Horizon Point Consulting

Category: Beyond Leadership

Beyond Leadership is Horizon Point’s line of resources for managers of people. Managing ourselves is a distinct set of behaviors from managers the work of others, and we are here to help. Read stories in this category if you are ready to take the next step into people leadership (or if you’re looking for articles to send someone else…).

Tua’s Performance Shows You What You Need to Consider When Assessing Leadership Skill

It was the debate across college football leading up to opening weekend. Or least in my house it was.

Who would start at quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide? Tua or Jalen?

Jalen led the Tide to one national championship and touts a 26-2 record as a starter. Tua came in and saved the day to help the tide defeat Clemson in the national championship last year when it seemed as though Jalen just couldn’t get it done.

They are obviously both exceptional players and leaders, but what would make the difference in Saban’s decision making on who would start in the season opener against Louisville?

Across this debate, Kirk Herbstreit may have summed up the decision of who to play best on Gameday:

“…you have a quarterback in Tua that has an ability to process information quickly… and when you have a quarterback that sees things quickly, that can get the ball to the receiver, tight end or the running back….(tennis racket interruption, if you haven’t watched Gameday, the tennis racket stuff was pretty hysterical)…. But deep down he (Nick Saban) has to know that Tua gives him a better chance…”

Basically, Herbstreit is saying that Tua’s cognitive processing speed gives him the edge.

According to Cognfit.com cognitive processing speed can be explained as:

Processing speed is one of the main elements of the cognitive process, which is why it is one of the most important skills in learning, academic performance, intellectual development, reasoning, and experience.

Processing speed is a cognitive ability that could be defined as the time it takes a person to do a mental task. It is related to the speed in which a person can understand and react to the information they receive, whether it be visual (letters and numbers), auditory (language), or movement. In other words, processing speed is the time between receiving and responding to a stimulus.

Processing speed implies a greater ability to easily do simple or previously-learned tasks. This refers to the ability to automatically process information, which means processing information quickly and without doing it consciously. The higher the processing speed, the more efficient you are able to think and learn.

Processing speed is the time that lapses from when you receive information until you understand it and start to respond.

Tua started the game. You can simply watch the highlight clip (especially the first touchdown pass) of Alabama’s 51-14 victory over Louisville, and you will see what superior cognitive processing speed looks like. Tua processes a variety of inputs/information rapidly and “without doing it consciously” to make the best decisions about where to put the ball.

Leadership in the business world isn’t much different than quarterback leadership on the football field. There are a variety of inputs coming at leaders quickly that need to be distilled down rapidly in order to make the right decisions- to put the ball in the right place.

This ability can be measured. It is measured in a variety of ways in kids in educational settings. And there are also tools that measure it for selection in the business world.

Here’s a short test from psychology today: Mental speed test
You can also check out: Pyrometrics

Work samples can also be a good way to throw a lot of information at a candidate at one time and see how quickly and how well they come up with a solution. Make sure it includes information in work samples that is irrelevant. Can the person discern what is and isn’t important and get work done in a quality manner.

In addition, there is a potential relationship between cognitive processing speed and time management skills, so this might be another assessment avenue to consider. Include in your work sample the requirement to prioritize a variety of tasks/decisions and then ask the candidate to explain their logic of prioritization.

And for those of you that could care less about SEC football, maybe Michigan lost because of a lack of cognitive processing speed on the part of their coach. Check out the first part of Jim Harbaugh’s interview on GameDay. A paper baggy? What the heck???

Next time you go to hire a leader take cognitive processing speed seriously. The presence of it in your leaders may help you win a national championship. The absence of it may cost you the game against Notre Dame.

September 4, 2018
A Terrible Answer to an Interview Question

I recently conducted an interview with a job candidate for one of our clients. During the session, the young lady answered all of the questions perfectly. As the conversation was coming to a close, I had one final question. I asked, “Why did you make the transition from your last position to your current one?” The resume was stellar, the interview had gone well so far, but her answer allowed me to easily make the decision to not recommend her for a call back. Her answer, you ask? “I was just late too many times, and they had to let me go.” I paraphrased, but that was the gist.

In my recruiting role, it was easy to discard the resume. However, my career coach heart wanted to scream “please, don’t use that answer ever again!” I will give her points for honesty. However, I could not in good conscience recommend her for the position.

