3 Reasons Why You Need a Happy File
I’ve learned the importance of having and maintaining a happy file at work, and I’ve found it so beneficial that I will always make it a priority to keep an updated happy file.
Career
Multitasking Doesn’t Help
If you were to come by my desk early Wednesday morning, you would have found me listening to the GovLoop State and Local Government Innovators Virtual Summit on my iPhone while I was working on a presentation and messaging with a colleague about an event we were planning. I was also answering emails in betweenRead… Read more »
Become Your Office’s Sherlock Holmes by Leveraging the 5 Why’s
You don’t treat a bullet wound with a Band-Aid. You don’t take a bald head to the beach without sunscreen. And you shouldn’t take all issues within your office at face value. A common technique for getting to the root cause of an issue is called the “5 Whys,” and it can be a great… Read more »
A Baby Boomer’s Advice to New Employees
After years of hiring freezes and budget cuts, we have been able to finally back-fill behind people who have retired years ago. And with work load increasing, and a decent budget, we are also able to hire some “entry level” positions to off-set our aging workforce. Often, our job openings are filled by others fromRead… Read more »
Overcoming Technical Work Hurdles
“It’s part of life to have obstacles. It’s about overcoming obstacles; that’s the key to happiness.” – Herbie Hancock System updates..upgrades…capabilities…permissions. I prefer not to hear those terms anytime soon. I met with some tech-savvy staff every day this week. I have not reached the finish line, but I am closer to my goal. MyRead… Read more »
Got Enough Drive to Advance Your Career? 5 Lessons from High Achievers
Yesterday, I had the privilege of closing out GovLoop’s State and Local Innovators Virtual Summit with a video chat that covered career advice for government professionals. In preparing for the chat, I reflected a bit on the traits I’ve observed in the most successful people across my 20-year career. The main distinction I’ve seen isRead… Read more »
Why You Need to Develop a Workplace Mentoring Program
A common characteristic of all successful companies is that they know how to attract and retain an engaged and qualified work force. Mentoring is one tool they use to ensure their employees are constantly learning to facilitate improved performance across the board. Below are several benefits of building and implementing a strong and effective workplaceRead… Read more »
Teleworking Like a Boss
“Wow. You know you’ve made it when you get to work from home,’” my sister told me. I’ll be the first to admit that I was very excited about the idea of teleworking; I made sure to have all of my paperwork turned in so I could start as soon as I was allowed. ThatRead… Read more »
Lowering the Heat: How to Manage Conflict
Conflict is a normal part of human nature, so it’s not surprising that we find it in the workplace. It’s probably even less surprising that it emerges when applying human-centered design (HCD). Just think about it – human-centered design is a very different way of working for most people. Many find its application uncomfortable inRead… Read more »
Some Extra Reading for Women in Gov
Writing a column for women in government means I spend a lot of time on the Internet, looking for inspiration, news, and advice for ladies. Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of online resources out there dedicated to female public servants (hence, why we created GovFem!). However, there is an abundance of websites dedicated to women’sRead… Read more »