What is Art?
In the movie, Mona Lisa Smile, Julia Roberts plays Katherine Ann Watson, a new faculty member at Wellesley College, teaching a course on the ‘History of Art’. Sensing a significant energy and tension among the students, Watson arrives one day to present a specific...
We Are Government. We Are Different!
I had just finished a leadership seminar with a group of government supervisors and managers. It was a great session with good interaction. I was reviewing the 20 Feedback Sheets and there it was. Among the 8’s, 9’s and 10’s, there was a SIX! What do they mean? How...
Creating Effective Gender Diversity Action Plans
Gender diversity is an important and admirable objective. However, it is not just a women’s issue or one that requires consideration, debates, and discussion. Setting goals is also commendable but how do we achieve them? Gender diversity is a complex societal and...
Reforming the Future of Education
Back in 2010, the Obama Administration compiled and published a broad-based collection of education initiatives. Many of these initiatives received substantive media fanfare while other parts of the education reform process were simply put in motion. More...
Calling Skilled Tradeswomen: Uncle Sam Wants You
Since World War II, the U.S. government has recognized women’s knack for the skilled trades. As Uncle Sam pointed men, and some women, to the battlefields, Rosie the Riveter steered women to the munitions factories. Today, women are again encouraged to enter the...
The New Torches and Pitchforks
We've all heard that actions speak louder than words but I don't think that is an axiom we can decry with a certainty any longer; in part, as a result of the power of the social media sound bites. The tag line or sound bite from an incident is often more powerful and...
National Safety Month: Stay Safe Out There!
How many businesses and agencies have you visited where the “Days Without Injury” sign reads in the single digits? What about the sign at your organization? This is one instance where the greater the number, the greater the success at workplace safety, and June is the...
The Cycle of Life
I hugged my eldest son, Christy, two weeks ago, probably for the first time. He was about to disappear through the departure gates to board a flight to Dubai and begin a new chapter of his life with Emirate Airlines. Grown men don’t often embrace but we both knew this...
Big Data’s Big Role in Government Careers
From Michael Dell to Forrester to the International Institute for Analytics, leaders across all industries predict big data analytics will be the next trillion-dollar market to significantly impact businesses of all kinds. The big data analytics field, which is...
A Side-By-Side Boss
In the CBS television show, Undercover Boss, senior leaders in these companies learn about the work lives that their employees experience, although in an unusual and perhaps somewhat directed, way. But the concept is solid. In the high performance, values-aligned...
Use Your “VOICE” to Advance Your Career
The words you speak have power because it represent your mindset. If you speak negatively, then your mind is only focus on the negativity, which leads to negative behavior. For example, if you tell others that you don’t qualify for a job, then your mind is focused on...
It’s National Foster Care Month!
The month of May is a month for celebrating new beginnings. Weather patterns are turning, and summer is just around the corner. In the spirit of providing new beginnings for many children who need them, May also happens to be National Foster Care Month. National...
Are You Using LinkedIn for Your Job Search? You Should Be….
In today’s competitive job search market, it is crucial that you are networking and conducting your search using multiple venues. If you’re just checking online job posts, or skimming over the classifieds in your local paper-then you’re missing out. Using social media...
Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Valuable or Futile Movement?
As I continue to evolve professionally, I have taken on the role of running a gender equality initiative with hopes of advancing women in and out of the workplace. Women compose half of the workforce and delivering opportunities, such as advancement and promotions,...
Is Your Workforce Engaged?
According to a recent Gallup study, a mere 30 percent of the workforce is engaged. So if 30 percent of your employees are engaged, 70 percent are disengaged. Additional research by Gallup reveals that engaged workers are the most innovative. As if motivating employees...
Information Governance Insights: Preparation Leads to Success
Last month we discussed finding a vendor and selecting software for an electronic document management system. So what do you do while the procurement people fight over the contract and you're waiting to get on the schedule to install this magic box that will solve all...
Start a Government Employee Volunteer Program!
Do you have multiple employees within your municipal organization who give back to your community through volunteering with nonprofits? If so, April is their month, and if you don’t have an employee volunteer program (EVP), it’s the perfect time to do it. National...
Core Democratic Values
Core Democratic Values (CDVs) are the only topic I remember learning in first and second grade. However, beginning in third grade and beyond, I don’t remember CDVs being as integral to the social studies curriculum. At the risk of generalizing, the shift of my...