I was wondering when you’d make this list!
Great stuff, man.

Kudos to Shally – he definitely deserves the props.

What I know of Shally that is of broader value to the industry is the untold, backend significance of his generous time and effort and above all an unrivaled passion to benefit his peers. When Shally is conflicted on schedule or opportunity, he has actually fretted above the effect on those who depend on the curriculum, on those who expect more and often of him. It is not a concern crafted by ego, mind you, it is one brought by observation; both his and that of my own. People expect much of Shally the brand as much as the content and it is because he so consistently meets and exceeds those expectations.

I have many Shally stories to tell which you can read on my future expose “Shally Uncut” .. or perhaps you won’t get to read them, so let me state succinctly the following:

Recalling Shally’s acts of kindness and tough love alike are equally capable of drawing a lump in one’s throat. It is not a relationship you develop loyalty because of what he has done for you, but more so because of what he sees in you and values in you that makes you feel uniquely enabled and unworthy. An odd paradox, but what Shally provokes is unique. I had someone see something in me others did not nor cared to ponder. Someone as busy and as well appreciated to gather lonesome doves on a vine is Shally’s genuine desire to see diamonds in a rough. Be it a Glenn Gutmacher, Tim O’ Connor, Josh Kahn, etc – and myself he has developed a league that shares attributes of passion, pride in content, a true concern for their peers and an effusive wonderment at applying new technologies to identify talent. In that end, Shally develops talent regularly and globally.

Shally and Glenn have developed techniques which may be game changers, but what they do for their peers, myself in particular have been “Life Changers.” I was asked what my career and life goals were, identified what had effected my pace in affecting those ambitions, and wedded my interests to evangelize my love for social networking. My first attendance at ERE was Shally’s Suggestion, my blog concept to broaden social media evangelism was borne of many a BBQ at Shally’s and an IM chat to check in on my progress. My first speech , Shally was there for me at 2am checking in on the development of my content and coaching me through. Shally helped put food on my family’s table during the last recession whereby his techniques thoughj not his future familiarity would help me close hires that led to rare contingency fees post-911. To follow from afar is a common tale. I was fortunate to stand aside him from a perch on a podium years later and call him my brother.

You don’t always have to agree with a brother, you get a lot of wedgies, prodding and tough realizations learning who you are and what your talents are from people who invest themselves in what your doing. Usually I learned I was wrong and he was right. LOL It is one in a million to be in that situation, and I was one of those most fortunate.

I would not have known a Sumser, a Crispin, a Dennis Smith or Jason Davis had I not had a “Shally” to show me the earth was not flat per se. I valued the six degrees ethos of sharing my 22,000 Linkedin connections weekly with my six degrees audience and took on the repercussions of that ethos because I recognized what we stood for was more important than where we stand today. A lot of people and thousands of shared connections later, we brought a lot of community to the forefront and it has taken a life of its own. RecruitingBlogs, to Recruiting Roadshow, and so many valued grassroots efforts have pushed the envelope on making connections real-time and personable. In the process, what we do and have done in the process provokes “What’s in it for him, why help me” – I hope and believe that in some small way we helped dispel the skepticism, that there is real generosity in our industry amongst peers.

Shally is one person, his contributions many, but quite literally, be it on his own, or through his disciples, thousands have had a resource and an ethos to pass it forward. I take pride in few things as much as my children or my deck on a sunset – than I do in my friendship with Shally Steckerl.

Shally you changed my game. Each thanksgiving at the Mendoza home we know who to give thanks to.

John, thank you for the outstanding series.

j

I have had the pleasure of knowing Shally since his early days, and working directly for/with him at Microsoft and JobMachine (the latter now being the ACES division of Arbita).

He is indeed all that you said, John, and a few other things worth noting:

1) a tireless worker who thinks and works at the “race car speed” of search engines, which propels our R&D efforts to apply the explosion of information and tools to valuable purposes in the recruiting industry,

2) a fiercely loyal and supportive mentor to those who are loyal to him. Those who have had the opportunity to apprentice with him will readily speak to the huge advantage it has given them in their careers since, and

3) an evangelist and innovative marketer who has helped to raise the profile of sourcing / recruiting research into an industry in and of itself.

As a force to innovate the methods and build the skills of sourcers / recruiting researchers, he has unleashed a growing core of a sourcing guild. This is taking shape under Shally’s guidance, as well as through the contributions of others (e.g., notably Maureen Sharib on the phone sourcing side) whom you have (or likely will) profile in your series.

And you’re quite right that he isn’t / we aren’t done yet. Thanks again for sharing this with your audience.