Horizon Point Consulting

Category: Beyond Work

Beyond Work is our line of resources for people and community leaders looking for something new and innovative outside, be it a new job, career change, or personal development outside of work.

  • Mom, I’m Bored

    Mom, I’m Bored

    “Mom, I’m bored,”  said one kid from the backseat after we told them NO MORE DEVICES on a road trip to kick off the summer. 

    You see, devices for them create the stimulation that makes them, well, crazy. 

    So after allowing them on the first leg of the trip without any constraints, we put a cease and desist order out on all devices and prayed we wouldn’t all kill each other over the course of the next hundreds of miles. 

    Our trip began with a desire for our kids to see all 50 states before our oldest leaves for college in six years. With this in mind, I had the grand idea to create books where they could write and draw about what they wanted to see, what they did see, and what they liked and didn’t like about each place we visited throughout the years. 

    With devices in hand, these books sat empty.  

    After the electronics were taken away and after a few “I’m bored” whines came from the backseat, the books came out. 

    And what was inside them was nothing short of creativity on full display. 

    Our oldest is into shoes now and he started drawing them. 

    Our middle created fun facts and drawings about each state we visited, and then created drawings where she narrated the story line she had also created about the images.  Apparently, limes can be our friends. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Our youngest drew what only he knew them to be, but then told us, “This one is a flower, this one is a roller coaster. Mommy, can you draw me an alligator?” 

    And so I got in on the creative process and drew just that.

    As we’ve focused on creating space all year at Horizon Point, the point that space is absolutely needed to innovate and create has been a key theme.  

    But first, before we can have the space to create and innovate, we probably need to create some space to be bored. 

    In fact, research supports just this. Boredom is the spark that creates the flame. 

    To facilitate some boredom that leads to your mind seeking something that leads it to create and innovate perhaps we all should: 

    1. Don’t Look Down. Put a cease and desist order on your devices.  All of them. 
    2. Get away. Get somewhere you aren’t normally. See the novel. Take a road trip. 
    3. Look Up. Pay attention to your surroundings.  
    4. Capture. Have something that can capture your creativity once you get bored, like our kids “diaries” as the little one calls his. 
    5. Collaborate. Maybe you might be drawn to draw a little something out of the norm like my alligator. 

    Turns out boredom also may help get the crazies out.  It’s good for our mental health too.  Our kids were much less on edge once we swapped the devices for the space to create. 

    How comfortable are you with being bored? 

    More on this topic: 

    The Creative Benefits of Boredom from HBR

  • 6 Tips to Help You Unplug for Your Vacation

    6 Tips to Help You Unplug for Your Vacation

    With 4th of July being the unspoken week of summer vacations, it’s time to consider- does anyone every really truly go on vacation now days? By a true vacation I mean no work is done. None. No emails, no voicemails, no finishing up a project, starting a project or even thinking (and therefore procrastinating) on a project.

    In a world of constant connectedness, I’d venture to guess most people don’t actually unplug completely from their work. According this article, more than half of Americans plan to work while on vacation.

    But if you are headed on vacation or on vacation now (wait, does reading this count post as “working”?) here are some tips for unplugging while on there:

    1. Get your stuff done before you leave. Practice productivity before going which will eliminate the need to work while away.
    2. Schedule time when you get back to catch-up. Block your calendar for a day or two after you return with no meetings or scheduled activities to eliminate the pressure of having to get through 987 emails when you return with no time to do it. Post-vacation laundry can be a beast. Don’t forget to schedule time to catch up on the household items that need to be attended to as well after returning from vacation.
    3. Eliminate the temptation to check in with work. Don’t take your computer with you, go where there is no internet connection (is there such a place now?) and if you have a phone dedicated just to work, leave it at home.
    4. Set clear expectations with colleagues/clients before departing.  Tell them how long you’ll be away and establish that you will not be checking in via email, phone or text.  Ask that they respect your vacation time and reciprocate by respecting theirs. Set up automated out of the office responses with a date of when you will be able to get back in touch. Date it at least one day after you return.
    5. Take for pleasure reading with you and schedule for pleasure activities.   Take that novel you’ve been dying to read (or movie you’ve been waiting to watch) or that cooking magazine you’ve been trying to look at for the past three months and haven’t ever gotten to. Book the massage you’ve been wanting.  By taking time for pleasure reading and scheduling for pleasure activities, you’ll eliminate the desire to turn to business reading and/or checking emails.  You simply won’t have the time or desire to do it when you are enjoying something else.
    6. Realize that vacations are more often than not a time connect and build relationships with those closest to you. Most of us don’t take our vacations solo. If you are venturing out on a vacation this week, more than likely family member(s) or close friend(s) will be with you. Vacations are a time to rejuvenate as individuals, but also a time to rejuvenate the relationships that mean the most to us but may have been neglected somewhat by competing work demands.  You’re on vacation, so don’t let work get in the way of relationships (you shouldn’t ever let this happen, but that that’s a topic for another day). Don’t let your spouse or your kids define the time away by the number of hours mom or dad spent checking email.

