I’ve been fortunate to meet quite a few people over the course of my college, military and federal civilian careers. This time of the year I usually receive requests to write a reference for someone I’ve worked with, trained or met in some sort of professional environment. I’m always excited to help other people accomplishRead… Read more »
It all started with an empty pot of coffee. But let me start at the beginning… Back in the olden days, when I roamed the earth with the dinosaurs, my personality was a bit different. In the workplace, I was shy and timid, and as a result, somewhat reticent. That didn’t last long, thankfully, probablyRead… Read more »
Earlier this morning, my supervisor called me to his office to discuss several projects in which we (budget) did not inform other offices of our policies or other offices did not inform us of their policies. In other words, “the right hand did not know what the left hand was doing.” Below are just a few of theRead… Read more »
Recently, I heard about a federal employee who applied for 1,000 federal jobs within just a few months. Although he has veteran’s preference, he has received no calls, emails, or requests for interviews. From what little I have heard, I would say that he is not “in the know.” I also believe that the federal government has shiftedRead… Read more »
My team helps support creative practice in the Scottish Government: encouraging and equipping staff to come forward with, and implement, ideas that will improve our corporate systems and our policy making. Sometimes what we do can seem a bit like magic. We come in, sprinkle a bit of fairy dust over a problem and ‘hey presto’,Read… Read more »
There are lots of jobs with stigmas attached to them. I think it’s safe to say we’ve all heard at least one or two lawyer jokes in our lifetime. Speaking of which… A lawyer walks into a bar. Just kidding…I’m not going down that road. Government employees sometimes get a bad rap, but the truthRead… Read more »
When your workload grows and your budget shrinks, professional development often gets pushed to the back burner. Here are some ideas about finding training and development opportunities despite the obstacles. Updating Your Individual Development Plan (IDP) – There are a variety of ways government employees make use of development plans, and not all processes are ofRead… Read more »
Women’s History Month presents us with an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible achievements of women everywhere. One inspiring woman who is still making history today is U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland (pictured above). She is the longest serving woman in the history of Congress, extending her record with each passing day.Read… Read more »
Amazing! Time certainly has flown by, as a GovLoop Featured Blogger. But, as they say, ‘all good things must come to an end’. I will certainly miss sharing both experiences and lessons learned over decades, as well as the insightful feedback some of you have left me. Following is a series of ‘random thoughts’ coveringRead… Read more »
In present day government land you might roll your eyes or even cringe a little when you hear workplace fads that have been overused like innovation, diversity and going green. But what about synergy? Yes, there was a major push in the early 2000s for fostering synergy in the workplace but it is a conceptRead… Read more »