Are You Thinking About a “Deferred” Retirement?
This is an overview of deferred retirement annuity versus a postponed retirement annuity. by Gary Fouts
30 Minutes to Resume Rockstar
Is your resume ready for prime time, or is it languishing in its folder, just waiting for that day when you grab it for a job application? Are you ready to confidently answer any interview question that comes your way, with results-oriented examples of how your unique skills and characteristics saved the day? One ofRead… Read more »
The Evolution of Agenda Software, Part 1
The evolution of agenda management technology and why it is important for clerks
The Executive Bookshelf: An Unspoken Culture Builder
There are two book collections that have stuck with me in my lifetime, that have shaped my own reading direction. This in turn has helped to shape me. The first came in 1996, in the form of liner notes of Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Evil Empire’ CD. I was in my second year of college,Read… Read more »
10 of the Funniest Yelp Reviews of Government
If you somehow haven’t heard of Yelp, it’s a website and app where anyone can review just about anything. People mostly seem to head to Yelp when they’re busting to share their glowing praise or their boiling rage. Now, as announced by DigitalGov, Yelp has a terms of service for official government use. Agencies can claim orRead… Read more »
How To Deliver Feedback Without Sounding Like A Jerk
One of the toughest parts of being a manager is delivering constructive feedback to your employees. You have to strike a delicate balance between putting them on the defensive, and being so vague that your feedback doesn’t sink in. How do you make sure your feedback gets heard – and taken to heart? Much dependsRead… Read more »
3 Tips to Maximize Customer Interactions at Exhibits
I represented the agency’s tourism office at the Ohio State Fair this past weekend. What a ride (in a literal and figurative sense). We discussed our strategies and goals to ensure consistent messaging. At the fair, we presented our newest calendar of events, hiking maps, and travel guides. Some tech-savvy users download the app on-site.Read… Read more »
Why It’s Time for the Government to be Part of the Public Conversation about Health and Health Care
While we are not in control of the conversation, government workers can still listen and contribute to it. We can seed it with facts and ideas. We can respond to questions. We can be human, even as we maintain a thoughtful and focused public presence. All by leveraging the power of online communications.
Workplace Friendships
Last week I got a Facebook message from a friend from another agency that I’d known for 25 years. Like me, she’s approaching the end of her career in the federal government. In her message, she just wanted to say “hi,” update me on life events, and say thanks for being a friend. We neverRead… Read more »
How to Take Advantage of Inspiration Wherever it Strikes
Whether it is driving down the road, jumping in the shower, or walking out the door for a romantic night on the town; inspiration seems to strike at exactly the wrong time! By incorporating a few technologies, you can harness those strokes of genius and be ready for them, whenever they hits.