Meet The Disruptors: Deb Lang of DisruptHR Indianapolis

Who are the people that are taking the lead in disrupting the future of work?

They’re the official Disruptors (Organizers) of DisruptHR events held in cities around the world. Each week, we’ll introduce you to one of these intelligent, inspiring, and beautiful people (okay, pick two) who have stepped up, and volunteered to organize a Disrupt HR event in their city.

Deb Lang of DisruptHR Indianapolis (Disruptor #72)

LinkedIn – Deb Lang

Twitter – @ldrlabconsult

Who are you, and what do you do in your “day job”?

Deb Lang, Manager of Training and Development, CNO

How did you first hear about DisruptHR?

I heard about the event from a colleague of mine while discussing the state of the HR profession – many options for traditional thinking, few opportunities to hear thoughts and ideas that challenge those traditions. After learning more about DisruptHR, I knew this is what I was looking for.

Why did you decide to raise your hand and become an organizer for DisruptHR events in Indianapolis?

A strong belief that this needed to come to our area. As luck would have it, three others – Kymberli Findley, Julie Barker, and Andrea Brummett – also raised their hand and we now have a pretty amazing planning team!

How many events have you organized?

So far the DisruptHR Indy team has organized two events, working on our 3rd. Average attendance has been slightly more than 100 people. We have found that part of the secret to our success is holding the event in non-conference room space. We tend to stick to microbreweries and, for our next event, we are looking at a wine restaurant. Is it bad that alcohol is a key part of our formula?

What types of people/industries have attended your events?

Our attendees range from executives to HR practitioners. Our participants represent pharmaceutical companies, consulting firms, non-profits, technical industries, and many more. Our audience has been a pretty diverse group, which makes for a more interesting event.

What are you most proud of that has come out of being involved with/organizing DisruptHR events?

I am most proud of the interest that has been generated. When we were planning our first event, we had a fear that we would put the event out there, but no one would come. Boy, were we wrong. We had to increase the number of available tickets to meet the demand for the first event. When the second event rolled around, we sold out ahead of time and had a long wait list. It’s a great feeling to know that the event is filling a void.

What kind of feedback have you received from those who attended prior DisruptHR Indianapolis events?

The greatest feedback we have received is when someone comes up to us after an event and says that not only are they coming to the next event, but they are bringing others because “Indy needs this.” These are the people who are making a difference in the profession and who make each event fun.

What is your favorite DisruptHR Talk, and why?

Can I say I love them all just the same? Kidding (although I have yet to see a presentation I have not liked). A couple of them stand out for me – I just saw one from Vancouver called “Managers are Tools.”

I loved the premise of that talk. Indy talks that have resonated with me are Leveraging Other Departments for HR Success, The Millennial Takeover, and How Changing the World can Change Your Life, Your People, and Your Business.

Based off of the Talks and conversations at your events, what do you feel are the areas with the biggest opportunity for disruption?

I have a soapbox for this one, but, in the interest of time I will only say that the biggest opportunity for disruption begins with the core – our own beliefs about the role of HR. When we have non-HR professionals presenting at our event, they are not asking us to improve compliance results, bring in more company picnics, or provide more training. Instead, they are asking us to look at our role through their eyes. It’s a powerful perspective.

What excites you or frustrates you about the future of work, your career and/or DisruptHR?

I am excited about the next generation of HR professionals – they are passionate and on a mission to make an impact! I love hearing their ideas and learning from them. And, let’s face it, they remind us to never let go of our rebellious spirit 🙂

Follow What’s Happening With DisruptHR Indianapolis:

– DisruptHR Indianapolis Community Page

– DisruptHR Indianapolis Facebook Page

– DisruptHR Indianapolis Instagram

– #DisruptHRIndy Twitter mentions