In almost every aspect of life, the term likeability is at the center of decision making. This idea holds true in political campaigns, speed dating, beauty contests, American Idol, selection of church pastors, straw polls, hand in marriages, choosing favorite foods, a...
For many professionals in government, interacting with the media is an unwritten part of their job description. Media interviews can happen when your department’s public information officer asks for coverage of news, or when a reporter comes to your organization for a...
During President Obama’s latest State of the Union address, he encouraged more private sector investment in public infrastructure projects. His proposal outlines the application of Qualified Public Infrastructure Bonds, or QPIBs, which would expand a previously...
A simple online news search for the term “city branding” yields results from cities as varied as Fargo, North Dakota, Wichita, Kansas, and Hermiston, Oregon. While the core of my research focuses on how U.S. cities undertake brand identity strategies, this practice is...
The International Association of City/County Management (ICMA) recently published an article detailing how only 13 percent of local government managers are female. When I read the article, my initial reaction was how is this possible? In this post I will answer this...
Practically every day is a holiday – especially if you are retired. The month of February, however, offers some particularly interesting opportunities to admire the creativity of the greeting card industry or to explore some of the folklore or religious origins of...
I walked across the stage during my undergraduate ceremony thinking I had received my ticket to the world. Unfortunately, the small private school I attended didn’t have a Career Services department, so I was on my own – with limited confidence and even less...
In the Year in Review published by Government Technology (GovTech), Steve Towns, Noelle Knell and Elaine Pittman (Editor, Managing Editor and Associate Editor respectively) summarized the evolution of technology in 2014. From autonomous vehicles and the sharing...
“Your criminal actions raise serious questions as to whether you have the requisite personal integrity and business ethics to be a responsible Government contractor.” That’s me. I was debarred from being a government contractor, and based on my conduct and offense...