When Cutbacks Become Amputations: Trim the Fat, Not the Foot

The idea of cutbacks doesn’t have to be synonymous with layoffs, but when budget cuts are imminent it’s only logical that we start looking for redundancies in our staff. But consider what this means. Nobody takes it lightly when the axe man cometh, but when we eliminate staff we are making the declaration that theirRead… Read more »

Top 5 Tips to Avoid a WOTM

It’s Friday at work and there is calmness in the air until the bell on your Outlook email begins to ring sounding off the start of your marathon of all day meetings. Meetings can be a great way to share information, connect with colleagues and obtain insight on leadership views when managed effectively. Yet, sometimesRead… Read more »

How To Fire All The Bureaucrats

Today I had to take care of a small errand and was struck by the inefficiency with which government works: Before walking in the door, I couldn’t figure out which instructions applied to me. I could barely even find them on the website. The appointment system was telephone-based, a frustrating waste of time. Once inRead… Read more »

In Praise Of Office Friendships

This infographic from OfficeVibe highlights statistics from several reports on friendship and employee engagement to come up with an unsurprising conclusion: we’re happier at work if we have friends there. Workdays seem shorter when we can take a break to laugh with a friend at the water cooler. The organization as a whole seems moreRead… Read more »

6 Audiences to Consider When Communicating Your Agency Messages

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 and Executive Order 13563 both require that we communicate clearly, accessibly, consistently so that government information is easy to understand. The principles of plain language help us provide universal access to government information, for many people. We’re told to “write for average comprehension,” when we use those principles. So,Read… Read more »