Top 7 Human Resources Blogs

The Freak Factory is now listed on Alltop, a site that categorizes the best blogs on the internet. My blog is featured in the HR category. It's easy to find because it's the last one on the page.

I like Alltop because it helps me to find blogs that match my specific interests. MyAlltop also allows me to create a page of my own favorite blogs. It's like a blog reader except everyone can see it.

Below is my list of the Top 7 Human Resources blogs.

1. Renegade HR by Chris Ferdinandi - Check out How to Turn Average Performers into Rockstars.

Chris argues that many potential high performers appear to be below average or mediocre because "they're either in the wrong position that isn’t well aligned with their passions and strengths or poorly managed, and thus demotivated. . .

But a big part of me believes that if you treat all of your employees like they’re rockstars until they prove that they’re not (instead of the other way around), you’d start seeing a lot more rockstars in your organization."

2. Punk Rock HR by Laurie Ruettimann - Get started with Performance Reviews & Assessments. If you've just had a less than positive performance evaluation, Laurie encourages you to not freak out.

Instead, "think about a new job. Think about a new career. Think about living the kind of life where it doesn't matter what your boss or supervisor thinks about you."

3. Jason Seiden - His blog doesn't really have a title but I love the header. "Fail spectacularly. Safety's an illusion. You may as well go for it."

I discovered Jason's blog via Twitter last year. This post, describing an executive who is facing resistance withing a new organization, echoes my freak factory message. "Embrace Excellence, Not Arrogance." What Stupid Advice.

"When you’ve got someone who is good at his job, who knows it, who is willing to use power to move things along, who is not tolerant of convention born from thoughtless routine, and who pushes others to break the mold, that person will be interpreted as both arrogant and excellent."

4. Rehaul by Lance Haun - A good recent post is Words Matter but Actions Matter Most.

"When you fail to live up to the words you’ve crafted, there is no meaning in what you’ve written." This is a good reminder for me as a speaker, professor and writer. I need to continually challenge myself to practice what I preach.

5. Career Hub by Louise Fletcher - This blog includes contributions from many different experts. Today's post, Interview Questions: Illegal and Inappropriate, was perfect for a training session that I'm working on for later this month.

My favorite post so far is from Sital Ruparelia, 3 Ways to Get Passionate About Your Work.

His three suggestions are to, first, "find work you are passionate about. Find work which plays to your natural strengths, work which you enjoy. Work which excites you and doesn't really feel like work. It feels more like play than work."

Second, "take a close look at your existing role and employer - and look to find opportunities to express your talents, to do exciting, interesting work which isn't necessarily part of the day job."

Third, "it's not always possible to find an activity at work which you can get passionate about. If that's the case, then find 'work' away from your paid job that enables you to come alive."

6. HR Bartender by Sharlyn Lauby - Her post today, Healthy Competition, explains that, for many of us, our competitors might actually be potential collaborators.

"I’ve discovered the best way to deal with competition is to point it inward. When I meet people who really have it together and inspire me, instead of focusing my energies on squashing them, I use that energy to make myself better. There are two reasons for doing it. First, I get better at something. Second, I can eventually collaborate with that awesome person."

7. Fistful of Talent founded by Kris Dunn - This is another collaborative blog with a variety of contributors including Jason Seiden, who I mentioned above.

In Bright Spots in HR? Huh?, Jessica Lee shares simple advice from the Heath Brothers' new book, Switch: How To Change Things When Change is Hard. Instead of finding problems and trying to fix them, "find bright spots and clone them." This is the freak factory applied to organizations and industries. Start with what is working and expand it.

If you like The Freak Factory, I think you'll like what you find on these blogs. Enjoy.