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...
One of the first questions I ask any candidate who is applying for a role with our company is "Why are you interested in working here?" I use this question, not as an ego trip of "tell me why we're so good", but rather to see how much the candidate knows about us, and...
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...
It’s that time of year when we tend to get the winter blahs. The holidays are over, we’ve lost steam on our New Year’s resolutions, and spring is not yet on the horizon. Blah, blah, blah. How do we turn our dissatisfaction with the doldrums into creative new ideas?...
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...
Many universities require seniors to complete an internship in order to learn more about their proposed career. My major, criminal justice, required one and I was told this would give me experience to put on my resume and make me more attractive to employers. I...
People are too busy today to go out of their way to find, recognize, and reward you in the workplace. The good news is that you can create the visibility and credibility you need to move your career forward. You can control how others perceive you in the work...
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...