Start the New Year with Something New or Good
The New Year provides you with a refreshingly clean slate, an opportunity to reset how you’ve been doing things and give yourself and your team a new start. This is a great time to re-think the rituals you and your teams rely upon and to establish some new habits. ...
Sixteen Goals for 2016
When we are in the middle of turbulence, we look for the smooth patch of air. That's exactly what I saw a client do back in 2010 when the organization seemed to be stretching itself to the limits. City of Richland, WA City Manager Cindy Johnson was under pressure to...
Give the Powerful Gift of Acknowledgement
Holiday gift giving in the public sector workplace can be an awkward and difficult proposition. What’s appropriate? How much should you spend? Is it even appropriate and/or legal to give gifts in a public agency? If you are pondering these questions, consider that...
Be Thankful
November is the month for giving thanks—something we should all probably do more often. Personally, I say "thank you" multiple times every day. But to really give thanks—to really be grateful—that's another thing. Here are a few things I’m thankful for:...
Employee Retention Strategies: Keep the Good Ones
Public agencies across the United States are facing a silent threat. Employees are considering their options. Working for a public agency isn’t what it used to be and employees know it. The greatest threat to organizational viability is the loss of talent that has...
Performance Management: Shifting Organizational Culture
Performance management is becoming THE high priority for government entities nation-wide. In fact, a Time Magazine article by Amanda Ripley said, “If we really want more effective governance, we should tie these generous [public sector employee] benefits to meaningful...
Talent Thieves Are Lurking
When our house was robbed a few years ago, it caused us to re-evaluate how we secured our valuables. Since that fateful day, an alarm system, window locks, and security doors have been put in place to help secure our most valuable possessions. We feel safer, but we...
Redefining the Public Sector
I recently heard a speaker ask, “What do you believe that you wish you didn’t?” It is a question we’re all being forced to consider these days as we go about the important work of redefining public sector employment. The expectations of a guaranteed pension, rich...
Employee Retention: Who Brings Value
Public agencies across the United States are facing a silent threat. As budget cuts are implemented and benefits are slashed, employees are considering their options. Working for a public agency isn't what it used to be and employees know it. The greatest threat to...
Trends in Performance Management: Review and Rate is Out
So how’s that annual performance evaluation process working for you? According to new research on the psychology of work from David Rock, the typical numeric ratings, rankings, and formal evaluations, without meaningful feedback, can result in reduced performance. It...
Your Employees: Go Ahead and Love Them
February is “love” season. You know, Valentines Day and all. In terms of the workplace, it kind of begs the question, “Can we show love at work?” In this day and age of harassment suits and political correctness, many managers shy away from showing love for their...
5 Ways to Create a Learning Culture
Every day when I arrived home from school my mom would ask the same question. It was deliberate and predictable. She would ask me, “Marnie, what did you learn today.” Early on my response was also predictable. “Nothing.” Year after year my mother asked this question...
Get Promoted Using Self-Deprecation
The more self-aware you are the greater your leadership effectiveness will be. In a recent study from PDI Ninth House and the University of Minnesota, researchers found that leaders who were out of touch with how others perceived them were more likely to see their...
How to Rate Employee Performance
The end of the year is performance evaluation time for many organizations. If you are expected to assign a rating to the performance of your employees, consider five perspectives that can take the pain out of this often dreaded process. All levels of the scale should...
Employee Input for Performance Evaluations
As we enter the fourth quarter, you may be starting to think about writing annual employee performance evaluations for your employees. Just remember, you don’t have to do it alone. Soliciting the employee’s feedback before you begin writing can provide you with...
Employee Performance: Do you Have Time?
You do not have time to NOT manage employee performance! If managing employee performance is not a high priority for you on a daily basis, your employees may not be receiving the support and feedback they need to be effective. It is the manager/supervisor's job to...