     

    How are you unplugging on your vacation? Tell us how you do it and we’ll reward you with a $50 Starbucks gift card to help you unplug (or replug) more!  We’ll pick a winner on Tuesday, July 8th. 

    Some of the ways I’ll be unplugging while taking a little 4th of July sabbatical:

    unplug picture

  • Space to Focus

    Space to Focus

     

     

    It has been a busy month. We call it Maycember, busy like December but without the gifts. Focusing during a busy month or busy season can be tricky. Not only is May a busy work month, wrapping up one big project to begin the next, it is also a busy season for me personally. My daughter’s high school graduation is tonight and focusing is something I’m struggling with right now. Juggling so much makes it difficult to focus. However, this isn’t my first rodeo with busy seasons. Working moms do this time and again. We are fortunate at HPC to always have the flexibility to incorporate space to focus when we need to. Here are a few ways we do that:

    1. For the most part, we set our schedules. We plan work when we feel we are most productive (early morning for me).
    2. Whenever possible, I intentionally incorporate downtime every week. I typically don’t schedule appointments on Friday and instead, I work most Sunday afternoons to prepare for the week ahead.
    3. I work wherever I feel most productive. I have a home office, but I prefer my screened in back porch on most days or sometimes a local coffee shop. 

    Just last week, our team attended a conference at the beach. We all incorporated work in between conference sessions. The beach is always a great place to focus. Emily and I walked on the beach a couple of mornings; we talked about work, family and busy seasons. 

    Do you have space to focus? If not, find a way! Here a couple of tips:

    1. Make an outline of your schedule the week before. Find space to focus. Do you have an extra hour in the morning, at lunch or after work to take a walk or enjoy quiet time in one of your favorite spots?
    2. Identify a “focus” partner who will hold you accountable for finding space to focus. It is always easier to stick to a habit if someone is counting on you to do it.

    Check out The Point Blog to read more about our series on “space.”

  • What’s Relationshipping, and How Do I Do It?

    What’s Relationshipping, and How Do I Do It?

    Networking establishes connection. Relationshipping builds bridges and two-way streets with sidewalks and wildflowers! When we relationship (yes, we’re using it as a verb), we have a sense of belonging. Belonging feeds engagement, creativity, and passion, which generate business success and real community impact. Come relationship with us!

    I recently had the great pleasure to speak at the NAVIGATE Nonprofit Network Conference as part of the Building Effective Teams track with Leadership Greater Huntsville. NAVIGATE is focused on equipping nonprofit leaders with the unique KSAs needed to operate on a lean budget, raise funds for continued operations, and provide services with a real impact. At the center of everything they do: RELATIONSHIPS. 

    As usual, I researched what others in the world are saying about Relationshipping. Here’s what Cornerstone Coworking had to say: 

    “When you can speak highly of a person or a business because you have a relationship with them, I feel like that is valued so much more than just passing along a business card because you stuck it in your purse. 

    Next time you find yourself stuck in a networking event, find the one person that is just standing out to you and start a conversation; not strictly focused on work, but about their life, their journey and what the future holds for them, personally and professionally. I guarantee, you’ll begin to build a relationship with someone and might be excited about what it turns into; might even be your next business partner!”

