The Government’s “New IQ”
“There’s no ‘I” in TEAM!”
Leadership
Questionable Leadership Decisions: “Pass or Run?”
Super Bowl XLIX was this weekend. The Seattle Seahawks had second-and-goal at the 1 with 26 seconds remaining. The Seahawks were only one yard away from a second consecutive championship. Everyone, including me, knew that the only logical thing was for the quarterback to hand off the ball to their best running back to run theRead… Read more »
Most Valuable Player
The workplace is no different. The very same dynamics are taking place. There is also action in the workplace that releases energy and create champions. Touch downs are made which makes for a workplace that is sometimes exciting as the super bowl!
Prohibition Yields Innovation
Perhaps the most popular example of average Americans resisting authority came during the Prohibition Era of 1920-1933. Putting aside the imagery of movies like The Untouchables, moonshine & home breweries took on bigger, albeit clandestine, role in American innovation. Also of note during prohibition, production of sacramental wine for churches rose by hundreds of thousands… Read more »
Top 11 Books (and 1 Poem) for Local Government Leaders to Read
If you’re one of the many in the grips of a cold, snowy winter, you might be looking for a good way to pass the time. And if you’re a local government employee or leader, I have a list of solutions. Here are my suggestions for 11 books anyone working in local government should readRead… Read more »
Why We Need To Enhance Resilience
A few weeks ago I started reading Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free and began to think more than ever about the need to enhance resilience. Granted, miners accept the obvious risks of entering a mine so their need toRead… Read more »
Gov Should Hire & Promote More “Moses Managers”
All employees want great managers, yet not everyone is fortunate enough to enjoy that luxury. But what really makes an awesome manager? Some people say that an inclusive and positive can-do management style is best to promote leadership and productivity. Others argue it’s more effective for a manager to use fear tactics to get resultsRead… Read more »
Trust and the Future
This is not news so much as awakening. In the deep recesses of my public servant heart I knew…felt…denied that the day of reckoning was here. Yet, it has arrived in the form of “Cities of the 21st Century,” a report published last month by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Zogby Analytics. TheRead… Read more »
Get Wet! Cause Some Waves! (Or Not… )
Over the course of many decades of governmental work, as well as employment in the private sector and non-profit scene, I have witnessed first-hand and heard, second-hand, of the inherent dangers of saying something that is either unpleasant, reveals corruption, or otherwise is unpopular with the current ‘Powers-That-Be’. All of which leaves someone wondering whetherRead… Read more »
5 Tips to Flip Your Virtual Event
I love the way this video clip portrays some of the communication barriers and group dynamics associated with virtual conferencing. For me, it also calls into question the format of most of our meetings. Virtual meetings often make it easier for more attendees to participate, and as a virtual worker, I get it! But I also haveRead… Read more »