Category: Skills Improvement

We all need a little personal development mixed in with our professional and career development. Read blogs in this category for personal skills improvement.

  • 4 Steps to Fanatic Leadership Discipline

    4 Steps to Fanatic Leadership Discipline

    This post was originally published after Memorial Day weekend ten years ago. On it’s 10th anniversary, we’re bringing it back. Enjoy!


    Over Memorial Day weekend, my family spent some time at the river. Trying to stay true to actually getting some exercise, even while on vacation, I was pushing my kids in the stroller down a windy and hilly river road when we came upon a man chopping firewood, transporting in on a wheelbarrow, and putting it in a spot beside his house to store.

    It’s May in Alabama. Even at 9 am it was approaching 90 degrees with the humidity level about that high. It was hot, and it will be hot for a while, most likely until at least October. I thought this man was crazy. With no need for firewood in the near future, why would he be utilizing the vacation holiday weekend farthest away from winter this side of Easter to chop firewood? In long pants and a long shirt no less.

    I wasn’t the only one perplexed by what he was doing. After we passed him a second time, my four-year-old said, “Mommy, what is that man doing?” I responded he’s chopping and moving firewood, to which he replied, “Why?”

    But as a read, Great by Choice by Jim Collins, a book focused on leading and thriving in the midst of uncertain environments (and let’s face it, isn’t every environment uncertain in one way or another?), I realized this man just might be illustrating a key leadership principle emphasized in the book.

    This is the principle of “Fanatic Discipline” and this quote captures its sentiments:

    “Victory awaits him who has everything in order- luck people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.” Roald Amundsen (the first person to lead a team to reach the South Pole).

    It dawned on me, this is what we strive to teach leadership coaching clients by instilling consistent behaviors that lead to habits that then lead to results. In other words, we preach “fanatic discipline” by chopping your firewood before you even need it.

    If you are wanting to instill “fanatic discipline” to reach results, how do you do it?

    1.You focus on what you can control, not what you can’t. The only thing you can control is your behavior. Nothing more classically illustrates this than Stephen Covey’s Circle of Control and Influence concept (read more about it in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). Our friend wasn’t focused on the heat, which he couldn’t control, or one to make excuses for the heat, instead he did number two….

    2. Focus on doing important behaviors regularly, not all in one bout of energy, but in a way that allows for consistent progress to be achieved (for more on this, read the chapter on “20 Mile March” in Great by Choice. I imagine our man chops a little bit of firewood every morning throughout the year, even when it is hot and even when it is a holiday, in order to have enough stored for the winter. He doesn’t wait until the first sign of a cold snap to get to chopping. Slow and steady really does win the race. As Collins states

    “It’s about having concrete, clear, intelligent and rigorously pursued performance mechanisms that keep you on track. The 20 Mile March creates two types of self-imposed discomfort: (1) the discomfort of unwavering commitment to high performance in difficult conditions, and (2) the discomfort of holding back in good conditions.”

    3.The behavior is monitored and tracked, not the outcome. There is nothing like a good ole chart, simple and easy to keep track of your progress and actually motivate performance. The simple process and tool we have begun using for this can be found in Marshall Goldsmith’s book Triggers. As Goldsmith states, “Quantifying effort rather than outcomes reveals patterns that we’d otherwise miss.” I imagine our friend the firewood man has a chart on his fridge that he checks off on the days he does his chopping or one that he makes a tally mark on each day he chops to count how much wood he has or has left to chop (or maybe he doesn’t, but for my story’s purpose he does).

    4.When the first three things are done, we set ourselves up to achieve outcomes. I know the firewood man won’t be cold this winter. Do you often leave yourself out in the cold because you’ve focused on the outcome and not the effort or the consistent behavior to achieve the result you are looking for? I know I have.

    What is one thing you can control, start to do today, and track with “fanatic discipline” that will help you be the leader you want to be?

  • Nourish Your Growth in 2025: Why Learning Belongs on Your Agenda

    Nourish Your Growth in 2025: Why Learning Belongs on Your Agenda

    “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”—Zig Ziglar

    At Horizon Point, we love learning and helping others nourish their growth—both personally and professionally. Each year, our team selects professional development opportunities that align with our individual and organizational goals.

    Here are some of our favorite ways to keep learning and growing:

    Nourish Your Growth with Books

    If you’ve been around here long, you know we love a good book! In our coaching and training, we frequently incorporate book recommendations.

    ? Check out our 2024 Book of the Year and explore HPC’s Bookshelf for more inspiring reads.

