Let me get this out of the way. I hate HR. I hate the term, I hate what it implies, and I hate what it does to the way organizations think about people. At Clayco, no one is allowed to utter the letters H and R together. Not because I'm trying to be clever, but because words matter. Language shapes culture. Culture shapes outcomes.

Why would a human, who is one of the most powerful words we have, want to be reduced to a resource? A resource is something you consume, allocate, measure, and eventually replace. Lumber is a resource. Data is a resource. Capital is a resource. People are not.

The Foundation

In the founding days of Clayco back in the 1980s, my dad gave me three pieces of advice that shaped everything that followed. I'll admit, it took me a couple of years to fully apply them, but once I did, they became the backbone of our culture. Those ideas are also at the heart of why I hate HR and why I love talent, period.

The first idea was to hire the best and brightest. That sounds simple, but it's anything but. It means being picky. It means slowing down and really digging into who someone is, not just what's on their resume. Are they bright? Do they have a sense of urgency? Are they creative? Could they be a leader someday? Are they someone I would want to work for? And just as important, do they follow the no asshole rule?

Hiring the best and brightest also means being clear about the why. Why would someone exceptional choose Clayco? We answered that by building a culture of ownership where people shared in the success financially and had a real voice in how we operated and what work we pursued. You don't hire extremely bright people and then tell them to sit quietly and follow orders.

The second idea was to live by the golden rule in all things. Treat people the way you want to be treated. I've seen too many environments built on a kiss-up and kick-down strategy, including some surprising places. That kind of culture reduces humans to resources, like lumber. At Clayco, we chose a different path. We treated our subcontractors, suppliers, and partners fairly. That means creating real partnerships with a value on fairness, no shopping, and paying our bills on time. In the 1980s, that alone became a competitive advantage, and it still works today.

The third idea was to be selective about where we applied our craft. If you truly hire the best people and surround yourself with the best partners, then you should only work for clients who share your values and respect what you bring to the table. Alignment matters. When clients pay their bills on time, we can pay ours on time. Trust compounds.

Data vs. People

I love data. I've always believed that what's not measured is not managed. Measurement brings clarity. It brings accountability. It brings progress. But people are not data. They're the opposite. They're complex, emotional, creative, unpredictable, and capable of growth in ways no spreadsheet can capture.

This is also why so many people are uneasy about AI. The fear isn't technology. The fear is dehumanization. The idea that humans will be reduced further into inputs and outputs, stripped of judgment, intuition, and purpose. That kind of thinking kills culture and eventually kills companies.

Talent, Not Resources

My view has always been different. I don't believe in human resources. I believe in talent. Talent is something you invest in, develop, challenge, and respect. Talent is not managed, it's unleashed. That's why I hired Katie Lane as "The Not Director of HR," Clayco's Chief Talent Officer.

At Clayco, we focus on finding the right talent and placing it into the eight or nine critical aspects of success that define our playing field. We work hard to create an environment where no one feels the need to look elsewhere for fulfillment. Growth isn't about growth for its own sake. It's about the ambitious people we hire who want to build something meaningful, who have goals, urgency, and a desire to get better.

Yes, we need people who are satisfied in their roles. We also need people who are hungry, curious, and driven. When we help them grow, the business grows as a byproduct.

None of this is complicated. It can work in almost any business. But together, these ideas reinforce why people are not resources. They are talent. And talent, when respected and unleashed, builds extraordinary companies.

So I hate HR. But I love talent. And that difference has made all the difference.

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