Ten Minutes with Mark Miller and some hot cocoa with a dash of peppermint.  (Maybe even some peppermint schnapps?)

Oh and for those of you who don’t like chocolate (I know, it’s amazing to me too)…check out this delish yogurt drink called a Lassi.  Gireesh Sharma told me while I was checking out his post on What Web 2.0 and SaaS Software offer that Legacy ERPs don’t provide that over 10 million litres of this beverage are consumed in India.

And last but certainly not least, with all of the great selections, you know there’s always someone who can’t decide what their favorite beverage is…this time it’s The HR Store.  Don’t hold it against them…it looks like they were distracted with their post HR asked to snoop around!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Halloween edition of the HR Carnival.  Thanks to HR Minion for allowing HR Bartender to be your host.  Our next carnival will be hosted by Deb Owen over at 8 Hours & a Lunch on November 11.  So mark your calendars and we’ll see you soon!

P.S.  If you enjoyed all of the blog posts, I hope you’ll consider following these folks on Twitter.  They are just as smart and witty in person as you will find their writing.  I’ve set up a TweepML List for the carnival.  Just one click of the mouse and you will be following all of them.  Cheers!

Image courtesy of http2007.

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