Last week we looked at indicators that might be measured in relation to factors that can foster creativity and innovation in organisations. In this post we’ll consider possible measures of creative activity and the outcomes of creativity. Creative activity The measurement of creativity itself is arguably about monitoring ideas that are generated. This can beRead… Read more »
Have you ever heard of buzzword bingo? Where you and your co-workers make a bingo card of words or phrases like “touch base” and “data driven” and “Scalable” and “Proactive” and “Paradigm,” then head into a meeting and see who can hit a bingo? Well, it’s a real thing. I mention it because buzzword bingoRead… Read more »
There’s a lot of talk about innovation in the federal government, and with it comes talk of failing fast. The two go together in a useful, integrated way, but I hear little discussion of what either concept means. At least not in terms that managers can use. A definition of innovation I like is doingRead… Read more »
Bob Tiede (@bobtiede) writes on leadership at his website, www.leadingwithquestions.com. On his list of ten questions leaders need to ask themselves, Bob has this nugget about change: “When is the last time I abandoned a program?” Yikes! That is a tough one for us govies. We are skilled at identifying problems and developing solutions, whichRead… Read more »
When I found out I had been selected to participate in the GovLoop Blogger program, I was pleased, excited and slightly puzzled. What was I going to write about that the GovLoop audience would want to read about … every week? One of the first things I did was look through the website to seeRead… Read more »
As a little girl, I was taught not to use the word lie. It was a bad word in my world. My mother told me to use untruth instead. And so I did…until I transitioned to the workplace; I began to use ‘fabricate’ to replace untruth. Today, telling an untruth is simply deemed a lieRead… Read more »
Last week, I talked to a friend about a major home improvement project costing thousands of dollars that I have to have done. My friend said she had another friend who delayed her federal retirement because she had to do the same project. My heart dropped because I would be distraught if I had to delayRead… Read more »
How many times have you heard people say, “I hate reality TV! I want real shows. I wish they’d make something else.”? I don’t understand why people remained glued to reality TV shows despite their professed hatred of them. “But there’s nothing else on,” people say. “I’ve gotta watch something!” Hold out, I say, holdRead… Read more »
Whether or not you have kids, we all were one at some point in our lives. We all learned to crawl-walk-run (literally and/or figuratively) throughout life. Chances are along the way it involved watching another. Learning from them probably involved accepting their assistance as well. The point being, at some point in our lives we… Read more »
When I was growing up, I’m sure my parents and most others who were working adults struggled with what we now call “work-life balance.” My dad had a full-time job and worked part-time on weekends. My grandmother worked in other people’s homes, and my mom worked outside the home, off-and-on, but mostly kept our home.Read… Read more »