SPACE LAB: We need to create time to experiment to survive

There’s been a real drive for evidence based campaigns in the public sector just recently. Government communicators have been asked not to do anything unless it’s based on data. The argument goes that this cuts out the vanity campaign or the SOS – the Sending Out Stuff – that sees press releases and other thingsRead… Read more »

Raise your paws if you like open data

Meet @CutiesInDenver, a Twitter bot that periodically shares cute photos of adoptable animals from Denver’s shelter. Sure, the bot features loads of pictures of cute adoptable dogs, but it’s also an example for how Denver can use open data to make the city a better place to live. When our Code for America Fellowship teamRead… Read more »

7 Lessons Learned from the PMI-ACP® Exam

Everyone has their own method for studying for the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® Exam. You might carry the PMI-ACP® Examination Content Outline or some Project Management Institute (PMI)® recommended study material around with you. You might join your local PMI® Chapter to study with others who also have the goal of passing the PMI-ACP®Read… Read more »

Ten Steps to Starting a New Management Assignment

One of the more intimidating but significant times in the life of a manager is the start of a new organizational assignment. It’s an opportunity to take advantage of your strengths and work on any weaknesses. And, as with any project, the way you begin is extremely important. Performing a situational assessment is an importantRead… Read more »

Time for Sir Humphrey to retire

Just before Easter, I spent a couple of nights staying in a rather nice hotel. As it turned out, the fact that I can dimly remember watching Fawlty Towers many years ago proved to be of no help at all to me in understanding what was going on or how to navigate its processes. IRead… Read more »

Success Rule #42 – Be Financially Fit

Pretty simple rule, yet one that is often ignored or at a minimum, not really understood. We grow up not really being taught how to manage our finances and so we go to college, or perhaps get a job. We then get a checking account, a credit card…or two, or three, start spending, accumulating debt,Read… Read more »

Four Actions to Better Integrate Performance Into Budget Formulation

Reformers have promoted the notion of performance budgeting since it was introduced by the 1949 Hoover Commission. Major initiatives have been attempted and incremental progress has been achieved. But not enough has happened. A Government Accountability Office survey last year reports that the percentage of federal managers saying they used performance information in allocating resourcesRead… Read more »

7 Lessons in Addressing Racism from Everyday Democracy

Our organizational partners are Everyday Democracy have been working for 25 years to make racial equity a central piece of their work in dialogue and deliberation, and they recently condensed some of the key insights that work has taught them. We learned a lot from ED’s lessons and share their belief addressing racism in ourRead… Read more »

Social Media Reality Check: Four Mental Shifts Leaders Need to Make

I have previously written about the 5 Main Barriers to Digital Engagement by organizations, their leaders, and other senior professionals. These barriers include lack of knowledge and understanding of social and digital technologies, framing that leads to risk aversion, poor/no roadmaps, and inadequate resource allocation. A related issue involves concerns over the ROI of socialRead… Read more »