HR BESTIES - HR Besties Happy Hour – Sh*tty Travel Stories

Episode Date: May 10, 2024

Welcome back to another Happy Hour, Besties! We’re sure as hell glad it’s Friday. In this Happy Hour: Pivoting Listener Bestie's submitted story - Super Duper Poop Pants What are we happy about? Mental Health Awareness Month Your To-Do List: Grab merch, submit Questions & Comments, and make sure that you’re the first to know about our In-Person Meetings (events!) at https://www.hrbesties.com. Follow your Besties across the socials and check out our resumes here: https://www.hrbesties.com/about.  We look forward to seeing you in our next meeting - don’t worry, we’ll have a hard stop! Yours in Business + Bullsh*t,  Leigh, Jamie & Ashley Follow Bestie Leigh! https://www.tiktok.com/@hrmanifesto https://www.instagram.com/hrmanifesto https://www.hrmanifesto.com Follow Bestie Ashley! https://www.tiktok.com/@managermethod  https://www.instagram.com/managermethod https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyherd/ https://managermethod.com Follow Bestie Jamie! https://www.millennialmisery.com/ Humorous Resources: Instagram • YouTube • Threads • Facebook • X Millennial Misery: Instagram • Threads • Facebook • X Horrendous HR: Instagram • Threads • Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello besties TGIFF yet again. We have survived the week and now it is happy hour. Happy Friday. Woohoo! You're like, yay, we made it. Gosh, what a week, right? A bit whirlwind. They're really starting to ramp up now that we're in May. It's unbelievable. Right. It's like everyone's getting ready for summer. And so they're like, okay, let me get everything done. It's like the most productive Friday afternoon energy I've ever seen. Jamie, how about you? You hanging in there? With the kids things and the school things and the end of school, it just serves too much. Everything is literally being jam packed into May. That's how that goes. We're putting all the work that needs to be done over the next three months, worth the summer, into the next

couple of weeks. That's how May works, at least in corporate. You always have that. I mean, it's the same that I'm on my Friday me, hates my Monday me, the things I claimed to myself and others that I would do that week. And then my Monday me, hates my Friday me, you know, all these things. And so end of May, end of May us is really like, what are y'all doing? So here we are. All I heard from you is like, you have this cycle of hate, of self-loathing. But then, and I know, and I try to wake up in the morning and practice like gratitude

and be excited for the day and things. And sometimes the realities will hate you in the face. But you know, I try to keep positive. Then my team's goes off. No, you're good at that. Don't you read a book? I do. I have my book, my Melody Beatt book that I read every day. And sometimes I'll

send like snapshots. If something's like pertinent, I'll send it to Lee and Jamie. I'm like, Oh, this speaks to me. I appreciate that. And I have my page a day calendar. I have that on my to do list to change my page a day. And I do 1000 places to see before you die. And so, you know, I don't know about that, the die part of it, but like the travel pictures, I get so happy. That's uplifting.

Yeah. Yeah. Just a thousand places to see, period. I could just live with that. But anyway. Oh, well, it's been one hell of a week. You have had a week, my friend. Oh, gosh.

You know, so I had a keynote, which I love. I love being out there with the people, right? You just kind of see people and then you don't see them. I work remotely, so that's wonderful. But I was so excited. You know, I had a really, really great opportunity to talk to Dick's Sporting Goods. That's what I was up to, Dick's Sporting Goods, because I know I teased that I was doing a keynote. Nicole Zeichner That's what she was up to. Jennifer McNeese Yes, that's what I was up to. They did let me do one Dick joke, so that was nice.

Nicole Zeichner We appreciate that. Jennifer McNeese So negotiated that in. Yeah, yeah. It was hard to just limit it to one. Nicole Zeichner It was hard. Jennifer McNeese But I did my best. I did my best and it landed. So the joke landed, that's what I was told. So that's good, that's good. But had quite the pivot, right? So I don't know if you all know this, but air travel, the last couple of decades

has really been a bitch. So my ass, no kidding, this has never happened to me before. And I hope it's never happened to anybody else out there, but I was literally sitting on the plane. We were ready to go. The plane was locked and loaded. I was probably sitting on that plane already for like 30 minutes. Everything's on time.

