Posts By Jera Brown

Free Social Media Management Tools and Why You Should Use Them

I think most of us by now have jumped on the Hootsuite train. It’s, arguably, the most robust and affordable social media management tool on the market. The following tools can be used in addition to an all-in-one platform like Hootsuite to fill in the gaps. Have any other free tools to add to theRead… Read more »

How HR can Promote Mindfulness in the Office

The goal of mindfulness is to be aware, moment by moment, of your body, your thoughts, your surroundings, and your motivations. While the practice of mindfulness originated in Buddhist meditations, secular use is very common. People practice mindfulness in different ways for various reasons, and many of the benefits are helpful in a work setting,Read… Read more »

15 Icon Resources

Looking to add visuals to improve your materials? These icon resources will help you out. Finding Icons The Noun Project Iconmonstr Map Icons Smashing Magazine Freebie Icons Search Fontello (font icons) Font Awesome (font icons) FindIcons Creative Commons Search Engine Building a Global Visual Language from The Noun Project on Vimeo. 9) Iconathon iconathon.org “IconathonsRead… Read more »

Should You Be a Mentor?

If you’re considering becoming a mentor, let me start by saying good for you! It can be such a rewarding experience watching and helping someone grow. If you’re feeling the pull to mentor, I believe you should trust your gut. You don’t have to be an expert at coaching or the top of your fieldRead… Read more »

Three Idea Sourcing Success Stories

PlaNYC What they used: Allourideas PlaNYC is a plan produced by the Mayor’s office to address the city’s long-term challenges including growing population, climate changes, a changing economy and an aging infrastructure. In 2011, the NYC Mayor’s Office centered a campaign around the question, “Which do you think is better for creating a greener, greaterRead… Read more »

The Listening Skills of Leaders

There’s much a leader can gain from working on her listening skills: an encouraged and inspired team, an environment that fosters idea sharing, and closer relationships with colleagues and other professionals. Listening isn’t just about being polite. It’s about respect, humility, and growth. So often we treat listening like waiting for our turn up toRead… Read more »

Government Websites: Three Things the UK Does Well

Gov.uk set an example and others followed In 2012, the Government Digital Service team launched a new home for the Cabinet of the United Kingdom replacing two sites: directgov and business link, and it was truly simple. No unnecessary imagery, homepage flashiness or marketing ploys. On gov.uk, you find information related to government services, andRead… Read more »

Getting Started with open311

This is a continuation of an article about open311 use cases in which I looked at three cities using open311 solutions to communicate with their constituents. This week, I’d like to offer some advice about getting started with open311 technology. The best places to start are with mobile reporting applications and the constituent relationship managementRead… Read more »