Each year, some employees do their best to stay focused by following the office rules and political climate succinctly. While this is a way to play it safe, it often yields the same results: a “check the box mentality” of task management. Yet, have you ever wondered what life is like on the other sideRead… Read more »
As we prepare for GovLoop’s first-ever State and Local Innovators Virtual Summit, we and the presenters are posting blogs about many of the sessions and some of the tips they will share. The summit is October 22nd and free for everyone — make sure to register here! We all take different paths to move up andRead… Read more »
There are two areas in which job success is determined: 1. The technical aspects and skills – the performance of your duties 2. The soft skills – the conduct and attitude – the related behaviors you exhibit in the performance of your duties. The second area (soft skills) is very critical yet often undervalued byRead… Read more »
“No man becomes rich unless he enriches others.” – Andrew Carnegie Did you know that scientific evidence shows that helping others is actually beneficial for your own mental health and well-being? Yes, giving can actually reduce stress as well as improve your mood, self-esteem and happiness. In fact, according to the article, The Science ofRead… Read more »
A while back I wrote a post on annoying coworkers and how to deal with them. It clearly struck a nerve – after all, spending 40+ hours a week with someone who drives you nuts can really color your overall work experience. If those annoying coworkers stand out most in our minds, at least we canRead… Read more »
Government increasingly advocates for enhanced telework opportunities within the federal space. However, according to a 2013 report on telework in the federal government, many employees face management resistance when attempting to work remotely. This isn’t really surprising. Teleworking has gotten a bad rap for decreasing productivity, disrupting work routines, and creating security issues. The recent PatentRead… Read more »
Sometimes I wonder why good people suffer so in organizational life. For example: Messengers of doom are punished or ignored rather than rewarded. Computer glitches, safety lapses, ineffective leadership; employees who show every sign of endangering the workplace. All of these are routinely reported by attentive people, and frequently just as swiftly disregarded. StrategicRead… Read more »
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN’T GET FIRED? Don’t tell me that it’s never crossed your mind. When you become a tenured government employee, after around five years of service in most agencies, it’s natural to heave a great sigh of relief that you won’t be cashing unemployment checks any time soon. Urban legend says it’s impossibleRead… Read more »
Shortly before I left my previous job in April, I was sitting in a meeting when the host explained “this is the meeting before the meeting before the meeting,” and I couldn’t help but make a wise crack about it… after all, I had one foot out the door. I had spent the past threeRead… Read more »
I wonder, how many adults equate their annual performance evaluations with your progress reports of our primary school years? I doubt many, we tend to think those things are beyond us. The fact is, did we not even as adults going through our higher education years consider that our “grades” matter? As you know, sometimesRead… Read more »