He manages the superannuation of some of the state’s most influential media players as Media Super’s WA relationship manager and spends his free time volunteering at not-for-profits. Patrick Horneman tells The Record about the power of listening, his devoution to the Catholic faith and why he’d like to be Spiderman.
What are some of your hobbies?
Assisting not for profit organisations in their mission. Attending the local gym, mountain bike riding. Volunteering on the Bibbulmun Track Corporate Challenge. Mentor at Australian Institute of Management.
What is your favourite thing to do on your day off?
Reflection before dawn followed by a long walk with Patricia, my wife, along the Perth coast. Spend the afternoon cooking and have all the family over with friends for dinner.
What is your favourite movie?
The Book of Eli; It is a timely reminder of our shared eternal perspective.
Do you support any football team? If so which one?
Penrith Panthers, (I come from Penrith NSW).
How does your faith help you in your day-to-day life?
Faith is the beginning and end of all that is to be done, the fabric of what is in between and the thin thread that holds humanity together. It is encouraging to witness many today identifying that thread.
What is the best thing about your job?
Being with people at pivotal moments in their lives and their careers, such moments can lead to people having deep insights and this causing a shift for the better. Witnessing and assisting with this is special.
What has been the hardest thing about your job?
Learning to listen longer than I speak.
If you could meet any saint whom would it be and why?
Elijah, a prophet in the Old Testament who traversed the whole human condition and survived.
What advice would you give to someone wanting a job in communications?
Learn and practice the art of listening. Compliment that with the art of asking questions that allow others to think, then listen. When you have perfected the art of listening more than you speak then you are getting close to being a good communicator.
What is the importance of gaining contacts?
Contacts help you, your business, to grow as you assist them to grow.
How would you go about acquiring contacts?
Ask people what they do. Seek to understand what their passion is and pretty soon they will like you and want to be your contact.
Favourite colour?
Gold, as it is the background of all Holy pictures and is meant to be a view into heaven, where the subject of the icon sits.
Favourite home cooked meal?
Salmon.
What do you like best about the Christmas season?
Being still and knowing Jesus is “here”, catching up with family and time at Rottnest.
Favourite childhood memory?
Climbing Mt Banks in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney with my dad and brothers.
If you could be any superhero who would it be?
Spiderman, because I have had my brush with vertigo and he certainly has no such limitation.
What do you think the future of the communications in the Catholic world looks like?
Being bold, real, honest, vulnerable and humble in expressing our journey of faith.
What is the importance of Facebook and Twitter?
It is a profound revolution similar to the challenge that aeroplanes were to railway companies. It is also provides a very public indication of the depth of our character and an indication of the quality of that which we treasure enough in our moral warehouse to share with the world.
In your opinion what are some drawbacks of Facebook and Twitter?
Sadly if a person’s moral warehouse is empty or ill informed then what goes into the public arena via the social media can sometimes be found wanting.
If you could go on any pilgrimage where would it be and why?
Assisi because it is a place of peace and my wife, Patricia, is Italian (local language skills are always an advantage).