As many of you know, I run. What you may not know is that my son is a runner too.
Over the last five years, he's steadily increased his weekly mileage, completed several marathons, and decided to take on an ultramarathon. If you're not familiar with the term, a marathon is 26.2 miles. An ultramarathon is anything longer.
He signed up for a 50K trail race consisting of six loops through challenging terrain. Since trail running is very different from running on pavement, he added more trail runs to his training while continuing his regular 50-plus miles per week, along with strength and conditioning.
Race day arrived.
It was a small event, with about 30 runners. Three of them were around my son's age, and all three moms found each other. Naturally, we started talking.
Mom #1 shared that her son (#42) had been trail running for two years, had trained regularly with a trail-running group, and had completed the same race the year before.
Mom #2 proudly explained how thoroughly her son (#67) had prepared. He had researched the course, studied the trail conditions, invested in the latest trail shoes and technology, planned his hydration strategy, and tracked everything with his smartwatch. He had never raced before and had never run more than 20 miles, but he was confident in his preparation.
Then they asked about my son (#28). I explained that he had trained consistently and that I was simply using the stopwatch on my phone to record his lap times. He has a degree in nutrition, so I trusted he knew what he was doing on the food front. Mom #2 gave me a look and said, "Hmm...I don't know how that's going to work out."
When the race was over, here were the results:
- Experienced trail runner: 5:53:58
- My son: 6:01:24
- The well-researched, technology-equipped runner: 7:34:45
So, what does this prove?
Technology and research are valuable. They help us prepare, measure, and improve. But they don't replace experience. At some point, you have to put in the miles.
HR is no different.
AI can help us brainstorm ideas, organize information, or even draft a first version of a policy. But it can't replace the judgment that comes from years of handling difficult employee situations, interpreting regulations, or knowing when one conversation can prevent a much bigger problem.
The same applies when we're hiring. Don't just ask candidates what they would do in a situation. Ask what they have done. What happened? What did they learn? What was the outcome?
Because when it comes to HR (and life), there's still no substitute for having been there and done the work.