Everything's running so smoothly. Where you almost feel like it's about to get unsmooth. You know what I mean? Like things are going too well. And we're sitting there and all of a sudden like security comes in and it's like, everybody get off this plane ASAP. There's a security threat.

I mean, it was actually kind of scary, you know? And that's never happened before. And you kind of wonder is time of the essence, right? I mean, you don't know, right? They tell you nothing. And so they de-planned us. And since I think in travel times and air flight, like I know how all of that works and the timing for everything, you know, just being an experienced business traveler, I'm

like, I already miss my connection. There's no way in hell that I'm going to be able to do that one. So then you get off the plane, everyone's just kind of looking around with their fingers up their ass, and everyone's concerned or worried and there's dogs and whatever, security, security, security, everything's going crazy. Part of you is like, there's no way in hell I even want to get back on that plane. Like I want a clean plane, right? I want the planes without the weapons on it.

Like whatever that one over there is. Give me a new one, please. They don't tell you what's going on. So it's worrisome, you know, my anxiety's spiking. Like, okay, I don't want that dirty, you know, drug plane or whatever is happening over there. I want this clean plane over here. But everyone is standing around. But of course, you know, I get on with the travel agents and try

and sort it out. And San Antonio, just FYI, a little fun fact about San Antonio, it's the seventh largest city in the US, but it's got a small town airport. So there's not a lot of business here. And there was like the world's largest medical conference in town to San Antonio. It's like a perfect storm is what I'm saying. To where I got booked to on another flight, another flight, another flight. This last flight had a mechanical issue. Something else was running late. I wouldn't be getting into Pittsburgh where Dick's headquarters is until like 2am. All hell broke loose. I

got rebooked on a 5am flight the same day of the keynote. And we had a pivot and say, you know what, like, let's just do it remote at the last minute, which sometimes happens, you know, I was actually looking so forward to being there in person because I love I'm a slut for a headquarters. Like I just am. I love like the factory tour thing and I love like being nosy at a headquarters location, you know what I mean? And seeing what you all got going on here, you know? And I was presenting from their boardroom and all of this, you know? I was gonna be fun

visit but unfortunately I had to do it remote TLDR drama. Like, I'm so curious if they have like, like a rock climbing wall in the inside or, you know, I mean, so. Yeah, do they have like a Nike shoe wall? Yeah, like I'm like, I'm like legit. No, like for real. And like Carrie Underwood, you know, her brand is exclusively sold at Dick's.

Like I have questions. Oh, see? And I would have had answers, but I didn't get to see any of that. Because you were the Wizard of Oz up on screen while everyone was gazing. How did it go? Fantastically, we know it, Busty.

Yeah, well, I mean, I hope it went okay. But you know, there's always, it's a different vibe. You know, everyone's there in person. It wasn't like something where it could be remote as well. And then I'm remote, which to me, I'm like, man, you know, so I kind of like I did my best, but the timings off but I did let them know that what they were missing was like the six foot, like velociraptor sort of speaker. Like I just kind of like pace and then I'm talking with my hands and it just looks like I have claws. I was like, that's what that's really what

you're missing is me in person just kind of doing weird things, you know, walking back and forth. But I tried to make them not miss me. How about that in person? What was your top? What was your topic? What was the topic, if you can share? Yeah, the topic was all about purpose and impact. So shout out to Dix, right? This isn't a Dix sponsored show or anything, but their HR organization is called People in Purpose.