So, if I were her career coach, how would I guide her in answering the question? That’s simple. First of all, I would find out why she had trouble with being on time. There is always a root cause. Then, I would ensure she has made adjustments or has the resources she needs to always be on time moving forward.

As far as how to answer the question, I would recommend that she address the question before it is ever asked. Early on in the interview, I would recommend a dialogue like this:

“You’ll notice I transitioned to a new role 6 months ago. I would like to be up front and share that I had some personal issues (share if possible) that prevented me from consistently getting to work on time with my previous employer. I’m thankful that my current employer provided me with a new opportunity. I have not missed a day or been late since. And, I can assure you, if I’m chosen for this position, punctuality will be a priority.”

Want to read more about how to prepare for an interview? Check out these posts from The Point Blog:

3 Tips for Eliminating the Stress of a Job Interview

How to Answer the Interview Question “What is your greatest weakness?”

Authenticity and the Job Interview

August 30, 2018
4 Advantages to Hiring Workers Over 50
In writing about how to increase your candidate pool, multiple LinkedIn comments cropped up related to hiring workers over 50. For example, one comment read:

“Don’t practice age discrimination or you could miss out on some rock steady workers. Those who give thumbs down to the over 50 crowd really do miss out on some great employees.”

Through these comments, it was obvious I should have added a 5^th way to increase your candidate pool in the article: Include Older Workers.

Also through these comments, there were reasons included as to why hiring workers over 50 is a good idea. Overall, hiring “older” workers can:
1. Allow you to take advantage of skills and attitudes that are only really acquired over time. So much of what we learn is through experience and that can only be gained over time. Hiring those with 25-30+ years of workplace experience brings skills that are only gained through 10,000 plus hours of practice. Read Outliers for more on 10,000 hours of practice.
2. Provide mentoring relationships. Mentoring relationships can go both ways but having older workers mentor younger workers can allow for the dissemination of things learned through experience (#1) without a mentee having to experience the setback and heartbreaks of bad decisions. Not to mention the meaningful relationships that add value to any organization.
3. Help with perspective. I mean this in two ways. I have experienced workers that are older than I am that can best be described as “wise”. Meaning, they have a perspective that helps me, well, get some perspective. Teaching and demonstrating not to sweat the small stuff, enjoying the stages of life and acting with patience and perseverance are qualities older workers can instill in the workplace. And that brings me to the second view of bringing perspective in the workplace. In the larger context of diversity, hiring workers of all ages helps a workplace innovate.
4. Help you understand your customer. Chances are your customers are in all different ages and stages of life. Having a workforce that is pigeon-holed into just one demographic limits your ability to see multiple markets and angles, thus limiting innovation and revenue possibilities.
What advantages does your organization gain from “older” workers?
August 28, 2018
4 Ways to Increase Your Candidate Pool
My LinkedIn Daily Rundown feed started out today with “Jobs are cutting experience requirements….” Reporting that, “an extra 1 million jobs were opened up to candidates last year with “no experience necessary.’”

There is a lot of buzz about the hot job market now with the unemployment rate at a pre-recession low.

But what do you do to fill jobs in this economy?

As the Daily Rundown suggests you can:
- Lower requirements.Whether it be experience, education or skill requirements, lowering them can increase candidate pools. I often find that job descriptions have qualifications in them that really aren’t “required” to be successful in the role. Do a job analysis and figure out if you can and should lower your requirements. Some more food for thought on this can be found here.
In addition, we suggest:
- Eliminating requirements. Doing a job analysis may show you that you not only need to lower requirements, but eliminate them all together. One thing I’m finding more and more employers considering eliminating a totally clean criminal history. Opening yourself up to hiring ex-offenders may be a wise move. To learn more about the Second Chance Initiative targeted at helping employers and communities navigate through the advantages and also challenges of hiring ex-offenders, read more here.
Lowering and/or eliminating requirements may require more skills-based training for new hires, but if you focus on hiring for fit and diversity (will dimensions instead of skill dimensions), you may end up with better employees anyway.
- Raising your wages. More on that here.
- Sourcing better. Pursue passive candidates instead of posting and praying.Pick up the phone and call people, do a search for potential candidates on LinkedIn, send an email to your professional contacts. It isn’t rocket science. Attract interest by creating interest beyond your job posting on Indeed.
All of these efforts lead you to be able to fish out of a different pond than one(s) you’ve been fishing in. And sometimes the best catches can be found in the ponds that aren’t overfished.

