Horizon Point Consulting

Author: Mary Ila Ward

  • Why you should schedule a “Think Week” to begin 2016

    Why you should schedule a “Think Week” to begin 2016

    I was away at a SHRM Leadership Conference in DC the week before the Thanksgiving week. Although I miss my husband and my kids fiercely when I’m away, man I can get stuff- tasks, thinking and planning- done when I am free of the distractions from home and the office through plane rides and quiet hotel rooms.

    All while there for two and a half days that included doing what I was here for- attending the conference- I’ve still managed to:

    • This may seem trivial, but what piles up in my inbox is stuff I want to read to help me think and write and plan for social media content.
    • The inbox zero along with one book read and some content I’ve been wanting to look out on leadership and social capital has lead to 15 blog posts outlined several of which are done, and a reach out to a few top-of-the line guest bloggers for content as well.
    • Task list cleared. I’m caught up going into Thanksgiving week. We will see how long it lasts….
    • Made some important business development contacts through emails and meetings set-up and more importantly through some in-person contacts and introductions the conference.
    • Charted out 2016 strategic planning and SHRM volunteer role planning for 2016
    • Did the things that I strive to do everyday during a regular at-home routine but don’t always get to like exercise and a devotional to start off each morning
    • Scheduled my son’s birthday party, which somehow keeps getting put aside with all the distractions of home and work
    • Oh and I got a massage- it was great.

    But none of your care about what I got done. Not one of you. Thank you for indulging me in my list.

    However, you might care for me to make a point about how all this might matter to you….

    In one of the sessions I attended at the conference, the speaker, Susan Ershler– who by the way, has climbed the seven summits of the world all while leading her work team to huge success- discussed through her Project- Prepare- Preserve process the need to schedule a “think week” as a critical component to preparation.  She discussed how Bill Gates makes this a practice, and she emphasized how implementing this “think week” leads to better execution. Amen sister.

    I didn’t have a week, but I had almost three days to do just this. I was able to spend time on some nagging tasks weighing on me, but more importantly, I had time to THINK. This thinking will lead to better execution when I get back.

    So, if you are looking for a 2016 resolution to set, schedule your think time now. And find some time within that time to:

    1. Get caught up so you aren’t so overwhelmed in taking the time or in returning feeling further behind. And you can’t think if you are worried about this stuff.
    2. Think. 
    3. Be creative with whatever creative outlets energize you (mine is reading and writing and making connections with others).
    4. Plan.
    5. Get those plans down on paper.
    6. And, for the love, do something for you. Just for you. My massage might have been the highlight of it all.

    Do you have a think week or retreat planned for 2016?

  • 3 Tips for Eliminating the Stress of a Job Interview

    3 Tips for Eliminating the Stress of a Job Interview

    I’m sitting in a Starbucks now, and it is obvious by the dialogue of the two people sitting across from me that one person is interviewing the other. The guy being interviewed is tapping his foot in sheer nervousness and is babbling through his responses, unable to answer the questions he is being asked effectively.  I want to get up and give him a hug and tell him to calm down. It will be okay. If he could just calm himself down, I think he’d be able to effectively focus and answer the questions. Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation being interviewed or interviewing someone?

    For even the most confident job applicant, a job interview can be one of the most stressful experiences.  Because it is not something we do often, interviews put us out of our comfort zone.

    To be able to present yourself in the best way for your next interview, here are some tips:

    1. Practice, Practice, Practice.   Set up the video camera on your phone, tablet or computer and video tape yourself answering common interview questions.  Better yet, have someone else ask you the questions and seek their feedback about ways you can improve upon your responses. You can find some sample interview questions as well as how to prepare for behavioral based interviews on our tools page.
    2. Eliminate unnecessary stressors. Things like running late, your outfit not fitting, not having copies of your resume, etc. are all things that can be avoided if you proactively prepare.   Do a drive by of where you are going to for the interview around the time of day you are scheduled to go and see how long it will take you to get there, then plan accordingly. If you’re doing a phone or Skype interview, make sure your technology works the day before and that the background where you plan to sit is appropriate.  Try on your outfit beforehand to make sure it fits and is pressed. Eliminate all that you can that could possibly cause unnecessary stress the day of the interview.
    3. Remember, an interview is just a conversation between people.  Having the awareness that the interviewer(s) are people too and just want to talk to you about your skills and how they align with the needs of the company can combat the stress of the situation more than anything. The interviewer doesn’t want you to fail; he or she just wants to find the right person for the role. By putting yourself in their shoes, you will be better able to answer their questions with a demeanor that presents confidence in the situation.

    What about a job interview causes you the most stress?

