Employee Productivity Post from upStart HR
This is a great posting from Ben Eubanks from upstartHR that summarizes some research on a manager’s impact on employee productivity. Be sure to click the links at the end of the post to see the original source of the info and the YouTube video.
Many people have stepped into management because they were great at doing the work.
They were strong individual contributors. They solved problems quickly. They delivered results.
So when they become managers, they often continue doing what worked before. They direct tasks, answer questions, and step in to solve problems.
But this approach can create an unintended challenge.
When managers remain the primary problem solver, team growth can stall. Over time, employees begin to rely on the manager for answers instead of developing their own solutions. The leader becomes a bottleneck rather than a multiplier.
This is where the shift from manager to coach becomes powerful.
Instead of focusing primarily on directing work, coaching leadership focuses on developing people.
When leaders develop people, teams become stronger, more capable, and more engaged.
Research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) highlights that coaching leadership strengthens employees’ problem-solving ability and builds long-term capability rather than reliance on direction from their manager.
In other words, coaching leaders do not just solve today’s problem. They help employees learn how to solve the next one. Over time, this shift creates stronger and more capable teams.
Research summarized by the National Institutes of Health indicates that supportive leadership and developmental feedback are linked to higher employee engagement and improved performance.
Similarly, research shared through the American Psychological Association connects regular feedback and developmental leadership practices with improved workplace well-being and productivity.
1. Ask more questions than you answer. When employees bring a challenge, ask questions that help them think through the issue and build ownership of their work.
2. Focus on development, not just performance. Make space for conversations about strengths, growth opportunities and future goals.
For more ideas, see Horizon Point’s 4 Ways to Get Unstuck with Professional Development
3. Provide feedback regularly. When feedback is clear and timely, employees learn faster and gain confidence in their progress.
4. Create opportunities for reflection. Ask employees what worked, what could improve and what they learned from the experience.
The goal of coaching leadership is not just stronger performance today. It is building developmental teams where people continually grow their skills, confidence, and leadership capacity.
Managers get work done through people. Coaches develop people who can get the work done.At Horizon Point, we help organizations strengthen leadership capability through leadership development programs, coaching engagements, and organizational consulting.
We develop leaders who create other leaders. Through training, coaching, and team development, we help leaders become workplace innovators and champions for inclusive, high-performing cultures.
We strengthen talent strategies that drive engagement and growth. From succession planning and assessments to engagement analysis and talent mapping, we help organizations build and sustain strong talent pipelines.
Career & Workforce Development
We support workforce systems that attract, retain, and engage people. Our work includes compensation and total rewards strategy, effective hiring practices, and HR structure and compliance support.
From public agencies and nonprofits to healthcare systems, manufacturers, and quasi-governmental entities, we partner with teams across industries that want their people, leaders, and workforce strategies to work better together.
While our clients span many industries, our approach to HR and Talent Development Consulting is always the same: people first.
We start by listening. We take time to understand your people, your goals, and your constraints. From there, we design practical, people-centered solutions and stay engaged to ensure they work in the real world, not just on paper. Our HR and Talent Development Consulting is fully customized for you.
Since 2011, Horizon Point Consulting has partnered with organizations across the country and across industries to strengthen leadership, talent, and workforce strategies—always with a people-first approach.
Our work is led by a multidisciplinary team with deep, real-world experience. Team members hold HR and career development certifications, advanced training in labor and employment law, and backgrounds in industrial and organizational psychology. This blend of expertise allows us to design solutions that are not only strategic and innovative, but practical, compliant, and grounded in how people actually work.
Known for thoughtful partnership, outstanding service, and results that last, we bring years of hands-on experience to every engagement—earning industry recognition and the long-term trust of our clients.
“Horizon Point’s talented staff helped our team create our agency values, which were then translated into measurable goals for all of us to commit to achieving! Their training approach with our supervisors was not only informative in every way – it was also aspirational and Impactful!” – Michelle Jordan, Executive Director, TARCOG
“Horizon Point provided excellent service and expertise in developing our custom skills gap analysis. Their work was professional and they even finished the project earlier than originally planned. They were a pleasure to work with and the presentations Mary Ila delivered were extremely informative and tailored toward the big picture, for our regional workforce council, and to the specific needs of the Shoals Chamber’s executive committee. We will certainly call on Horizon Point again in the future as the need arises for such information.” – Shoals Chamber Representative
People First • Productivity • Passion • Continuous Learning • Giving Back
Our values shape how we partner with clients, develop leaders, and strengthen organizations.
We believe strong workplaces are built through shared learning, community, and meaningful relationships. Whether it’s a conversation, a virtual meeting, or coffee if we’re nearby, we’d love to connect and explore how we can support your organization and strategic goals.
Horizon Point Consulting, Inc. is proud to be an accredited member and trusted service provider of the Better Business Bureau of North Alabama.
At the beginning of a new year, there is a natural pull toward momentum. Fresh calendars, renewed energy, and the promise of progress invite us to jump straight into action. But at Horizon Point Consulting, we believe sustainable success starts with intention—not urgency. Starting the year right means slowing down just enough to be thoughtful, focused, and aligned.
