The Oft-Overlooked Secret to Success
In his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini lists six principles of ethical persuasion. The first principle he discusses is reciprocity. “The reciprocity rule says that we should try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us,” he...
Understanding the ROTC Program to Help Propel Your Career
What is ROTC? You may have heard of the acronym ROTC before but perhaps you are not familiar with what it stands for nor its purpose. The acronym ROTC is short for the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps. The objective of the ROTC program is to serve as a training...
The Juggler as Leader
As a small child, I was impressed by those who could effortlessly toss several objects into the air and continue their co-existent flight for elongated periods of time. I marveled in particular those especially talented people who could do this with a wide variety of...
11 Strategies for Building Your Self-Confidence
Employers want to hire self-confident people because they are likeable and believable, and an indicator of how they might be in the role and in their organization. Employers ask themselves ‘can I trust this person to deliver?’ and ‘will this person reflect well on us...
My Perspective on the Fundamentals of Non-Discrimination Policies
I recently gave an interview about the need for non-discrimination policies in the workplace. The questions reminded me of why we need to protect our workers in both the public and private sectors. The biggest remaining question is, however, what can we strive for?...
Advice to Advance Your Career in Government
This is the first article of a five-part series on how to maximize your career in government. Whether you are looking for a promotion or a new job assignment the five insights I will share will provide you with a competitive edge. So many government employees see no...
LIFE – A Simple Complexity
I am quite enjoying being in my fifties. The stage of your life when all of the elements, if not quite come together, get as close are they are probably going to. It is the brow of the hill of life. You are old enough to look back and be reflective and wise, but still...
Accountability in the Public Sector
When we were young, my sisters and I would roll our eyes as we were forced to hear my father recite one of his favorite aphorisms: accidents don’t just happen; they are caused. These lectures were generally preceded by incidents we described as accidents. As a man of...
The Price and Cost of Free Speech
Once upon a time, colleges and universities were the place to explore and express new ideas, and to have vigorous debate and discourse, often about highly polarizing issues that included abortion, war, civil rights, and religion. There was intensity and passion,...
USAJOBS Already Knows Your Questions
By Leia O’Connell, MSW Contributor, Career Coach Fresh out of college (many years ago), I remember starting my first real job search with little to no guidance. The basics of how to use a job search engine were obvious, but I did not truly understand the mechanics of...
PSSX: The Public Safety Stock Exchange
As most of us know well, England voted and chose to leave the European Union in what became known as “Brexit”. An immediate reaction to that decision was an immediate and significant decline in the financial markets around the world. Yet, in just the few weeks...
Remembering the Untold Story of Women Who Broke the Glass Ceiling
When I tell my story about recruiting women for high-level government jobs back in the 1970s, I often hear - from younger women - that they had no idea the hurdles we had to overcome to strive for equality for women in the workplace. I grew up in a world these young...
LSAT: All You Need to Know For Exam Success
Most law schools approved by the American Bar Association require applicants to take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) for admissions and to prove they have what it takes to succeed in law school. If you’re aiming for some of the top law schools, you’ll need to...
How to Overcome Procrastination, Resistance & Fear
Now that we’ve got your self-esteem up and your self-talk is positive from my last post, let’s tackle the next hurdle in your fight to become a more attractive person. Yes, we will tackle the ugly, three-eyed monster of procrastination, resistance and fear. Have you...
6 steps to turn your talents into strengths
I don't do social media. Have you ever heard that comment from anyone? Translated it might mean I don't get it, I'm not interested, I don't like it or I'm scared of it. It's a choice. If that’s you, this post will help you embrace change with less fear and more...
Leading in a life of Purpose, Not Preference
Earlier today, my family—like millions of other families—began the new school year. In our case, we had a fresh batch of eager kids ready to get to their campuses (I’ll come back to that in a moment; I know it might seem a bit peculiar to some readers). With a high...
Politics, Religion and Pizza
Today’s insight focuses on an important part of our fabric. It’s calling again and again and while we’re able to ignore it for a while; its power can overtake us in a moment of weakness. Sure, I’m talking pizza-hot or cold! But what’s my pizza got to do with this...
Do We Really Want All Politics to Be “Local”?
The late Tip O’Neil, Speaker of the House, is credited with declaring that “All politics is local”. This may be a quaint notion designed to remind policy makers that addressing needs of individuals, families and their communities should be a guiding principal at all...