FAIL FORWARD: Don’t Fear Failure – blog and slideshare

It’s such a damning word isn’t it, failure? It’s the bowler hatted man falling on a banana skin or the wrongly sent tweet that leaves us falling about LOL-ing. But the truth is, failure is beautiful. From failure we learn and we can do a better job. We shouldn’t fear failure. We should leave spaceRead… Read more »

Chopped: A Winning Recipe for Success?

I must admit that a guilty pleasure of mine is the Food Network show Chopped. Hidden among the culinary battles for Chopped Champion are some of life’s greatest lessons on success. I love the twisted mystery baskets of ingredients, the seemingly impossible time limits and the lofty expectations of the judges (sound like life?). ButRead… Read more »

How to Lead in Technology Recruiting

Finding and keeping technology talent is perhaps the most important activity leadership can focus on in an organization. As the needs of the larger organization grow, so do the demands for services. New compliance regulations? Find a technology solution to manage that. New field operation? Go get some technology to enable them to communicate andRead… Read more »

How Can You Avoid Micromanaging? Use the Socratic Method

Could you be a micromanager? Set your employees free with these important tips. The most successful executives are those who learn to delegate. A top manager hires experienced people who complement his skill set and fill his gaps, letting his subordinates help make him look like a superstar performer who gets things done. Micromanagers, onRead… Read more »

One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Marshaling Science in Crisis Situations

The deep knowledge of networks of science and medical researchers is invaluable when pandemics and health emergencies occur. But how do you marshal diffuse networks of expertise in a crisis? Almost 40 years ago, the Forest Service developed a command-and-control approach to battling forest fires that was successful in coordinating efforts across multiple jurisdictions andRead… Read more »

Tell Your Story: 5 Easy Steps for Effective Content Marketing

Quick: what’s the last ad you remember seeing? With promotions covering every square inch and pixel in your viewing area, you probably don’t remember. So in a world of literal clutter, how can you catch (and hold) the attention of potential clients and key audiences? Content marketing offers a viable solution for organizations to showRead… Read more »

Are You a Leadership “Freak”?

We sometimes refer to zealous hobbyists as ‘freaks’: tennis freaks, golf freaks, computer freaks. These highly enthusiastic people excel in their pursuits; they are unique, rare, uncommon, top-of-the-bell-curve types. Are You a Leadership “Freak”? According to a Harvard Business School of Leadership study, if you are an honest and thankful leader, you are a leadershipRead… Read more »

How the Public Sector Can ‘Buzzfeed’ Its Content

I recently attended an excellent event called News:rewired. As part of the event there was a speaker from Buzzfeed who highlighted their underlying principles. In particular they aim to ‘bake in the share imperative’ by creating engaging content that triggers actions such as: inspiring awe being positive surprising its readers It’s easy to be snootyRead… Read more »

Keep an eye out for Australia’s open budget

We’ve now suffered through most of the fun and games of budget leaking season this year, with the 2014-15 Australian Government budget now in its final ‘straight’. There were a variety of balloons floated, claims and counterclaims touted, promises apparently broken (or not, depending on who you listen to) and all the usual suspects wheelingRead… Read more »

Can Innovation Labs Transform Public Sector Work Culture?

In case you missed it, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has brought a piece of Silicon Valley’s high-tech entrepreneurial spirit to Washington in the form of a new and exciting Innovation Lab. Since launching in March 2012, the Lab has been successfully utilized by employees from dozens of federal agencies ranging from NASARead… Read more »