Reflections on 2024

Reflections on 2024

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Mark is the Founder and Managing Principal of IA, applying over thirty years of experience in the implementation of internal and external HR transformational initiatives for public and private sector clientele worldwide. By offering unbiased and candid advice to C-level leaders in nearly all geographies and vertical market segments, Mark has brought billions of dollars’ worth of value to his clients and employers. He has spent his career fostering relationships through attention to detail, natural curiosity, and a self-deprecating sense of humor.

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Mark Seltzner headshot from IA HR consulting

From Mark

As we approach the end of 2024, it’s a time for reflection, gratitude, and looking forward to new opportunities. This year has brought both challenges and triumphs, but one thing we can all agree on is how much our furry companions have brightened our workdays. Whether they’ve been a source of comfort during tough moments or the motivators behind our productivity breaks, these little friends have played a bigger role in our daily lives than we might have imagined.

In this year’s final newsletter, we wanted to take a step back from the numbers and deadlines and share a glimpse of how our office companions (the furry kind!) have added joy and support to our work lives. After all, sometimes the best way to recharge and keep our spirits high is through the companionship of a loyal friend.

Founder/Managing Principal/Gratitude Practitioner, IA

The Latest

Where is HR headed in 2025? 6 Predictions

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Read more >

Reskilling HR for the Future: Navigating the shift to Shared Services

by Kimberly Carroll
Read more >

The Promise, Potential – and Perils – of AI in HR Transformation

by Mary Faulkner
Read more >


Coming Soon

IA’s Holiday Shutdown
Just a reminder that IA observes its holiday shutdown from December 23, 2023 to January 1, 2025.

Transform Conference
March 17-19, 2025
Mark Stelzner
Las Vegas, NV
Get Info>

Purple Acorn Podcast
Mary Faulkner joined Mike Wood to talk first jobs and careers!
Watch Now>


Of Interest

Pay transparency laws are coming – but most aren’t ready for them.

Read more >

CFOs see value in financial transformation.

Read more >

Can BlueSky’s rise last? An expert weighs in.

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LinkedIn: “We’re too boring for kids to be banned.

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looking back and focusing forward

We asked some IA-ers what they learned in 2024, how they’re approaching 2025, and their opinions on resolutions:

What I learned:I learned how to ride a dirt bike! I moved to Alaska in August, and with all of the trails, it is almost a “requirement” to have some sort of outdoor vehicle to traverse the landscape. And I haven’t crashed yet, so that’s a double-win. 

“Progress over perfection.” So much of the work we do is big, messy, transformational work and It’s not easy. Our clients are often stretched thin, with limited resources and competing priorities. The will to make these wholesale changes is often there, but the means sometimes aren’t. Best laid plans often have to pivot and change, and that’s okay. It’s about taking steps in the right direction, little by little, in support of that ultimate goal. Often the best thing we can do as advisors is to listen and understand the challenges, and help guide our clients to work with what’s within their control, and keep focusing on achieving progress over perfection.

This year, I learned that I am stronger than I think and can do hard things. My goal for 2024 was to MOVE for 2024 miles. In years past, this was more challenging than it was this year; I used to live a very active lifestyle, but the past few years have been difficult, and, unfortunately, I neglected to make MOVEMENT a part of my life. When I made this goal for myself, I did not think I would be able to achieve it, but I did know that if I made it a goal and publicly announced it, I would do everything in my power to achieve it and I did!

What I’m looking forward to:

My 2025 New Year plan will focus on strategically building flexibility, strength, and endurance, concentrating on my physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial well-being.

I’m really looking forward to the upcoming trips my family and I have planned. We love to travel, eat a lot of amazing food, try fabulous wines, and experience new places. We are targeting Texas, Hawaii, and even Italy!

Resolutions – in or out?

I’ve never been much of a fan of resolutions. I feel like they are often too specific, and too easy to abandon quickly as life happens in the New Year. Instead, I like to pick a focus area/intention or two (like financial well-being, which was a focus of mine this past year). Then I pick a few higher-level goals related to that area to guide me, but they are goals that can be reassessed or adjusted as the year goes on. That way, if and when things change, you can pivot and still work towards them without feeling like a failure. Again, it’s progress over perfection. 

For me, they’re “out.” New Year’s resolutions feel a little too static, and the start of a new calendar year really isn’t going to trigger any kind of real change for me personally. I like to be a little more dynamic with how I grow and develop as a person.

I have always been a big fan of setting goals and building plans around achieving those goals, and the New Year is a great time to do this planning. I am a goal-oriented person, so this works great for me, as I prefer to build a plan for the entire year instead of a “big bang” New Year resolution that I will most likely abandon by February because it is too overwhelming, too unrealistic, or just not well thought out. At the end of every year, I focus on reflecting on the past year, what I achieved, what my obstacles to things I did not achieve, and what I need to focus on in the New Year. I will then build a strategy for myself, focusing on action steps that will leave me better than I was going into the New Year. I always make sure I publicize this goal, whether telling a loved one, putting it on social media, or making it a personal goal for work to hold myself accountable.


