Inauguration Day

I am grateful to have lived to see this historic moment. Today is a time when all Americans, in the words of our new President Barack Obama, can "recognize ourselves in one another and bring everyone together — Democrats, Republicans and independents; Latino, Asian and Native American; black and white, gay and straight, disabled and not." We may forget all this later in the crush of our daily lives, but for now, at this moment, we can look around us and remember.

We in the human resource community, and especially those of you who run the human resource functions at your companies, have a special view of the Inauguration. Every day you stand in the place where the stakeholders in your company – shareholders, customers, suppliers, communities, and regulators – meet the working people who make it all happen.

These people who walk through your doors each morning are the same people that President Obama spoke of over the weekend, "who ask only for what was promised us as Americans — that we might make of our lives what we will and see our children climb higher than we did." And every day you must do what you've always done – work to create an optimal environment for them to deliver on the promises that your company has made to its stakeholders.

As a new administration takes office today, the stakes for our nation, our companies, and our families have never been higher. I believe that we in this community, at this time, by continuing to share knowledge and experience, wisdom and hope, can strengthen ourselves and each other in doing the work we do, and its positive impact on the lives of many.

Please share your thoughts on this day by commenting below.