Tag: Professional Development

  • What Do You Need to Add to Your Professional Development Toolbox?

    What Do You Need to Add to Your Professional Development Toolbox?

    Earlier this summer, I facilitated a Zoom session with a small group of employees to gather feedback on a new training initiative. The discussion was eye-opening. While a few participants voiced concerns about the perceived bureaucracy around required training, others shared that they had already implemented some of the tools and were eager for their colleagues to experience the same growth.

    My biggest takeaway? When rolling out professional development (PD) opportunities, it’s essential to invite your team into the process. Be transparent about the “why” behind the training. Let people know it’s not just a box to check—it’s a pathway for their personal growth and a strategy to drive organizational success.

    This week, I’ll be in Mississippi speaking with educators about building a Professional Development Toolbox (follow along with all of our events here). Shortly after, I’ll head to Mobile, Alabama to kick off a PD course with another group of dedicated educators. Despite being in different locations and varied groups, the message is the same: professional development is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for organizations that want to thrive.

    Whether you’re supporting teachers, tech teams, or healthcare workers, the tools you include in your PD toolbox may differ—but the framework remains consistent:

    1. Identify what your organization needs to operate effectively and stay competitive.
    2. Align those needs with the existing or aspirational skill sets of your employees.
    3. Provide the tools, resources, and opportunities that allow people to grow—and in turn, help your organization flourish.

    As the saying goes, “The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.” – Henry Ford

    When professional development is done well, it’s not just about skill-building. It’s about cultivating a culture of curiosity, ownership, and continual growth.

    For ideas on how to get started, check out these previous blog posts:

    Ask us at HPC how we can help you expand your professional development toolbox!

  • Nourish: A Bold New Direction for 2025

    Nourish: A Bold New Direction for 2025

    After a year of “Open the Door” as our 2024 theme, we decided this year as a team that maybe we needed to simplify- our theme and our focus.  As I discussed in my speech Taste and See, turning responsibility into obligation to open the door to anyone and anything brought about a state of too much in 2025.  Like they say, there can be too much of a good thing. 

    So in keeping with tasting and seeing what is good and letting that be the only obligation or responsibility to pursue, trusting that good things will flow naturally from there, we felt as though “Nourish” speaks volumes to what we are pursuing this year and aligns with our organizational values. 

    What Nourish means to us: 

    • Living with intention
    • Nourishing the people closest to us
    • Emphasizing abundance instead of scarcity
    • Pouring into good things allows the outcomes take care of themselves
    • The mindset that capacity doesn’t equal obligation. Margins nourish us to live with intent and pour into the important people and things around us. This helps us see who and what needs to be nourished right in front of us. 
    • Nourishing creates growth 
    • Nourishing leads to thriving 

    Values Alignment 

    And in true HPC fashion, we put the word into ChatGPT and found that nourish aligns well with our values: 

    1. Passion: Nourishing reflects a commitment to fueling enthusiasm and energy in all endeavors, encouraging others to pursue their work with heart and dedication.
    2. Productivity: Nourishing the mind, skills, and workplace environment enables individuals and teams to perform at their best, driving meaningful outcomes.
    3. People First: At its core, “nourish” emphasizes care, growth, and support, putting people at the center by fostering their well-being and development.
    4. Continuous Learning and Improvement: Nourishment encompasses providing the resources, opportunities, and encouragement for ongoing growth and enhancement, ensuring a culture of improvement.
    5. Give Back: Nourishing others extends to contributing to the greater good, whether through community efforts, mentorship, or empowering others to succeed.

    What we will Nourish this year: 

    Leadership Development and Coaching

    We are launching new content in 2025 that includes monthly blog posts and coaching moment videos to help nurture leadership development in companies and communities.  These will be practical strategies to implement, not complex theories or vague guidance. A taste of what we will be doing to nourish leadership development in our area includes facilitating the Cummings Research Park Tech to Exec Program and continuing to deliver Encounter Groups to our clients.  Our customized programs for organizations will now come with a customized website page(s) to provide nourishment even after the in-person component concludes. 

    Entrepreneurship

    We will be launching new content featuring entrepreneurs across our network to showcase the innovation taking place all around us. We will continue to support Alabama Launchpad and the dozens of entrepreneurs that come through the program each year. 

    Career and Professional Development

    In 2024, we launched online courses and will continue to launch more courses throughout 2025. Taylor is now one of the very few people in the country certified to deliver the National Career Development Association’s brand new School Career Development Advisor (SCDA) training, and she will continue to work with the Alabama State Department of Education to certify hundreds of educators across the state in this and other content and certifications. 

