The ABCs of Encouraging Each Other: Creating Better Relationships
If you’re like me, you take so much for granted….your freedom, your coworkers, your relationships. Here are the basics of keeping your coworkers encouraged.
Building Resilient Teams
No matter how savvy, smart, and cooperative your team, challenges can shake up any rhythm, discourage those involved, and derail progress. Resilience is the secret to learning from mistakes and growing stronger after a major challenge. Building resilience starts with team culture.
5 Tips on How to Have A Tough Conversation At Work
We’ve probably all been a part of difficult conversations that went spectacularly wrong. There were meltdowns, hard feelings – maybe even ruined relationships. Because of this it can be hard to want to bring up a difficult subject when the need arises. We brace ourselves for confrontation, and put off the conversation as long as… Read more »
What Is Innovation? Says Who?
Innovation is a broad topic talked about in ways which confuse the subject. It’s also a subject that generates a wide range of reactions. This blog defines innovation and views it through three lenses – customer, organization, individual – to bring into focus what it might mean for you. I like to use a definitionRead… Read more »
What I Learned About Working in Government from Long Distance Running
When I’m not saving the world as a federal government employee, I enjoy long distance running. My relatively short legs do not quite paint the picture of an elegant, gazelle-like runner, but I have laser-like determination, a “never quit” attitude, and perseverance for days. When I run, I am able to tune out many everydayRead… Read more »
The Leadership Strengths of Introverts
It’s no secret that extroverts hold the majority of leadership roles in the professional world. When you call to mind a high level executive, you probably picture someone with an outgoing personality and commanding presence, instead of a quiet, reflective individual. A USA Today study even found that 65 percent of senior level managers believeRead… Read more »
Leadership Development and Selection in a VUCA World
Likely you’ve heard the term VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) and, perhaps, some agencies have begun utilizing the acronym in long-term strategic planning. But have you thought about its application in leadership selection and development? Here are some considerations to think about. Recently, at an international conference relating to assessment center methods, I listenedRead… Read more »
DOD’s Better Buying Power – A Path to Meaningful Acquisition Reform
Today, the IBM Center for The Business of Government is pleased to release a new report, “Beyond Business as Usual: Improving Defense Acquisition through Better Buying Power,” by Zachary S. Huitink and David M. Van Slyke of Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The U.S. Government spends nearly $500 billion every yearRead… Read more »
How to Lead Your Team Out of a Blamestorm
Your team is talking about a tough slog of a project that hasn’t been going well. Milestones have slipped. Deliverables haven’t been delivered. Rather than determining how you can move forward together, your team is fixated on finding someone to blame for what went wrong. Tempers flare as everyone points their finger at everyone else…. Read more »
Tools for Your Success
The productivity of a business, no matter the size, largely depends on the level of efficiency. In most cases, even huge businesses tend to have a chaotic organization. For instance, a common issue that leads to gross inefficiency is activity duplication. Another form of inefficiency is inconsistencies in task allocation to staff members. In most cases,Read… Read more »