Here’s the thing about advice – whether you’re talking about business ventures or personal relationships – it’s completely malleable to the situation you’re in. So while I’m writing about the following 5 pieces of advice as “bad,” that doesn’t mean that there aren’t...
3 Ways to Build Employee Engagement
You probably know that employee engagement is one of those proven, critical factors for supporting an organization’s immediate and long-term health. But according to a recent Gallup poll of approximately 100 million Americans who hold full-time jobs, only 30% of...
Military to Civilian Transition: Social Networking Tools
Transitioning from military to civilian life is overwhelming in every aspect. As a former military spouse, I witnessed the struggle my husband faced, which also affected our transition as a family. Deciding where to live, financial instability, changes in medical...
Effective Government Communicators
A government of the people, by the people, for the people, cannot exist without effective communications on behalf of and about government. Without communication, citizens would not know how to access programs that make lives better, would not know about the services...
Take on that Leadership Role With This 90-Day Plan
A friend recently accepted a senior leadership position in an established organization. She asked for my suggestions on how to “put her best foot forward” in her new job. Anytime you start a new role there is a learning curve. No matter if you’ve been in an agency or...
Your Interview: Don’t Waste Time Waiting
When you are sitting in that waiting room, waiting for your interview to start, it's easy to just spend that time checking your email, fiddling with your tie, or chew on your nails. But that's not the best use of your time because you are in a perfect location to...
Start Your Career in IT: How To Gain Experience
Last month, we began our journey with part one of a four part mini-series titled, Start Your Career in IT. This series of articles have been constructed using years of my own experience to provide fundamental steps you can take today as you continue the path of...
Government Communicators: The Inside Track
For as long as there have been government communicators and media who report on government, there has been lively debate on the function and value of government communicators. My post today adds to that discussion between the “flacks” and the “hacks” whose symbiotic...
Consequence Management Boosts Accountability
Every leader, manager, and supervisor in or out of the government sector struggles to hold team members and teams accountable for performance or for values. One senior leader told me, “It’s so hard to hold people accountable when you’ve known them for years and years....