    Expand Your Knowledge with Online Courses

    There are so many ways to nourish your growth with online learning! We recommend courses from credentialing agencies like SHRM and NCDA, along with our very own on-demand and customized courses.

    ? Explore our HPC Courses here.

    Nourish Your Career at Conferences & Workshops

    We love both facilitating and attending conferences and workshops—because learning is always better when shared!

    ? Want to connect with us in person? Check out What’s Up? to see where we’ll be next!

    Earn Credentials to Nourish Your Growth

    Credentials can be a game-changer for career advancement and professional growth. If you’re unsure which credential is best for you, we’re happy to help!

    One of our standout offerings is the Facilitating Career Development (FCD) course, which we’ve provided for over a decade. Now, we’re thrilled to introduce School Career Development Advisor (SCDA) training, ideal for professionals supporting K-12 students.

    Here’s what Joulia, a recent participant, had to say about her experience:

    “What truly stood out was how well-organized the entire course was. The materials provided were top-notch, including detailed PowerPoint slide decks, an E-manual with interactive module exercises, and invaluable resources for the certification test… Everything was comprehensive and easy to follow, making the learning process smooth and efficient.” – Joulia R.

    ? Learn more about SCDA Courses here.

    More Ways to Nourish Your Growth

    Looking for more insights on learning and development? Check out these blog posts:

    Let’s Nourish Your Growth Together!

    How can we help you or your organization grow? Contact us today to learn more about our offerings and customization options!

  • 3 Strategies to Strengthen Professional Relationships in 2025

    3 Strategies to Strengthen Professional Relationships in 2025

    Building and maintaining professional relationships is essential for success in today’s dynamic work environment. Whether you’re leading a team, collaborating with colleagues, or expanding your network, strong professional relationships are the key to achieving your goals and innovating the workplace (which you know we love!).

    Here are three powerful strategies to strengthen your professional relationships this year:


    1. Prioritize open and authentic communication

    Every great relationship starts with clear, consistent communication. But in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world, connecting authentically can be a challenge. It’s not just about talking; it’s about actively listening, encouraging dialogue, and building trust.

    Schedule regular check-ins—whether face-to-face or virtual—and create space for open conversations. Acknowledge challenges, celebrate wins, and actively listen to others’ perspectives. This builds the foundation for strong professional relationships that can withstand the test of time.

    man wearing white top in front of woman wearing blue long sleeved top

    ? Pro Tip: Ask questions like, “What’s a recent success you’re proud of?” or “How can I support your work better?”

    ? Related Reading: Open the Door to Communication, Encouragement, and Relationships


    2. Engage in intentional “relationshipping”

    delighted female friends with laptop and smartphone

    What’s relationshipping? It’s a deliberate approach to building meaningful connections. Unlike traditional networking, relationshipping focuses on fostering long-term trust and collaboration rather than short-term gains.

    In 2025, strengthen your professional relationships by being proactive. Share resources that align with someone’s interests, recognize their efforts, or invite them to collaborate on meaningful projects. Small, thoughtful actions make a big difference in creating lasting connections.

    ? Pro Tip: Use tools like a CRM or your calendar to track key dates (birthdays, work anniversaries) and check in regularly with your top connections.

    ? Related Reading: What’s Relationshipping and How Do I Do It?


    3. Invest in people with time and resources

    One of the best ways to strengthen professional relationships is by showing you value others. This doesn’t always mean financial investment—it could mean mentoring, offering support, or advocating for their development.

    In 2025, strengthen your professional relationships by being proactive. Share resources that align with someone’s interests, recognize their efforts, or invite them to collaborate on meaningful projects. Small, thoughtful actions make a big difference in creating lasting connections.

    men women party event

    ? Pro Tip: Organize “knowledge-sharing” sessions where team members can learn from each other. This fosters collaboration and strengthens relationships across the board.

    ? Related Reading: Investing in People Makes Cents


    Wrapping it up

    Strong professional relationships don’t just happen—they require effort and intentionality. By prioritizing communication, engaging in purposeful relationship-building, and investing in others, you can create a network of trust and collaboration.

    What steps will you take this year to strengthen your professional relationships?

  • The Surgeon General’s Warning and Professional Development

    The Surgeon General’s Warning and Professional Development

    As I take in my daily dose of news fed to me via email by the New York Times on Saturday, August 31, I’m surprised to see the title: Opinion: Surgeon General: Parents Are at Their Wits’ End. We Can Do Better.  

    Saturday’s Times email blast usually features a more lighthearted piece, especially on a holiday weekend. 

