People are complex, variable and unpredictable. I like to think that we are more sophisticated than any 9-box grid, True Colors or personality test could ever hope to encompass. I feel violated when a marketer gets lucky and I suddenly “need” something I didn’t know even existed a few minutes earlier. Nonetheless, personality testsRead… Read more »
Guess who is at the very center of your People Garden? YOU! As with my first blog, this is about your People Garden work style. It is that time of the year where it is time for all of us to start our self-assessments for our Performance Appraisals. This whole concept has been ingrained inRead… Read more »
At various levels the federal government, there are structured, comprehensive career development (or mentoring) programs, like the Presidential Management Fellowship Program. Your agency might have its own version, but mentoring can be far less informal and structured, so long as it benefits both sides. If you are considering becoming a mentor to a new employee,Read… Read more »
Organizations have diverse teams focused on achieving a multitude of goals often with limited resources. Often, when resources such as staff or equipment are scarce some staff may engage in conflicts at work impacting office productivity. There are several ways to approach business conflicts: avoidance, acceptance or using a litany of anger. Business people learnRead… Read more »
So I might as well say it: I have a man-crush on Gordon Ramsay. And in case you hadn’t noticed, the guy is everywhere. Whether it is TV, commercials, events, or new restaurants (you remember he is actually a chef, right?), you can’t escape him. Some are turned off by his screaming and famously shortRead… Read more »
Here are 3 reasons why September is a good time to update your resume! Its nearly time for your annual performance review and you want to position yourself or a raise. One of your contacts approaches you with a great job opportunity and needs your resume, now! You learn that your job is in theRead… Read more »
“The greatest good you can do for another is not to share your riches but to reveal to him his own” – Benjamin Disraeli Before dive right into how to land your dream job, let’s do some internal work first. According to psychologist Sydney Jourard, 85 percent of your success in work is determined byRead… Read more »
Imagine a bright red Lamborghini parked outside of your front door and a sign right next to it screaming “FREE!” Initial reaction….Score! Secondary reaction……What’s the catch? With a little bit of healthy skepticism, you might reach the conclusion that the new gift may come with a hidden price tag. Because of the high market purchaseRead… Read more »
By Lily Whiteman, author of “How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job”; speaker on career issues; twitter: @Lilymwhiteman Although it doesn’t say so on the invitation, every job interview is really a Bring Your Own Success Portfolio —BYOSP—event. What is a success portfolio? A collection of tangible materials that validates your qualifications and proves thatRead… Read more »
There are a lot of problems out there that need fixing. Some are big, and complicated. Others are quite small, and simple. Why not try picking one of the small and simple ones, and fix it? Back in 2007, I started a new job in local government. I was a risk manager! I hadn’t beenRead… Read more »