Service and Sacrifice: When Thanks Are Backed By Action
Did you know that anyone who enlists in the US military the first time incurs an eight-year service commitment? A recruit might sign a two- or four-year active duty contract; after their active duty period ends, they engage in active or inactive reserve duty for the remainder of that 8-year commitment, whether having been drafted or having volunteered into service.
I Can’t Believe You Said That! Statements Not to Make to Millennials
I recently had the opportunity to attend a team meeting where the manager was giving feedback to his team of 30 millennials who worked for him in a local catering business. I remember some of my supervisors in the past saying the same type of things to me. His statements brought back a flood of memories and reminded me how ineffective such statements can be.
50 Ways to Love Your Leader
Many of us will remember a catchy tune by Paul Simon from the 1970’s called, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. As I listened to it in my car yesterday during my commute, I found myself actively thinking about trying to follow along with the song as I pondered some strong themes in how we can support those who lead us.
Importance of Professional Growth Plans
For those who have utilized career centers at colleges, or for those who have read one of the many advice articles about planning one’s career, this process may seem familiar to a growth plan.
3 Excuses Good Managers Use to Avoid Giving Feedback
Managers avoiding feedback are like fish that avoid water. One of a manager’s main roles at a company is to provide employees with both negative and positive feedback when appropriate. Yet so many managers avoid giving feedback and will go to great lengths to avoid telling their employees how they are doing.
Does Emotional Reasoning Get in the Way of Your Career?
We all face that conundrum on occasions whether to listen to our head or to our heart when making decisions. Some of us lead with our heart and forget or ignore our head. Others start with their head and then pull on the heartstrings. Both are troublesome. So, what should you watch out for when making job and career decisions?
Six Reasons Why Your Project Manager is Frustrated
Your project’s off schedule and you’re frustrated. You’ve applied more heat to your Project Manager, but nothing has gotten any better. You’re scratching your head because normally this guy’s solid. If your project’s off course, despite your project manager’s best efforts, take a deeper look to see if in any of these factors are at play.
Internal Internships: A Winning Practice
If you’ve ever been part of a great internship program–on either side of the desk– you know that it can be a fantastic job preview–an extensive 2-way interview process. It’s an opportunity to try before you buy.
Recognition is the Best Way to Improve Employee Morale
More than ever before, organizations rely on their employees’ involvement, enthusiasm and commitment to be successful. The best customer service can only be achieved when employees bring their best selves to work each and every day. But how can leaders in an organization ensure that each employee does this?
Digital Transformation: Beware of Elephants and Gorillas
It seems that everyone these days is racing to transform their organization in order to take advantage of the Big Data wave. As I’ve been saying for several years, Big Data and Business intelligence are important and valuable technologies every organization should implement if they want to keep up with their competitors.
Are Trading Posts the Future of Local Government?
It is an all-too-familiar fact that professional athletes can and do become part of trades between teams seeking to improve. Typically focusing upon acquiring someone who offers a set of skills that will enhance the current team, these trades also can be seen also offer the opportunity to help on organization.
My 5 Pillars of Resolve
Many people have asked me what goes through your head in the middle of an extreme cancer battle. Where did I find the resolve to keep going when everything looked so dark? And did I take anything from the experience that I still apply in my life today?
Successful Survey Strategies in Government
Last November, the government I am employed by requested employees take the organization’s anonymous biannual survey. As with any organization-wide, multiple question survey, the results are at times underwhelming because of the central limit theorem, but the trends are none-the-less interesting.
Why Should You Care About HIPAA?
Why should county executives, commissioners, and managers be concerned about the HIPAA Security Rule? The answer is simple. You, as a commissioner or executive will be held responsible if your organization suffers a catastrophic security event or breach.
3 Billionaire Traits Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg and Blakely Have in Common with a Postage Stamp
What do Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Sara Blakely all have in common? Well, apart from being an exclusive card-carrying member of the Billionaire Boys and Girls Club, all four remarkably share the same three traits of a postage stamp. Let me explain. I recently wrote a book titled, How a Postage Stamp Saved My Life: 21 Powerful Tips to Defeat Depression, Skyrocket Your Self-Confidence & Achieve Your Goals.
Public Sector vs. Private Sector
After working in the private sector for over 25 years, I took up a senior position in the public sector last year, so I guess this article was always going to be written.
My assessment of both systems.
Information Governance Insights: In with the New!
Happy New Year! This is the start of my fourth year writing this blog for Careers in Government and I am sure many of you that have been following it are wondering what there is left to discuss on the subject of Information Governance? The answer to this can be found in the time honored tradition of “out with the old, in with the new”! Every organization uses the new year to act on some new strategic plan and every Information Governance must be ready for it.
How to Wow a Prospective Employer with Your Potential
One of the frustrations job seekers identify is the limitations of the resume and job interview for putting across who they really are. They may lack experience and their qualifications are no longer enough to convince employers. Many employers are risk-averse, particularly in tough economic times, and go for the tried and tested candidate. How do you get across your potential and persuade an employer you are a better bet?