    Informed Compensation

    We continue to do a lot of compensation work. We realize that this core hygiene factor helps people literally nourish themselves and their families. Living wages are important and so is making wise business financial decisions to ensure the longevity of our organizations. These can exist together and be nourished together- remember abundance, not scarcity.  We will continue to facilitate the North Alabama Regional Wage and Benefit survey to help companies and communities make informed compensation decisions. 

    Each Other

    We are a family at HPC and each of us needs nourishment from each other. This year, we will be focused on nourishing Taylor as she undergoes surgery and treatment for breast cancer.  Emily is nourishing new life, and we will welcome a baby into the HPC family in May!  We ask your prayers for Taylor and Emily and their families. 

    nourish gift basket
    Taylor’s “nourish” basket from the team!
    Each of us curated a few items that we knew would bring Taylor a little bit of joy and “nourishment”.

    What are you nourishing this year? What do you want to see grow? 

  • 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?

  • 4 Ways to Get Unstuck with Professional Development

    4 Ways to Get Unstuck with Professional Development

    We all experience moments of feeling stuck. Maybe it’s a lack of clarity on next steps, difficulty overcoming a challenge, or simply feeling uninspired; whatever the reason, it can be hard to push through and continue growing. However, professional development doesn’t have to feel like a solo struggle. There are tools and methods available to help get you unstuck and moving forward. Below are four resources we use at HPC to help teams and individuals break through barriers and develop professionally.


    1. One-on-Ones

    The power of one-on-one meetings cannot be overstated when it comes to personal and professional development. At HPC, we know firsthand how effective these conversations can be when structured thoughtfully. Our one-on-ones with our leader provide space for focused dialogue, allowing us to reflect on our goals, challenges, and progress. What makes them especially impactful is that they create an opportunity for Mary Ila to give us real-time feedback and guidance, which is crucial for our growth.

    We also help clients implement effective one-on-ones, and to help them get used to the purpose and process, we’ve started incorporating resources from the One-on-Ones Box by The Unstuck Box (see more about them next!). This toolkit provides a structured way to ensure these conversations go beyond surface-level check-ins.

    With guided prompts and thought-provoking questions, this resource helps managers and team members dig deeper into their challenges and aspirations. It’s all about driving meaningful development in a way that feels both supportive and actionable. The tools allow for conversation around everything from performance feedback to goal setting, which keeps the sessions focused and results-driven.

    2. The Unstuck Box

    You heard me right with the One-on-Ones Box – the company who makes these is literally called The Unstuck Box. As the name suggests, this tool is designed to help individuals and teams overcome roadblocks that prevent progress. Professional development can sometimes feel like a series of unsolvable puzzles. The Unstuck Box provides practical methods to approach these challenges with fresh perspective.

    In a recent training session for a non-profit leadership group, Taylor used the Performance Improvement Box, using the cards to prompt creative problem-solving and help the team explore new ways to handle tricky issues. It’s been a game-changer for our training sessions, helping leaders feel empowered to tackle problems that may have previously felt overwhelming.

    3. FranklinCovey Cards

    When it comes to unlocking potential, sometimes the right question or challenge can spark an “aha” moment. That’s where FranklinCovey comes into play. I attended the ATD International Conference & Expo this year, and FranklinCovey had Elevate Performance Cards exclusively for ATD attendees. I snagged a box, Taylor used them during a leadership development session for a client, and the results were impressive. Participants were asked to respond to real-world scenarios, and the exercise opened up deep conversations about performance, communication, and strategy.

    The Elevate Performance cards are designed to promote reflection and encourage team collaboration. By reviewing a challenge together, participants explore different perspectives and brainstorm a range of solutions. This not only encourages critical thinking but also helps teams work more cohesively. These cards will now be a staple in HPC training, offering a simple yet powerful tool for driving group development and performance improvement.

    4. SparkPath Challenge Cards

    Career exploration can be a daunting process, especially for younger individuals who may not yet have a clear vision of their professional path. To support students in exploring their potential career options, we use SparkPath Challenge Cards at HPC. These cards are specifically designed to help middle and high school students think beyond traditional job roles and focus instead on real-world challenges they’re passionate about solving.

    By introducing students to the idea that their career can be shaped around the problems they want to address, the SparkPath cards open up a world of possibilities. We’ve found that this method inspires creativity and critical thinking, encouraging students to take ownership of their professional development at an early age. It’s a fantastic way to help young people get unstuck when they’re unsure about their future.


    Each of these resources offers a unique approach to professional development, but they all share one common goal: helping individuals and teams overcome obstacles to growth. Sometimes we simply find ourselves stuck, as Mary Ila talked about last week. Her advice to a colleague (and to herself) was this: Start with one thing. What is one thing you want to grow in? Not ten things, not three things, one thing. 

    Whether you’re working one-on-one, in a group, or guiding young students, these tools provide practical ways to get unstuck, one thing at a time. 

  • 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?