In the last 18 months, there has been significant merger and acquisition activity in the HCM space. That part is not a secret. What might be more of a mystery is why we view merger and acquisition activity in general much differently than an industry analyst or investor would.

Before I joined The Starr Conspiracy, I worked at ERE Media, where one of my jobs was organizing the Recruiting Innovation Summit. I was honored when ERE asked me to be the chairperson for the event, which starts this morning and goes through the end of the day tomorrow.

Visiting the Nike campus in Beaverton, Ore., is a surreal experience. You leave the normal, sleepy world of suburban Portland and enter a world clearly focused on winning. Across the campus — from the iconic Michael Jordan statue to buildings named after the all-time bests in sports — the brand identity couldn't be more clear.