How do you increase your candidate pools to make better hires?
August 7, 2018
Leaders Should Be Learners

Guest blog written by: Steve Graham

The Commitment:

Leaders set the tone for an organization. They must be agile in their responses to the ever-changing marketplace and business climate. Leaders are charged with growing organizations, and learning is a part of the growth process.

Learning can take various shapes within an organization. It can be organic, formalized, personalized, or on-demand. Whatever the shape, learning needs to be part of a leader’s commitment to improve both personally and professionally. One big lesson of learning is how to use failure. The old saying, “Failure is not an option”, is not realistic. Even though failure is not a strategic goal and we do not desire to fail, it is always a reality.

Part of the commitment for leaders to be learners is becoming comfortable with vulnerability. Leaders do not have all the answers and admitting that with confidence makes the leader authentic. Leaders must go first! According to Patrick Lencioni, in his book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business: “The only way for a leader of a team to create a safe environment for his team members to be vulnerable is by stepping up and doing something that feels unsafe and uncomfortable first.” Being first means becoming comfortable with vulnerability.

The Example:

Leaders who value the impact of learning on growth and talent retention drive an organization where learning is part of the organizational DNA. Those who set the example in their commitment to learning create organizations that are serious about learning. How a leader uses failure to learn can set a good example for how to use these important lessons for improvement. In the field of academic medicine, M&M (Morbidity and Mortality) Conferences are used to examine failures and medical errors. These are powerful in learning what went wrong and finding answers to correct problems and improve medical care. The key objective of a well-run M&M conference is to identify adverse outcomes associated with medical error, to modify behavior and judgment based on previous experiences, and to prevent repetition of errors leading to complications. If Medicine finds value in learning from failures, should more organizations not do the same? Yes! Leaders who are learners set an example and establish the value of learning within an organization.

The Investment:

Learning should never end. It is an investment in time and money. Many leaders give excuses of why they cannot take time to learn. Learning should be a priority and not an option. It is an investment that successful leaders embrace. According to Dr. Brad Staats, Associate Professor of Operations at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business: “Today’s fast-paced, ever-changing, global economy requires us to never stop learning or we risk becoming irrelevant. Savvy leaders recognize this means investing in their own learning journey, so they can develop the processes and behaviors required for ongoing success.” Dr. Staats recent publication, Never Stop Learning: Stay Relevant, Reinvent Yourself, and Thrive, illustrates the importance of making the lifelong investment of learning.

The Connection Between Executive Coaching & Learning:

Coaching is an important part of learning. It enhances the leader’s ability to be a better active listener. Listening is a fundamental part of success as a leader. In his bestselling book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, well-known Executive Coach, Marshall Goldsmith states: “80 percent of our success in learning from other people is based on how well we listen.” Are you hearing more than listening? Listening takes practice. It is a learned skill that successful leaders focus on to become better.

Executive coaching is part of sound leadership development. It can be incorporated to help leaders become more self-aware and learn to be more approachable and authentic in their influence. Another great resource on how learning makes a better leader is a book titled: Learn Like Leader: Today’s Top Leaders Share Their Learning Journeys.

When coaching is used with other learning initiatives, it helps develop a deeper purpose for the leader. Developing the complete leader involves being committed, setting an example, and making an investment in self and others. Focus on learning as a strategic resource in personal and professional development.

About the Author:

Steve Graham serves as vice president for marketing, HR business partner and college instructor. He holds graduate degrees in management and higher education. As a life-long learner, he has additional graduate and professional education in executive and professional coaching, health care administration and strategic human resource management. Steve is also the Founder and President of Valiant Coaching & Talent Development, LLC.

He is a certified HR professional with The Society for Human Resource Management, certified coach with the International Coach Federation and a Global Career Development Facilitator. His professional memberships include: The Society for Human Resource Management, the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration, Association for Talent Development and International Coach Federation.

August 2, 2018