Love that. The People in Purpose organization, PNP, the PP organization. DP. I'm not going to expand on that. But isn't that fascinating? I thought that was so cool. I like that. I love all things purpose. My background is like industrial organizational psychology, big dork and nerd and studied

some of that back in the day. And so I was like, hey, I'm probably preaching to the choir. Y'all are legit called purpose with a great business that has a really solid and cool purpose. But, you know, here's some insights on purpose and the impact that it makes. So we did that. We had some questions, questions and comments, which was lovely at the end. And then I had the opportunity to do like a, an early career hypo sort of coaching session for an hour as well. So they

pulled out a group of like 20 and I was able to do a fireside chat basically, just get peppered with questions and coach. So that was fun. That's my bread and butter. I love that. So that was fun. That's my bread and butter. I love that. Love that. So it worked out. It worked out. It was good. You sometimes you got to pivot, you know?

Yeah, I pivoted. Recently I pivoted the other way because I was doing a virtual training. A lot of times I do virtual ones and everyone's virtual, but there everyone was in person, but it was kind of getting in depth. And so I ended up pivoting and doing the second session. I actually did the opposite. So I ended up flying in person to do it was kind of getting in depth. And so I ended up pivoting and doing the second session. I actually did the opposite. So I ended up flying in person

to do it and appear and get that lunch. There's nothing better than getting free lunch. That's for sure. I do love that free food. Yeah, I'm excited. I'm doing a training this week for an organization and they sent me a lovely survey with my lunch choices. And I had told this person's boss that sent it. I was like, that's the most beautiful invite I've gotten. It was themed. It's a Mediterranean lunch. And so it was a Mediterranean themed survey.

Yeah, it was a little survey monkey survey. It was cute. So anyway, got me all excited. It doesn't matter how old you get, right? Right. Like, I mean, free food, you know, it just it's a trigger. It's a trigger. It's a beautiful thing. Nobody goes on vacation for the moments that are just okay. That's why Sunwing vacationers go all in like it's a buffet of fun.

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Keep them coming. Okay. I love this. And this listener said they love our story so much, they wanted to send their own. This listener, we'll call her Linda listener. So Linda used to travel frequently for work. Now, like many others, she had a total, she had her system. She only had a carry-on, never checked luggage. She was thoughtful. She had her thing. She would have her suitcase and she'd always, to limit things, she would wear

her suit pants, but pack her blazer and blouse. And there's a reason that she shared that with us. Uh-oh. Because she also, she's a good steward and she flew a discount airline. Normally one, but this one is like, that was like, was not her usual one, but this one's a good price. And she's like, how bad could it be? Well, she was like, gets on and she's like, oh my God, boarding took forever. There's yelling tears, throwing bags. She finally gets to like an in a seat and she's like, oh good, my row's empty. Hell yeah. So just before the doors closed,

a mother and her four children boarded the plane. So of course they're all seated around and behind her. So, you know, this mother hen and again, you know, been there with mom traveling. Shout out, shout out. Shout out, but it sucks. And so this poor mom is trying to get some snacks from her bag during the plane. And so Linda, kind Linda was like, you know what, without asking, I'm just gonna put your baby on my lap to help. And she's like, wait, I look down, this baby is Donald ducking it. Do you know what that means? He's not wearing pants.

It was not only a diaper. This diaper was quite full and was leaking on her one pair of work pants. So all of a sudden she's on this work travel. She'd been strategic and now she has shit pants, which she describes it was super duper. So Linda's like, oh God. So she goes to the plane bathroom, gives the baby back, I assume doesn't take this baby with her, goes to the plane bathroom, goes to the airport bathroom, she's trying to scrub it.

She's like, I can still smell an odor. She takes an Uber to her hotel, pants are now soaking wet with the unmistakable odor of shit emanating from her. So she gets to the hotel trying to wash in the sink, like finally some progress. And then she's like, Oh, I don't have my laptop charger has to go buy another all and running around amazing racing it in her wet shit covered pants. When it rains it pours or it shits. Yeah.

So the next morning, which I assume she had to kind of Donald Duck it overnight. I assume she didn't sleep in these pants, but I do have a question now. The next morning she goes to her in person meeting and she was presenting to the board of directors and she was given some good context that they're all very influential, politically, professionally, organizationally. Big time. Yeah. So she's like, having shit on my pants probably didn't align with the image that they wanted

to showcase. I really love this Linda listener. So she gets to the meeting. She'd been put right after lunch, which is already a little bit un-thankful. And so the meeting room had floor to ceiling windows, which were fully open. So the sun streaming in made this room hotter than a sauna. She's sharing these key themes of the board. All of a sudden she smells something.