    But as I opened the article, I couldn’t help thinking, “No sh*t!” to what the Surgeon General was saying. You see, I have literally just cleaned up sh*t (Or wait, was it vomit?) off the floor of our bathroom as child number two out of three started with a full round of the stomach bug and didn’t quite make it to the toilet. 

    Such are the “joys”, I guess, as the Surgeon General references in his opinion piece. It is back to school season and everyone is passing around germs. 

    But this is not all that has come during back to school month in a household of three children ages 13,10, and 5. When they are healthy, EVERYDAY at school, everyday of life, demands something. 

    Take for example, the day before the holiday weekend started. One child had to bring a snack for his class that corresponded with the color of the day- black. In case you are wondering, Oreos were a hit for the group of four and five year olds. And don’t forget, he had to wear black too. This is day nine of ten days of the color game where corresponding outfits with the color of the day are a must. We opted for bracelets two of the ten days because I refused to go buy clothes just to meet the color demands of Pre-K. 

    The ten-year-old had student council speeches at 8:15 am the same day. Prior to said speech, this required the speech to be written and turned in for approval and posters to be made. Oh, and a parent form to sign. Of course, it outlined the requirements and obligations of both parent and student for accepting the role of leading the student government of an elementary school. She ran for President and lost, so cue in the emotional support needing to be provided there. This support takes place in between trips to the said toilet with the stomach bug. 

    And the thirteen year old. Well, his struggles have been much like the Surgeon General leads his article with- serious health issues. On this Thursday before the Labor Day holiday, he had just been discharged from an almost week long hospital stay. 

    So, you can see why I was saying “No sh*t!” to the Surgeon General op-ed. It has been a season for our family of intense stress. Honestly, it takes a toll even when someone isn’t hospitalized or throwing up everywhere. 

    The demands for black snacks, constant school events- which nine times out of ten requires you to send money and fill out a form- is ongoing. And let us not forget figuring out how the heck you are going to carve out time to work to pay for all this stuff and get work done (if you are fortunate enough to have the flexibility to leave work) to attend kids activities in and out of school or care for them when they are sick. 

    I have it made, but…

    The Surgeon General and I may not be in identical boats, but we both have it “made” when it comes to the lifestyle we can afford for ourselves and our children. 

    As the first comment I saw of the NYT piece said, “Dr. Murphy had access to top shelf medical care and a supportive workplace. He is very lucky. A lot of parents don’t have these advantages.”  

    I have these advantages too. My husband and I work for ourselves and therefore have a ton of flexibility when it comes to when and where and how we do work. At least one of us can make the 8:15 am student council speech and another the 2:15 carline pick up line because our five year old is too young to go to extended day at the elementary school where he attends. We don’t have to punch a time clock, and we are able to divide and conquer.  

    Our health insurance is uber expensive and not that great of coverage honestly, but we have it. We don’t have to make decisions on whether to access the healthcare system if any of us needs it based on whether or not we can afford it. 

    That doesn’t negate the stress, though, of the 12:08 am email that had to go out to a client the night my son was admitted to hospital to say, last minute, that I wouldn’t be at his facility the next morning given what I described to him vaguely as “a family medical emergency.”  Or the meeting I had to put off twice about starting a new contract with another client with the same vague reasoning. I eventually had to delegate the meeting to a person on my team who I know executed everything beautifully. But it is just another example of the constant- and I mean constant- reshuffling I have to do to try to work- and I’m lucky that it is work I love- and raise kids.  

    I cannot imagine the toll day-to-day parenting takes on the single parent, the parent that can’t leave work or they will be fired, the parent who doesn’t have insurance, and the parent who doesn’t have a village of people around them helping them.

    We’ve been raising kids since the beginning of time. Has it always been this hard? 

    So maybe it is just the way things are today.  Me and peers are making too much of parenting, spending too much time worrying about our kids, engaging them and us in too many activities in and out of school, worried too much about them missing out. Or are we both working when only one of us should? Or are we worried about missing out on every single thing they do because of the comparison and judgment between parents that show up for everything and those that do not?  

    I think since the beginning of time parenting has been stressful. Cue Cain and Abel and that tragedy. I’m sure the death of one son at the hand of the other was pretty stressful for Adam and Eve income, privilege, and societal demands of the time and all aside. The stress of trying to provide the very best care for our children so they can grow up to be healthy adults is not new, and I think it is one all parents have shared since the beginning of time. 