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look behind

Mark Stelzner

Newsletters

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmail

Mark Seltzner headshot from IA HR consulting

From Mark

As we approach the end of 2024, it’s a time for reflection, gratitude, and looking forward to new opportunities. This year has brought both challenges and triumphs, but one thing we can all agree on is how much our furry companions have brightened our workdays. Whether they’ve been a source of comfort during tough moments or the motivators behind our productivity breaks, these little friends have played a bigger role in our daily lives than we might have imagined.

In this year’s final newsletter, we wanted to take a step back from the numbers and deadlines and share a glimpse of how our office companions (the furry kind!) have added joy and support to our work lives. After all, sometimes the best way to recharge and keep our spirits high is through the companionship of a loyal friend.

Founder/Managing Principal/Gratitude Practitioner, IA

The Latest

Where is HR headed in 2025? 6 Predictions

by Kimberly Carroll, Mark Stelzner and Mary Faulkner
Read more >

Reskilling HR for the Future: Navigating the shift to Shared Services

by Kimberly Carroll
Read more >

The Promise, Potential – and Perils – of AI in HR Transformation

by Mary Faulkner
Read more >


Coming Soon

IA’s Holiday Shutdown
Just a reminder that IA observes its holiday shutdown from December 23, 2023 to January 1, 2025.

Transform Conference
March 17-19, 2025
Mark Stelzner
Las Vegas, NV
Get Info>

Purple Acorn Podcast
Mary Faulkner joined Mike Wood to talk first jobs and careers!
Watch Now>


Of Interest

Pay transparency laws are coming – but most aren’t ready for them.

Read more >

CFOs see value in financial transformation.

Read more >

Can BlueSky’s rise last? An expert weighs in.

Read more >

LinkedIn: “We’re too boring for kids to be banned.

Read more >


looking back and focusing forward

We asked some IA-ers what they learned in 2024, how they’re approaching 2025, and their opinions on resolutions:

What I learned:I learned how to ride a dirt bike! I moved to Alaska in August, and with all of the trails, it is almost a “requirement” to have some sort of outdoor vehicle to traverse the landscape. And I haven’t crashed yet, so that’s a double-win. 

“Progress over perfection.” So much of the work we do is big, messy, transformational work and It’s not easy. Our clients are often stretched thin, with limited resources and competing priorities. The will to make these wholesale changes is often there, but the means sometimes aren’t. Best laid plans often have to pivot and change, and that’s okay. It’s about taking steps in the right direction, little by little, in support of that ultimate goal. Often the best thing we can do as advisors is to listen and understand the challenges, and help guide our clients to work with what’s within their control, and keep focusing on achieving progress over perfection.

This year, I learned that I am stronger than I think and can do hard things. My goal for 2024 was to MOVE for 2024 miles. In years past, this was more challenging than it was this year; I used to live a very active lifestyle, but the past few years have been difficult, and, unfortunately, I neglected to make MOVEMENT a part of my life. When I made this goal for myself, I did not think I would be able to achieve it, but I did know that if I made it a goal and publicly announced it, I would do everything in my power to achieve it and I did!

What I’m looking forward to:

My 2025 New Year plan will focus on strategically building flexibility, strength, and endurance, concentrating on my physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial well-being.

I’m really looking forward to the upcoming trips my family and I have planned. We love to travel, eat a lot of amazing food, try fabulous wines, and experience new places. We are targeting Texas, Hawaii, and even Italy!

Resolutions – in or out?

I’ve never been much of a fan of resolutions. I feel like they are often too specific, and too easy to abandon quickly as life happens in the New Year. Instead, I like to pick a focus area/intention or two (like financial well-being, which was a focus of mine this past year). Then I pick a few higher-level goals related to that area to guide me, but they are goals that can be reassessed or adjusted as the year goes on. That way, if and when things change, you can pivot and still work towards them without feeling like a failure. Again, it’s progress over perfection. 

For me, they’re “out.” New Year’s resolutions feel a little too static, and the start of a new calendar year really isn’t going to trigger any kind of real change for me personally. I like to be a little more dynamic with how I grow and develop as a person.

I have always been a big fan of setting goals and building plans around achieving those goals, and the New Year is a great time to do this planning. I am a goal-oriented person, so this works great for me, as I prefer to build a plan for the entire year instead of a “big bang” New Year resolution that I will most likely abandon by February because it is too overwhelming, too unrealistic, or just not well thought out. At the end of every year, I focus on reflecting on the past year, what I achieved, what my obstacles to things I did not achieve, and what I need to focus on in the New Year. I will then build a strategy for myself, focusing on action steps that will leave me better than I was going into the New Year. I always make sure I publicize this goal, whether telling a loved one, putting it on social media, or making it a personal goal for work to hold myself accountable.


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