It smells shitty. It gets getting more punchy. So her shitpants got reactivated by the heat. She says that they made a resurgence. And it was becoming difficult to concentrate. She's trying to both present and to see, does anybody else smell this? And do they realize it's me? And so she's mentally multitasking as a true working professional. But then right at this critical moment, one of the highly influential board members did something. They audibly farted.

Thank God. Oh, thank God. He had fallen asleep and his digestive system. Oh my God. I mean, it was right after lunch, fair enough. His digestive system initiated a series of vocal proclamations that interrupted her presentation. So the rest of the group look around and laughed and all the smells were blamed on this individual. I was in the clear. Who pooed it? So Linda Listener gave us a little a little epilogue and she said immediately

immediately after this ended she she fled obviously found, found the nearest winery, which shout out to this new bestie, sitting on the patio surrounded by numerous glasses of wine. I told the staff my shit pants story. They felt so sorry for me. They gave me free wine and I stayed there for a long good time enjoying the view, snacks and my shit pants. The next day I put my shit pants back on, flew home, thankfully on a different airline. I no longer travel with one pair of pants.

Lesson learned. Lesson learned. And she went back to the same winery the next year she went back and they remembered her and gave her another free glass of wine and a souvenir corkscrew. So to this we salute you, Linda Lessener. That story made me laugh and you are an amazing writer. So I can see why you'd be influential for the board.

Oh, yes. That's hilarious. Oh, damn. See, I would call her shitpants as a nickname at work. SP. Well, I guess that's not true. She did say she's had a good stories, but this is the one that's made it hits round at the current company. So I like her because she actually shared it with other people. So she's like, listen to the, well, I should say listen to this shit. But anyway. Thank goodness that one board member like let gas go. So I mean, I'm sure everyone was thinking like he's just rotting all day, right? Like he's just letting out gas, like SPD,

silent but deadlies all day, you know, so she could get through it. But that's a little too efficient, just having one pair of pants. Like I mean, whoo, you got to be packing that extra. You do. This is why we pack seven pairs of underwear. Well that's the thing is like how many times though have y'all had to like hand wash something in your hotel sink?

Multiple times. Because I know I have. And not necessarily for me, for my children. But like it's had to happen before. No, I definitely, I'm a spiller. I'm a spiller. You guys have seen that. I spill things into my tops. And so, yeah. Would you all have held somebody else's baby like that on the plane? Yes. Jamie, of course, Jamie would be like, let me take, oh, Jamie wouldn't have taken one.

She would have taken all four kids, including my teenagers. I know, I know. Yeah, of course. I would have. Not on my lap though, the teenagers, I'd be a little weird, but. I mean, and you see that it's got a diaper and you know it maybe, I mean, bless her. I'm saying she's a bestie, adore her. I'm just asking for like, y'all, have you ever done that?

I've never done that. I've never held someone's baby on a plane or anything. You have? I have. Yeah, I have. You would still do it, right? Yeah. I would, 100%.

Even after having like a shit story like this, I would still offer to hold a baby. When I saw it was just wearing a diaper, I probably would not have. I have before, but it was like a fully clothed baby. Like it looked like a clean baby. Yeah. Well, I just, that would have been my, my fear would have been this. But I also worry, I think about this because I've done presentations to the board and I'd like to think that I wouldn't have had said anything, but my fear is that at the board meeting, I would have preemptively given this level of-

You would have started with that story. Oh yeah. You would have started with that story. I know you would have started. If anyone smells anything, you told that to so you right there. Like, hey, I smell like shit because. Good morning, a baby shat on me. Let me tell you about it. So if you smell anything.