    But there are some things today that are different.  As comments in the NYT article point to, screens and social media do, I think, play a role in the difficulties. They aren’t to blame, but they do play a role. The way the structure of work is misaligned with education and childcare (access and affordability) plays a role. The way we are constantly striving for more, more, more plays a role. And as many of the comments in the NYT Op-Ed point to, this seems to be unique to America. Do kids really need to go on two field trips in one month at school? Do we really need to operate this factory 24/7/365?  The healthcare system, as MANY comments in the NYT article point to, plays a role and adds a lot of stress if and when you have to encounter it. And if you are alive, you will at one point or another. 

    And as I write this last paragraph, my inbox dings with a breaking news alert from the Times, “Four people were killed and at least nine injured in a shooting on the campus of a Georgia high school, the authorities said.”  

    Yeah, there is that stress too.  If I send my kid to school today, are they going to get shot?

    Yes, things are the same as the beginning of time, and yet they are different. 

    So how on earth do I- or people like me who have pretty constant caregiving demands and stress- even think about professional development? 

    We’ve been focused on the importance of professional development on the blog for the last few weeks. We’ve talked about what we’ve been up to for professional development, the ROI of it, and how to do it when you don’t really have a budget for it. 


    But what if you are in a season of life where you just don’t have the time for it or the mental bandwidth to focus on it? Did you notice in the what we’ve been up to for professional development post what I’ve been doing for PD?  Nope, you didn’t. That is because I am not doing a thing! Practicing what I preach I am not.   

    What if you are leading someone or working along someone that is in this season?  Many of which are sandwiched caregivers- caring for growing children and aging parents all at once.  

    Or are you leading someone who really needs to focus on caring for themselves? Or a spouse or other loved one? Let’s face it, everyone has something with varying degrees of intensity and capacity to handle that intensity. 

    As I am contemplating this post while caring for the thirteen year old through his go-round with the stomach bug (yes, it made its way through all of us), I get a text from someone that works with me. I cringe when she says she works “for” me, but I pay her. I’m supposed to be that leader who is focused on the ROI of her professional development. 

    She asks when would be a good time for her to call me. I tell her I’m free and the phone rings shortly after. 

    After checking on us and also talking about her family, she says, “I’m pregnant.”   

    I congratulate her and we talk about some work things. Then, she circles back around to what I know has been on her mind the most. How does she navigate having and raising this child with work? 

    How do I do it? she asks. Well, not really well at the moment I want to tell her!  

    I know she wonders if the same privilege I gave myself of easing back into work after having all three of my kids be afforded to her? Of course it will. Of course. 

    And what about healthcare? Can she get on the company’s family coverage? I reach out to get the benefits plan information from our insurance provider to send to her shortly after we get off the phone. 

    The Surgeon General points to things in his piece like paid parental leave and changes in healthcare to help with the “toll” of parenting. Whereas I don’t think anything he mentions are bad things, my political philosophy inclines me to think that it isn’t the government’s job to alleviate “tolls” we face, but our very own. 

    It is the job of families, employers, and communities to create a healthy society. To help society successfully navigate and mitigate the tolls this life lays on each and every one of us and to revel in the joy that comes with life too. 

    Some of the hard cannot and will not be avoided, but some of it can be made better if we care for and treat each other well. That is where the joy mostly comes from. 

    And, yes, families, employers, and communities need to play an active role advocating for the government to play its role where it should, but we can’t turn a blind eye to the choices we have in each of our roles to make a difference. 

    We can treat people like humans, honor the stage of life they are in, and design a workplace around getting work done and getting it done with excellence while also realizing a person’s productivity may ebb and flow based on where they are in life. And realizing it will really ebb in the wrong direction if we neglect to see the whole person and if we try to treat humans like machines. 

    Some balls bounce and some balls break

    A week or so after the conversation with the pregnancy announcement, we have our monthly one-on-one. We talk through a lot of client work and potential work. It is kind of hectic. We have to call another team member in at one point to talk through an execution plan for a new client. 

    And as we usually do in one-on-ones, we spend some time talking about her professional development within the context of her needs and the company’s needs. 

    I can tell she is concerned about taking on too much during this season of her life where a new child will enter and in her current state where she just doesn’t feel good and she never knows when that may or may not hit. Thus are the joys of growing a human being inside you. 

    I think out loud and I can tell my thinking out loud may be overwhelming her. I even sometimes overwhelm myself with it.  

    So, I stop. I ask her to think about one thing she wants to grow in professionally. Just one.  I can tell she doesn’t want to stall her learning and growth, and she says as much, but she also wants some grace as she navigates what looks like a very different season coming up for her.  

    I don’t want her to stop learning and growing. I want her to continue to grow in her confidence and skills where she can continue to add value to the organization.  But I know she won’t do either of these things if she is overwhelmed. 

