Clinton Bradley
SHRM-SCP (they/them/theirs) Principal Consultant
Bradley Swanson Group, LLC
Over 20-years-ago, I started my career in Human Resources as a temporary HR Assistant for a non-profit hospital, helping to recruit high-quality nurses who were truly passionate about their
purpose. During my deployments for the U.S. Air Force, I worked strenuously to guide soldiers through their transition back into civilian life. I even provided death certificates to families,
forcing myself to face the full scope of human care. What I witnessed in these experiences is that the people came first, always. If the people come first, you won’t have to build policy – it will build
itself.
We are not numbers. We are humans and should be treated as such. We place policy and “professional etiquette” before transparency and openness. My time spent in the trenches of HR
has shown me a few things to be true. It is possible to have an uncomfortable conversation with a colleague and leader – while remaining respectful. It is possible to include those we consciously, or unconsciously, marginalize through purposeful listening and sharing.
I’ve been a minister, a horse wrangler, a soldier, an international fashion model, a journalist – a corporate leader. The varied and unconventional paths in my life have forged lessons designed
from successes and failures. These journeys have produced my philosophical approach to our connectedness and diversities. I have accepted these lessons so that I might be – just better – by identifying my values, my pillars of self: Kindness; Empathy; Advocacy; Love.
The best part about attributes like kindness, empathy, advocacy, and love, is that they are all accessible – no matter who you are, or where you find yourself. But – they can, at times, come with
a vulnerable cost. These are all anyone can ask for in an organization. If you find yourself working around people, instead of with them, it might be time to face your authentic self, and make some uncomfortable changes. I am grateful to have been allowed to gain the unconventional wisdom and creativity to help you make the change, peacefully.