Exactly. Exactly. I don't know. And I'm so kudos to her for not and things working out incredibly well. But when I heard that I was like, thinking to myself, I would have given way too much detail. So it's always something when traveling though, isn't it? It is. It is. Always freaking something. Oh, gosh.

Well, thank you so much for that listener story. We love those. Like more of those. Literally, we love to share them. Please, please. Because I mean, I did. But also this reading was so like the writing was so beautiful. And I laughed out loud. So I need you to write a book. Yes, please.

I'm going to respond to this. I'm just going to tell Linda this. Linda listener, shitty pants. Like, please write a book so we could read it. But what else do we have going on? I mean, I think maybe like we should end with a, what are we loving? Or what's, you know, positive notes here? Oh, I think maybe like we should end with a what are we loving or what's, you know, positive notes here.

Oh, I love that. And you know, on a good note. Yes. Like what's good? What's positive this week? Well, I will say I love Jamie. I'm loving Jamie and you Lee too. But I'll say this.

Something I love that I saw is corporate gossip. So Becca runs the account corporate gossip. So Becca runs the account corporate gossip. But so she's posted some hilarious stories in the last few days about heads of universities. She does a lot about corporate things, but so somehow she got on this university. And she has this post about this guy Gordon G. or who was the president of Ohio State, Vandy, these things. And it is some wild stories. It's on her TikTok. it cracked me up because it's really outlandish. It should be a Netflix series. But I like her podcast quite a bit and they're coming back in a few weeks.

And so it made me excited. She's a really good storyteller. So I'm excited to hear corporate gossip back in my AirPods soon. Oh, gosh. Yeah, no, they are fun. They are fun. And it's been a while too, so that'll be good. Yeah, she does because they go deep on the research and the editing and all this

stuff and she's she's newly engaged, well relatively newly engaged. So she's got some good things going on. So we're excited for you, Becca. We're fans. Oh gosh. Well, let me see what I'm loving this week is I am seeing a lot on the socials, which is of course where I get all my news and information on mental health month, May mental health awareness month. I know we kind of talked about it, touched on it, you know, last happy hour or whatnot. But I've made some content on it. I have some more coming for this month.

I mean, I'm definitely all about mental health, having struggled with different things myself, and supporting others in their journey to wellness and positive and strong mental health. So I love when I see the conversation and the dialogues out there, people being open about it. And I mean, I did not see that even just a few years ago, pre-COVID, right, when you reflect. I really didn't see a lot out there on that, but now it's really in the dialogue and the conversation. And to me, I'm just fricking loving that, that that's more out there. And especially as we get this new generation in

and more so in the workforce and workplace, and boy, they're really turning the tides on that. They're forcing those conversations. Love. Love it. Love it. I absolutely love it. Love it.

Also, Lee's been sending, in addition to mental health resources, Lee sends me the answer whenever video pops up about pickles. She sends me some pickle, teeny pickle, ice cream, makes a pickle split, like a banana split pickles makes me look. Well, at least you get pickles. I get pugs.

Yeah, there you go. See? Yeah. Yeah. Jamie gets the pugs when they come up on my feet and Ashley gets the pickles, you know. Jamie the other day shared now I think it's off our stories, but the video of the little tiny horse. If you ever haven't said go look up the little, if you look up tiny horse content, it is like

the cutest thing. So yes, I think I sent you one of those. And the dog that opened the window in the car wash. So I'm just like a Datsun or whatever the hell. But basically same. Did you see how rainbowy that got in the car? Oh my God. Yeah, it was beautiful.

Yeah. Now I'm going to start getting a bunch of car wash things. When I was on a car wash recently, I sent it to Tilly thinking of you. Exactly. Exactly. Soapy. Old soapy. Soapy Henderson.

Oh, right. So there you go. Right? I mean, you know, when your friends do something dumb, make sure you continue to send them, you know, videos that remind them of that. But it's a wonderful thing for mental health and wellbeing to support each other in that way. Facts, facts, facts. Oh gosh. And on that note, thank you so much, besties. We hope you enjoy your weekend.

TGIF. TGIF. Bye.