I Tried Something New and Completely Flopped — Here's What That Has to Do With You
The Strategic HR Coach · Newsletter
I Tried Something New and Completely Flopped — Here's What That Has to Do With You
Reanette Etzler, PHR · The Strategic HR Coach
Let's just say... it did not go as planned.
Last week, in a genuine attempt to level up the experience for my attendees, I switched platforms. New tool. Fresh energy. Big expectations. And what happened? An epic, gloriously spectacular fail. We're talking full-on HR Hangover territory — the kind where you wake up and think, "What did I just do?" And I had to cancel because technology got the best of me. I knew that it would just cause more issues if I had to send everyone a Zoom link, and honestly, I think they were all tired of the emails at that point.
Here's the thing — the old platform worked just fine. But I saw an opportunity to improve, and I went for it. And while it didn't land the way I wanted, I am not even a little bit sorry I tried.
"Failure is not the opposite of success — it's part of it." — Arianna Huffington
Because that's what leaders do. That's what you are supposed to do. You look for ways to improve performance, productivity, and the experience of the people around you. And sometimes you miss. And that is okay.
Wait — HR doesn't just stand for "Human Resources" anymore.
When I became The Strategic HR Coach, I made a decision. HR wasn't just about the department anymore. HR stands for the Humans — and being their Resource. Whether or not you have "HR" in your title, if you lead people, you are in the business of the human experience.
We spend so much energy talking about products, processes, and platforms that we forget — every single one of those things was designed, built, and delivered by a person. And that person showed up this morning with a whole life you know nothing about. It is not the chicken or the egg first, it is people come first. If you do not have good people, you don’t have good product or customers.
"Until we understand and offer to the complete individual, we will always have a loss of productivity."
— Marissa Nehlsen, Leadership Mentor, Author, Live Life Rich
The whole person walks through that door every single day.
Here's something my mentor, Marissa Nehlsen, said to me that I haven't been able to shake. She said that until we understand and offer to the complete individual, we will always have a loss of productivity. Full stop.
Think about that. Your team members may be dealing with health issues that spiral into financial stress, that spiral into distraction, that spiral into disengagement. You may not ever know the full story — and you don't need to. But what you can do is create an environment and access to resources that help people show up as their best selves.
This is not about catering to everyone's every need. It's about being a guide. It's about saying, "I see you as a human, not just a headcount." Dave Ulrich, the godfather of HR strategy himself, has long said that HR's value is in creating organizations where people can thrive — not just comply. (Ulrich, D. HR from the Outside In. McGraw-Hill, 2012.)
So what IMPACT are you actually making?
Use the IMPACT Model to move from transactional to transformational — and from transactional to being a true stakeholder in the business.
Three things you can do this week.
Ask one person on your team a real question. Not "how are you" — actually ask what they need to do their job better. Then listen without solving. Johnny C. Taylor Jr. of SHRM often reminds us that leadership starts with listening, not directing.
Audit your resources. Do your people actually know what's available to them — EAP, financial wellness tools, mental health days? If you build it and don't tell them, did you really build it?3
Try something that might fail. Seriously. Mel Robbins says it best — you are one decision away from a completely different life. Extend that to your leadership. Try the new approach. If it flops, own it publicly, learn loudly, and try again.
Back to my epic platform fail — here is what I know. I tried because I care about the experience of the people in the room. I tried because standing still is not in my DNA. And I will try again. Because at the end of the day, the attempt matters more than the outcome — and your people are watching how you handle the miss just as much as they celebrate the win.
John Maxwell says, "A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them." (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. John Maxwell) Yeah. That one lands differently after last week.
Keep going. Keep offering. It will work.
What is going on with the Strategic HR Coach
The SWAG has arrived! Go to my store and purchase your HR Hangover Survivor Tee
The Strategic HR Circle will meet on April 30, 2026 at 10 am PST. Sign up!
May 20 PHRMA Strategic Conference is coming! What If? Sign up with CODE: Reanettes and get 5% off registration!
NHRMA 2026 September 9-11 - I will be speaking and emcee’ing! Sign up for a great time and line-up of speakers!
Check out all my newest FREE Workbooks!
Take your HR Hangover Assessment so you know which workbook you need!