Here is a simple, disciplined approach we often recommend to individuals and organizations alike. And you need to write this all down! Don’t just do it in your head. Reflection becomes far more powerful when it moves from your head to paper.
Before you plan what’s next, take time to reflect on what has been. Two ways to do this are through documenting:
Highs and Lows
Begin by capturing the highs from the past year. What worked? Where did you feel proud, energized, or successful? These moments often reveal strengths and strategies worth repeating.
Then, honestly document the lows. What felt heavy, frustrating, or misaligned? Where did you lose energy or momentum? Naming these experiences helps you learn from them rather than carry them forward unconsciously.
Next, organize your reflection into three simple categories:
This exercise brings clarity and creates a strong foundation for meaningful change.
Mel Robbin’s Best Year Workbook highlights a reflection on both of these things and may help you get these reflections down on paper.
We also like Emily Freeman’s 10 Questions for Reflection and Discernment
Reflection without planning rarely leads to results. Once you’ve identified what matters most, it’s time to plan.
The key here is specificity. Good intentions become real commitments when they are scheduled. Block time for priorities, not just tasks. And understand your natural rhythms to know when the best time is to do what type of activities. We outline how to do a time audit and other important “when” topics here. Whether it’s strategic thinking, personal development, health, or connection, if it matters—it deserves space on your calendar.
You also may want to check out Cal Newport’s planner and podcast for more insights on purposeful planning for “deep work” and “slow productivity.”
And then, the harder part: stick to it. Treat these commitments with the same respect you give meetings and deadlines. Consistency is where progress compounds.
Starting the year right doesn’t mean doing more. In fact, it often means doing less—on purpose.
We simplify at HPC by selecting a theme for the year. Here are some of our previous themes:
Ironically enough, our theme for 2026 HPC is “Simplicity.”
Look at your commitments, goals, and routines and ask: What can be simplified? Where can you reduce complexity, eliminate distractions, or streamline processes? We will be working through all of these things this year at HPC.
We are starting off this year simplifying our blog and newsletters. Blogs will be released once a month, not once a week, along with a newsletter. Often, less is more.
Simplicity creates focus and it takes intention. We are focusing on this in 2026.
Goals grow stronger when they are shared. Whether it’s with a colleague, a team, a coach, or a trusted friend, articulating your intentions out loud builds accountability and clarity.
Sharing also invites support. You don’t have to carry the year alone—and you shouldn’t.
In fact, with our Doer2Leader (D2L) leadership training, everyone picks an accountability partner so they are sharing their goals and sharing their progress throughout the six month program.
We have three groups starting this month and have a spot or two left for more- email us to set up a call to talk about your need!
Finally, remember that the year is not a straight line. Starting strong matters, but recalibrating regularly matters more. Every year will no doubt require pivots.
Build in moments—monthly or quarterly (we like to do it quarterly)—to revisit your reflections, plans, and priorities. Ask what’s working, what’s shifting, and what needs adjustment. Calibration keeps you aligned as conditions change.
Starting the new year right isn’t about perfection or pressure. It’s about clarity, intention, and disciplined follow-through. When you reflect honestly, plan deliberately, simplify courageously, share openly, and calibrate regularly, you create a year that is not just busy—but meaningful.
At Horizon Point, our work begins and ends with people. That’s why our Meet the Team series is all about sharing the stories behind the faces who bring our mission to life. This week, we’re proud to spotlight our founder and CEO, Mary Ila Ward. [Full video at the end of this blog and on our YouTube Channel.]
If you caught her keynote last week at the Southern Automotive Conference, you already know that Mary Ila’s energy is contagious. Her message about driving the workforce forward challenged leaders to think differently about how we grow people, organizations, and communities. It was a perfect preview of what drives her every day at Horizon Point: helping others discover purpose, align passion with productivity, and build workplaces where innovation thrives.
Our 2025 theme, Nourish, is about more than professional development. It’s about tending to the roots that make growth possible. Mary Ila has been doing just that since she founded Horizon Point more than a decade ago. What started as a vision to reshape how companies think about people strategy has grown into a thriving consulting firm that blends HR, leadership, and workforce development with a deep commitment to community impact.
Mary Ila believes that nourishing entrepreneurship starts with curiosity and courage and the willingness to try new ideas, take smart risks, and trust that growth often comes from discomfort. Her own journey embodies that mindset: moving from corporate HR roles to launching a business built on her belief that work should be both productive and purposeful.
In her Meet the Team interview, Mary Ila shares how she balances bold innovation with grounded leadership. She talks about the importance of creating space for creativity while maintaining a clear sense of mission. Whether she’s designing leadership programs, coaching executives, or mentoring emerging professionals, her approach always centers on one thing: helping people flourish.
She also reminds us that nourishing others starts with nourishing ourselves, investing in reflection, learning, and rest so we can show up ready to serve. It’s a principle that guides her leadership and the culture she’s built within Horizon Point.
As we continue our Meet the Team series, we invite you to get to know the people who make our work possible, each bringing their own story of growth, grit, and generosity. Mary Ila’s story reminds us that innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It’s cultivated, cared for, and shared, one idea, one conversation, one relationship at a time.