    With further supporting evidence, Meridian Resources says:

    “The term networking is overused, old, and tired. It is so 1990s. 

    We have the illusion of connection, but perhaps we have lost something very important in the activity – the art of building and nurturing true and lasting relationships, which has a significant impact on our personal and professional well-being.

    Do we find that it is more efficient to send a text than to make a call? Do we find it easier to send a quick email rather than to write a letter? Do we prefer communicating through technology within the safe cocoon of our office rather than personal conversations in the hallway? When we venture out, do we actively take the time to meet others and, more importantly, get to know them?”

    When I was a grad student, our career services director put us through a series of professional development courses at which we rolled our eyes…until we realized how relevant and meaningful his wisdom was. He introduced to us the term “relationshipping” as an alternative to traditional networking. In other words, shifting the mindset from swapping business cards to building and nurturing connections with a purposeful intent of understanding and serving others and the greater good. So…how do we do it? Meridian Resources outlines 6 steps: 

    1. Change Your Intent

      Build new relationships when you don’t “need” them. Instead of thinking WHAT can this person do for me, think WHO is this person and how can we support each other.

    2. Be People First

      People First is Horizon Point’s single most important operating value. Others use it, too. Angie Tinnell says, “People are fascinating with incredibly interesting stories to share. Stop parachuting into conversations and holding every minute hostage with all the things you’re passionate about. Instead, start getting excited about all the things the person across from you is passionate about.”

    3. Communicate Differently

      Pick up the phone and have a conversation. Write someone a handwritten thank you note. Take every opportunity to be around other people, whether it is enjoying coffee, lunch, or attending a business conference.Then, check in on people. In our hyper-active social world, the intentional “wanted to see how you are doing” message with no favor to ask at the end, can go a long way to building a strong relationship.
      For a refresher on Communication Skills, read our blog about the GREET Model!
    4. Serve Others

      Get out of yourself by putting others first.
      Instead of seeking people that can help you, look for people you can help. Not only another person, but extend yourself within the community.

      Be a connector.
      Think of two people in your life right now who don’t know each other, but would benefit from connecting with the other.
    5. Be Humble

      Humility is defined as doing for others without seeking attention by taking credit for your actions. This is the most essential element of relationshipping. A good dose of humility makes us approachable and receptive to others’ opinions, views, and support.

    6. Express Gratitude

      Acknowledge and sincerely thank those that help you along your journey. Sometimes the smallest action can make a tremendous difference in the future.

    At the end of the day, our entire lives are about relationships. Family, friends, partners, colleagues, suppliers, providers, we could not make it without them. How can you get better at Relationshipping?

     

  • Make Space to be Mindful

    Make Space to be Mindful

    When my oldest son was in elementary school, he started having some behavioral issues that I had never seen in him before. Like many young children he hadn’t yet learned how to manage his emotions and anger was his downfall. After some trial and error, what I found worked best for him was space. Together with his teacher we taught him that whenever he felt angry and out of control, to step out into the hallway away from everyone else and count until he calmed down and felt more in control of his emotions. It worked. His behavioral issues ceased and to this day he practices this self-management technique.

    What his teacher and I didn’t do was discount his feelings. How often have you ever had an emotional reaction or felt a certain way about something and then felt guilty for feeling that way? What we taught him without him realizing it was how to practice mindfulness. Psychology Today defines mindfulness as “a state of active, open attention to the present. This state is described as observing one’s thoughts and feelings without judging them as good or bad.” Mindfulness requires space. Space to be alone with your emotions, space to explore those emotions, and space to accept those emotions. Mindfulness is key to mastering the first two skills of emotional intelligence – self-awareness and self-management.

    Emotional intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. This includes being aware of and managing your own emotions, which is what my son’s teacher and I helped him learn. And it also includes being aware of how your emotions impact others and being able to read the emotions of others.

    Next week I’ll be joining many other HR professionals at Perdido Beach Resort for the annual Alabama SHRM State Conference & Expo, where I’ll be speaking about the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. I hope you’ll join me there to learn more about the four skills of emotional intelligence and ways to improve your emotional intelligence, as well as a quick test to see how emotionally intelligent you are!