Sometimes trying to manage a team of strong personalities can feel like herding cats. The great strengths that make each team member fantastic on their own may cause them to butt heads when it comes to a group setting. If you’re at the helm of a team of independent spirits, it can be challenging toRead… Read more »
By Jessica Havlak, ICF International It’s not so hard to think up fun ideas that we think might engage our audience… but who knows better than they what will be appealing? I’ve found that the best way to create engaging, relevant content is just to pay attention. Listen to what your community is talking about, and designRead… Read more »
Last weekend, New Zealand joined Australia for GovHack 2015. If you’re not familiar with the idea, this is a 2-day hackathon set up for people – community, industry, academia, civil society and public sector − to get creative with government data. The goal is to build some ‘thing’ using open government data. To be clear: this isRead… Read more »
One of the first things I learned as a kindergartener in Sunday School at Burnt Swamp Baptist Church in Lumberton, NC was the Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In other words, treat others the way you would like to be treated. Despite the simplicity of thisRead… Read more »
My father a member of the Silent Generation used this phrase all the time, “I Feel You But I Can’t Reach You.” Of course to him, the phrase was not a term of endearment. He used this refrain from a position of power as he reminded you of your lack of power. He never intendedRead… Read more »
It happened a few years ago. And as usual I was fully unprepared. “I do all the work. I take it all on. And I never say anything,” she whispered, trying not to have our office neighbors hear. A long time ago I had a manager who said, “At work you should have Valium and someRead… Read more »
Starting a new job can get your nerves twanging. Your business casual wardrobe feels either too casual or too business. You’ve lost your old lunch crew and you’re dreading eating alone at your desk. You have a chance to start fresh at a new job, but you worry that your bad habits will prove impossible to break. EvenRead… Read more »
Brand Essence: Noun. A feeling. The instinctive, unconscious emotional reaction people have whenever they encounter you. Today I learned that Oreos are going on a diet. Despite the fact that 50% of Oreo consumers split the cookie apart before eating it, the Associated Press reports, there will soon be a new version called “Oreo Thins”Read… Read more »
Have you read the results of the Government Business Council’s new “Digital Disconnect” survey? The results are fascinating, and I could go on for quite some time about them (just ask my dogs, who have been listening to me rant about the survey all morning). However, at the moment I will focus on the resultRead… Read more »
Office politics is an inevitable part of work life. And unfortunately, avoiding it altogether, or pretending to be above it, is nearly impossible and likely won’t help you move through the ranks. But this doesn’t necessarily have to be negative, as long as you know how to navigate the system. Ultimately, office politics is allRead… Read more »