    Stress Mgmt

    Workbook-Button2

  • The Best Books of 2015

    The Best Books of 2015

    We, at Horizon Point, love a good book or two. Here are our recommendations for you to consider for your 2016 reading list and/or ideas as gifts to give this holiday season:

    Mary Ila’s recommendations:

    For help shaping your New Year’s resolution:

    Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith. Goldsmith, one of the best executive coaches in the world, helps you understand that most of self-improvement isn’t necessarily about starting something, it is about stopping something. He gives a simple method for analyzing and measuring our daily behavior in order to see positive habits form which lead to results.We use this process in our leadership coaching often now.

    The 2020 Workplace. This isn’t your run of the mill, what should I do with millennials in the workplace read. Instead, it focuses on creating competitive advantage through people practices based on the desires of all workers, regardless of generation, and the technology and practices that will allow an organization to meet these desires.

    The opening story in this book creates a visual image of the norms we can expect in just a few years in the workplace, in particular the ones that will make a company competitive through its talent. This quote in the book says it all,

    “The organizations that create a competitive advantage in the 2020 workplace will do so by instituting innovative human resource practices- by first defining an authentic core set of organizational values and then augmenting these by leveraging the latest tools to reimagine learning and development, talent management, and leadership practices.”

    All the Light We Cannot See. The best novel I’ve read this year. Set in World War II Europe, it captures how seemingly alike we all are even when the world portrays us as so different.

    As a close second in the novel category, check out The Girl on the Train. I didn’t see what happened in that one coming! If you love a good suspense, get it.

    Mere Christianity. I read this one again and found it to be much more valuable than the first time I read it in high school. Whether you’re looking for a good faith shaping read or not, I’d suggest you pull out something in 2016 that you’ve read before that was impactful the first time around and read it again. You’ll be surprised how much new insight you might glean from a re-read.

    Also, giving a book that has had an impact on you is a great gift idea.

    And a new favorite author- Jen Hatmaker. She is the author of several books that cater to the mom trying to live a life that is unconforming to the world and teach her kids to do the same. And she’s hilarious!I devoured Out of the Spin Cycle (a devotional) and Seven and look forward to reading her latest, For the Love, in 2016.

    If you like this post, you may also like:

    10 Books Leaders Need to be Reading

  • What do teachers really want for Christmas?

    What do teachers really want for Christmas?

    It’s that time of year again. As you prepare to do your holiday shopping, don’t forget about the wonderful teachers in your life! With that being said, where do you begin? What do teachers really want for Christmas?

    My sister is a teacher and I recall her saying once that teachers like to receive gifts that can be used up not items that sit around (think candy or other food items, lotion or hand soap, or candles).

    In preparation for writing this blog, I surveyed a few of my teacher friends and got some great insight. Consider these 3 top picks while you’re making a list and checking it twice:

    1. Gift cards (restaurants especially!)  Darden gift cards can be used at several restaurants.
    2. Movie tickets (You can’t go wrong with a Fandango gift card!)
    3. Handmade gifts from students (Check out Teacher Gift Ideas on Pinterest for handmade & other ideas.)

    Having been a homeroom mom more than once for my children’s classes, I remember always receiving a “favorites list” from PTO about the teacher. I always sent that out to all the parents so they were in the know on what the teacher liked if we weren’t planning a group gift. So, you might also consider contacting your homeroom mom if you have elementary/middle age kiddos. If not, just ask! Create your own “favorites form” to be completed by the teacher you are shopping for. Knowing what the teachers like always makes the job easier.

    Happy shopping!

  • Count Your Problems and Be Thankful

    Count Your Problems and Be Thankful

    An employee of yours is late for the third time this week; you know you are going to have to have a discussion with him. Your company has had a stellar year. Now you’re worried about what size check you are going to have stroke to Uncle Sam come April 15th. A customer calls mad because their name was spelled wrong on a letter you sent to them. You realized you sent a marketing piece to print containing incorrect numbers. To top it all, your computer crashed and, ouch, you don’t have your files backed up.

    Leaders deal with problems day in and day out and better yet, we’re responsible for fixing them. The buck stops with us.

    Yet good leaders realize that most of the problems that they deal with are of the fancy variety (as Editor and Chief of Southern Living, Lindsay Bierman describes in his November issue letter). No one is dying; no one has maliciously been harmed.

    This doesn’t negate the fact that the problems still have to be handled and can be stressful to deal with, but it is the realization or perspective that most of our problems are of the first world variety means that we are better equipped to handle them in a proactive and effective manner.

    During this week and month of thankfulness, count your problems, realizing most of them are of the fancy variety, and give thanks.