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In many organizations, few training topics suck the air out of the room faster than diversity training. However, succesful companies are finding that diverse workforces provide new depths of innovation, customer service, and brand recognition... in essence, making them more competitive in the marketplace. So how do we get past the basics of counting people in certain categories and move into an area where the company can really draw on the diversity of experience and background in its workforce?

Our guest today on the Imperative Podcast is Scott Airitam of Leadership Systems. Scott is a consultant, trainer, and co-author of Ethics for Everyone, The Handbook for Integrity-Based Business Practices. Scott will be the luncheon speaker at the North Texas SHRM's March 24th luncheon meeting.

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Every day, we all face problems that cry out for creative solutions. And, if you’re like me, you’ve worked with people who can look at a seemingly complex problem and say, “Oh, here’s what you need to do” and then proceed to outline an elegant solution that solves the problem.

Man, I hate those people… but their creativity is invaluable to an organization’s survival in this economy.

Our guest on this edition of the Imperative Podcast says that we all have a creative genius hidden away inside of us. Stephen Thomas King is a “personal creativity coach” who consults with organizations of all sizes to help bring out the personal genius of their employees, from the C-suite to the shop floor. Stephen is author of The Creativity Code and the brains behind geniusforrent.com.

Stephen King will be the speaker at the North Texas SHRM Chapter’s February 24th luncheon meeting. You can register for that event by visiting www.northtexasshrm.org.

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On January 30th, the Mid-Cities HR Association in cooperation with the Fort Worth HR Management Association and North Texas SHRM, will present their second annual Employment Law Symposium titled "What You Need to Know Under the New Administration." Imperative is a proud sponsor of this event again this year.

In this podcast, Mike interviews Michael Layman, the keynote speaker for the symposium. Michael is the Manager of Employment and Labor Legislation for the Society for Human Resources Management and he will be discussing the many federal public policy issues expected to impact human resources professionals in the coming year.

At today's North Texas SHRM meeting, the incoming president Michele Domes received the Pyramid Award in recognition of her tireless work on behalf of the chapter. That didn't surprise me because Michele, like the rest of the NTSHRM board, is always in go-mode. I'm convinced that the best diet plan in the world is to be on the board of an active SHRM chapter, you'll never get to eat a full meal during a meeting - there's always something to do.

The other recognition North Texas SHRM made today was a surprise to me. I received the HR Professional of the Year award. Outgoing president Kay Schroeder was extremely gracious in her presentation and I was flattered to receive this recognition.

I should point out what a great job Kay has done as president of North Texas SHRM for the past two years. They've put on some of the best employment law conferences and other events I've ever attended.

Patty Revis over at Jobing.com did a nice recap of the meeting.

A few weeks ago, Mike interviewed Audrey Mross about the employment law update she provided to the North Texas SHRM in November.

Audrey has generously provided Imperative with a copy of her presentation. You can download the handouts from Audrey's presentation here.

To hear Mike's interview with Audrey, please click here.

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Mike's guest on today's podcast is Audrey Mross, a shareholder in the law firm of Munck Carter, where she leads the Labor and Employment Law section.  Audrey has been practicing law since 1994 and was a human resources professional for over a decade before that, giving her a unique perspective as she helps her clients deal with their HR-related legal issues.

Audrey will be presenting her annual employment law update during the North Texas SHRM chapter's November 18th luncheon in Denton, Texas.