When was the last time you savored every word in a five paragraph-long email? Or managed to endure an hour-long meeting without zoning out at least three times? Just because your answers were “never” to both of those questions doesn’t mean you have an abnormally poor attention span; it means that there is a disconnectRead… Read more »
The American public often gets sidetracked from important issues. Reality TV and celebrity news distract us from important government discussions and policy problems-like science. Yawn. Science? There’s only so much Bill Nye the Science Guy I can watch. Sheril Kirshenbaum, director of The Energy Poll at the University of Texas, reminded us why we should careRead… Read more »
Government rebels from all walks of life spanning a range of government agencies united in full force at this year’s NextGenGov’s summit, and it was inspiring. Now, these rebels were not your stereotypical outliers or black sheep; the packed room included a Fellow from the State Department, a Medicaid expert from Wyoming, and a ManagementRead… 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 »
Sometimes trying to manage a team of strong personalities can feel like herding cats. The great strengths that make each team member fantastic on their own may cause them to butt heads when it comes to a group setting. If you’re at the helm of a team of independent spirits, it can be challenging toRead… Read more »
I recently started working with two new clients on website projects, and both of them were adamant that they did not want to include blogging on their sites. They viewed blogs as too personal, informal, and unprofessional, and were concerned they would attract spammers and trolls. Their concerns have merit of course, and the negativeRead… Read more »
“Get smart” means paying attention to co-workers, friends, family, spouse, or a partner. Nothing brings more stress to interpersonal relationships than carrying frustrations home after work. Get smart means getting smart. Being aware of all this takes work. Being smart about the law, political motivations, and social context is part of our job. It is… Read more »
You’ve found an informal mentor and set up your first meeting with him or her. These four strategies can help you effectively communicate and build a strong relationship with your mentor.
The bridge between the IT world and the “real” world seems to be widening. IT folks are tackling complex technology issues of today without fully understanding how minor errors can majorly impact the everyday user. Meanwhile, us common folk don’t even understand what makes the Internet work. The two worlds can’t seem to collide, oneRead… Read more »
WWSJD? What Would Steve Jobs Do? Could Apple employees ask themselves this and know what to do in a tricky situation? Can your employees ask themselves what YOU would do in an unusual situation and know what they should do? In last week’s blog I introduced the Malcolm Baldrige and Florida Sterling business management modelsRead… Read more »