    None of us perform at an optimum level when we are overwhelmed. And let’s face it, I’ve been overwhelmed pretty much all year.  What is it the Surgeon General called it? Oh yes, I’m at my “Wits’ End.” 

    So, as I heed advice to her, I heed advice to myself.  What is the one thing I want to grow in?  Not ten things, not three things, one thing.  

    Seasons come and seasons go, and right now the season for both of us is one of intense child-rearing. If I’m honest (and you can probably already tell based on my tone to begin with), I am sometimes resentful of the intensity of this child rearing season that takes me away from a focus on professional growth. 

    But like my colleague said in the same meeting, we have rubber balls and we have glass balls. If we drop a rubber ball, it will bounce. But if we drop a glass ball, it will break.  

    My professional growth and hers will bounce. 

    Our children are glass and we parents will do everything in our power to make sure nothing causes them to break. Sometimes we need help discerning what will help our kids grow and what might break them, just like we do for ourselves. 

    But in this season of life for both of us, we both need something we can claim for ourselves and our own growth, even if it is just one thing. One small thing.  It will, I know, make us better parents to have this one thing to call our own and to have each other to challenge us to do it and not take our eye off that ball, even if it will bounce. 

    The whole person of each of your employees and the value they bring to your organization are glass balls too. What are you doing today to make sure they don’t break? Especially when the Surgeon General is issuing warnings about it? 

    And what are you doing to give them a ball or two to bounce so they learn and grow and continue to add value for themselves and your organization? 

  • Make the Most of your Training Dollars

    Make the Most of your Training Dollars

    I often talk to smaller employers who just don’t have the funds to allocate to professional development. They want to grow their people, but just can’t scrape the pennies together to pay for it. The good news is that professional development doesn’t have to be expensive, in fact it can be free. And we all like free! 

    Last week Jillian talked about why employers should invest in professional development for their people. As she mentioned, research shows that spending money on professional development for your employees leads to more money for your company. But what can you do if your available funds for such training is limited? 

    1. Utilize your current staff to provide training. Whether you realize it or not, you have a wealth of knowledge in your organization and some employees would love the opportunity to share their expertise with others. A couple great ways to provide free or low-cost training is to plan lunch and learns where your current staff train their colleagues on what they do. That training may even be just spending 45 minutes to an hour explaining what they really do in their position or what their department does and how it contributes to the organization as a whole. Another great opportunity that can benefit any organization is cross-training. Give employees the opportunity to step into another department and learn how to work in that department. Cross-training not only gives employees the opportunity to learn more about the business and other departments, it can also assist employers in creating a succession plan. 
    2. Find free resources. There are a number of organizations that will come in and provide free training to your staff. Last week I worked with Cindy Smith at Edward Jones to present a free financial budgeting workshop to employees at a client. The client works in the healthcare industry and not only did the training benefit the employees; it was information that they are now able to use to help their clients. 
    3. Start a book club. Books are a low-cost way to provide training and professional development to your staff. At Horizon Point we read a lot! We share book recommendations and each year we select a book of the year to share with our clients. Some of our clients have then taken that book and shared it with their staff or asked us to provide training on the topics covered in the books. Select a book that speaks to your organization and meet weekly or monthly to discuss what was learned from the reading. Make attendance voluntary and hold the book club meeting during working hours. 
    4. Don’t waste conferences. If you send an employee to a conference, be sure to have them come back and share the knowledge they gained. Too often organizations spend the resources to send one or two employees to a conference and then don’t follow up once they return. Get the biggest bang for your buck! Plan the time for them to debrief with their team mates or lead a lunch and learn to share their conference takeaways. Also encourage them to bring back any resources or materials available at the conference to share with other staff. 
    5. Be thrifty. Anyone who knows me knows that I love saving money (and thrift shopping!). When you’re sending staff to conferences, be careful with how you spend your money. At Horizon Point we start discussing what conferences we want to attend a year in advance. We discuss the benefits of each and together determine which we will attend. By doing that we are able to catch early bird rates and often save $150-300 or more on registrations. If more than one of us will be attending, we try to carpool and we always look to see if renting an Airbnb will be cheaper than separate hotel rooms. Also make sure that your expense policy covers what is reimbursable and how much will be covered. Set a daily dollar limit on meals and if meals are provided at the conference, do not reimburse employees who opt to purchase meals outside of the conference. Another great way to save on conference costs is to submit to speak. Most conferences give speakers a free registration. 

    Organizations can never provide too many opportunities for professional development, so even if your organization has the ability and budget to provide professional development opportunities, the programs mentioned above can only enhance your current offerings.