On Monday morning I woke up to the horrible news that the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital nurse diagnosed with the Ebola virus over the weekend was a 2010 graduate of Texas Christian University. As a Fort Worth resident, proud TCU alum, and daughter of a recently retired nurse, the news hit home. I also hadRead… Read more »
I have hundreds of conversations with managers and employees around diversity and inclusion issues every year. One of their most frequent questions is “What is the biggest barrier to diversity and inclusion?” The answer is “the knowing and doing gap.” We know a lot about diversity and inclusion. Unfortunately, like most of the world, weRead… Read more »
Volatility is king and the wild swings in the market have investors on edge. We have had 13 triple digit moves in the Dow in the last 19 days. Last week alone saw four, and three of them were 272-point or more… in both directions. It’s no wonder investors are confused and concerned. Fear isRead… Read more »
You think your reputation is excellent. After all: Your recruitment video is top-notch. Your “brand ambassadors” are the best on campus. Your marketing materials are beyond compare. But your news coverage is kind of…pesky. Employees “talking trash,” who never took their case to you before “spilling it.” Consider these examples: The U.S. Customs and BorderRead… Read more »
Why does the federal government, a supposedly national symbol for diversity, continue to celebrate Columbus Day? This holiday does little to promote diversity and inclusion for American Indians/Alaska Natives. It celebrates the legacy of a man, Christopher Columbus, who committed egregious atrocities against Indigenous people. Could this be a contributing factor to American Indian/Alaska NativeRead… Read more »
Champions of performance management in government are confounded. After decades of trying to integrate the use of performance information into agency decision-making, it still isn’t happening on as broad a scale as once hoped. The initial premise twenty years ago was that if performance information was made readily available, it would be used by agencyRead… Read more »
Since there’s the “Build a Bear” concept for kids, I figured why not create my own fictitious “Build a Boss?” I have had a fairly large number of supervisors during my federal government career (I’m counting at least 14 in 11 years). And while no one is perfect (not even Olivia Pope on “Scandal”… evenRead… Read more »
The new federal fiscal year is upon us and with it comes new opportunity and a chance for fresh beginnings. In reality, astute leaders are always looking and planning ahead, so just because the turning of a calendar page indicates a new year, it doesn’t mean new thinking and foresight waits for that day. You’veRead… Read more »
Roger Goodell was on ESPN saying that he was gonna fix what was wrong with the NFL. “It’s my job to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Referring to Ray Rice. Outside the pizza shop a woman stood just off the lip of the sidewalk. She was skinny and wore a yellow tank top andRead… Read more »
Innovation is scary in the federal workspace. Although the Department of Defenses’ Better Buying Power initiatives call for the ‘elimination of unnecessary process and bureaucracy,’ people are scared to let go. I have a secret for those people, they don’t have a choice. Tomorrow’s leaders do not care about the way it was done inRead… Read more »