Leadership

Competitive Resilience at the FTA

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is turning storms into ingenuity and inspiration through its grant programs. This spark of ingenuity came from a place of hardship for Americans. We all remember the devastation that followed Superstorm Sandy. The 2012 hurricane triggered one of the worst public transportation disasters in US history, flooding and damaging railRead… Read more »

What Kind of Leader Are You?

There are three types of leaders. Each is successful in a different context, says Dr. Michael Maccoby, a renowned business advisor who is both an organizational psychologist and anthropologist. And you need all three on your organization’s top management team. Drawing on nearly five decades of research and experience in both government and the privateRead… Read more »

Succeeding in Government Work: Lessons Learned from Leslie Knope

In case you missed it, NBC’s Parks and Recreation aired its final episode this year after seven seasons of inspirational and hilarious tales of city government workers in small-town America. Leslie Knope (as played by Amy Poehler) – my favorite character and one of my government heroes – is the Deputy Director of the ParksRead… Read more »

Why Your Presentations Are Putting People to Sleep

Did your last presentation leave your colleagues rubbing their eyes and chugging coffee? During your time at the front of the room, did your voice sound a lot like when an adult talked in the old Peanuts cartoons? Then your presentations are putting your audience to sleep—and your professional reputation is taking a hit in the process. The ability to communicate verbally,Read… Read more »

Leadership Training – Not Just for Young Employees

As a “seasoned” employee of the Corps of Engineers, I thought I already knew quite a bit about leadership. After almost 25 years, I have been a Project Manager, Program Manager, and had a few stints as a temporary Supervisor, in addition to my usual technical work in environmental compliance. When my mentor suggested IRead… Read more »

Who Wants to Be the Boss?

It’s no secret that federal employees are not always satisfied with their agency – but what about federal executives? A new survey out of Vanderbilt University, titled “Survey on the Future of Government Service,” found that a third of federal executives believe that the workforce lacks the skills to get the job done and thatRead… Read more »

9 Ways to Prime and Prep your Promotion

Imagine today is the last day at your current job. You checked out the link at USAJobs and realized the offer letter is real and you have received your promotion job offer letter. It is a great feeling to know that after countless hours of resume writing, editing, and interview practicing that you can reapRead… Read more »