Fostering effective media relations can be a challenging endeavor for anyone, including public sector communicators. This is due, in large part, to a history of adversarial relations between government and the so-called Fourth Estate. Thus it’s essential for government communicators to break down this firewall and build bridges instead. With this in mind, you shouldRead… Read more »
What good is having knowledge and skills about a particular topic if you do not share it. Here’s a quote from Margaret Fuller, “If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.” So hopefully, others will light their candles with the knowledge that I am sharing about onboarding. Onboarding vs. NEO Onboarding isRead… Read more »
“Scared Straight” versus “Relate” As Human Services Administrator for the City of Santa Clarita, California, I oversee programs that help young people find jobs, resist drugs, get healthy, learn new skills, and avoid gang membership. We invite ex-gang members to speak to “high-risk” teens and we show teens in our Community Court program videos thatRead… Read more »
As a nation we have not done very well integrating health systems, payers, public health departments, and community based agencies. The key findings in obesity, diabetes, access, poverty, and tobacco underscore the need for service integration. The drumbeat for the integration of services among delivery systems with community-based organizations has become louder in recent years.Read… Read more »
I have something to admit: I love a good meeting. Getting people face-to-face can bring out some great ideas and create new ways to address problems in a collaborative environment. Meetings can inspire and invigorate you. But nothing is worse than a pointless meeting. Unfortunately, I attend a lot of those too. Meetings serve aRead… Read more »
If you’re considering becoming a mentor, let me start by saying good for you! It can be such a rewarding experience watching and helping someone grow. If you’re feeling the pull to mentor, I believe you should trust your gut. You don’t have to be an expert at coaching or the top of your fieldRead… Read more »
I recently heard a segment on the radio in which listeners submitted questions that they would ask their spouse or significant other anonymously. The submissions ranged from, “What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told your spouse?” to things much more scandalous. My first reaction was that if you have to ask your spouse anonymously, thenRead… Read more »
I mentioned in a previous post that we were planning to install a user survey on the NAO website. As the survey has been live for few days it is worth saying how it works. We are using SurveyMonkey which is activated for 1 in 20 visitors. We will review the frequency of this dependingRead… Read more »
Most jobs today require you to be stuck at a cubicle. If you are lucky, you have an ergonomic chair that allows you to maintain beautiful posture. As a physically active person I often cringe at the amount of time I spend behind a desk. Entering the workforce definitely took a toll on my body.Read… Read more »
Some state governments are not making it easy for their elected officials or their citizens to see where money is being spent and what results are being achieved. Consider this latest example. The actual name of the state has been omitted, as it would be a terrible embarrassment to its statewide elected leaders, its legislature,Read… Read more »