Jack Canfield, the creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series claims that the best way to build a healthy and positive workplace is to help employees master the art of heart talk. Being mindful of other people’s feelings Most of us are so caught up in our own world at work that weRead… Read more »
How many ways do you interact with your coworkers during the day? Email, instant messenger, phone calls, texts, passive aggressive notes in the kitchen – chances are you use most of these every day. (Though hopefully not the passive aggressive notes!) Technology has gives us more and more tools to communicate with our coworkers without speakingRead… Read more »
Troy Mathis knows how to talk. And he speaks in a way that makes you want to listen. His session -Make It Matter: Personal Professional Branding, at the Next Generation of Government Training Summit was high-energy, engaging, and inspiring. After listening to his presentation and going through the steps, I’ve come away with the realizationRead… Read more »
In the Next Generation of Government Training Summit session, “Analyzing Data to Make Better Decisions,” Kirsten Dalboe, MGMT Cube Program Manager at DHS, and Gray Brooks, Senior API Strategist at GSA, shared their successes with using data to improve performance and efficiency. Kirsten was the “data scientist” behind the DHS Management Cube, which integrates financial,Read… Read more »
We all know what improv is. It’s a form of acting where actors create scenes and characters on the spot, generally inspired by one word or a simple phrase. But how does improv relate to what you do every day at work? And what lessons can you learn from improv as a government employee? One ofRead… Read more »
According to Project Managers and Agile experts from the U. S. Census Bureau, “Agile is the best thing since sliced”… literally. The “Deeper Dive: Project Management Tips and Concepts” session at this year’s NextGenGov Summit kicked off by asking attendees what they would prefer to buy: a loaf of bread where they had to buyRead… Read more »
With technology advancing as quickly as it is these days, it can sometimes be hard to keep up. New phones, apps, software, and social media seem to pop up every day. Even though this constant stream of innovation is intended to make all of our lives easier, new technology can also present unprecedented challenges toRead… Read more »
Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed increasing references to government agencies as enablers rather than enforcers or regulators. I think that this is a side effect of 2 ideas that are gaining acceptance: the shift in the public sector to focus on trust rather than compliance seeing the public sector as an inter-connected systemRead… Read more »
Ghost Whisperer, iRobot, and many crime shows depend on detective work based on access to other people’s memories.Young people need expertise that gets them out of their chairs and to step away from their computers. Administrative ghost whisperers, younger staff or not, should seek out older staff. That experience should not be disregarded as a… Read more »
When I got my first career-path job after college, there was a lot I didn’t know about working in an office full of people who came from different backgrounds. I’d just moved to California and my New York communication style could come off as brash and blunt. I was often defensive and I unintentionally put people on the defensive.Read… Read more »