Combating Erosion of Trust During Government Shutdown
Those who work for the government may not only be feeling the disappointment many Americans do with the shutdown; they may feel disillusionment with the government as their employer as well.
Posts By Amber Hansen
Overachievers Anonymous
My name is Amber and I am an overachiever and a perfectionist at heart… I often hold myself to an unachievable standard, something I have worked hard to stop doing over the years. For a long time I knew this was my worst habit, but did not know how to give myself permission to letRead… Read more »
I Choose to Remember the Good
What do you remember about September 11th? In the weeks following, I found myself driving around San Diego, my home. I took hundreds of pictures of the flags displayed on homes, schools, businesses, and churches. I remember feeling patriotism in a way I had not since I was a kid. The tragedy of that dayRead… Read more »
Be the Dandelion: Finding Opportunity
Resiliency is a dandelion that gets mowed down or trampled into the lawn and then grows happily back, time and again reaching for the sun. We all have different levels of tolerance for being mowed down or trampled and different reasons to continuing to get up again. But what is it that makes us ableRead… Read more »
Do You Trust Yourself Enough to Call it a Day?
Trust is important in any relationship, particularly if you are a leader. Without trust standard operations become difficult and slow. Simple tasks must be checked and rechecked. And small mistakes are big steps backward. As important as it is to earn and maintain the trust of your team and colleagues, it may be more importantRead… Read more »
Passing the Torch to the Next Generation of Government Workers
Just before my 24th birthday, I landed what I thought would be a great government job. My boss was a long time public servant. She had worked hard for the government for her entire career and was proud of her service. I quickly learned that she believed in traditions, in doing things by the book,Read… Read more »
3 Ways to Avoid Getting Complacent at Your Job
Many of the people I know who work in the public sector were drawn to their jobs by this desire to serve, to make a difference in their community or the country. After landing that first desk job though, I have also seen them lose their drive. If you’ve ever done it, you know, sittingRead… Read more »
Feedback: Are You Doing It Right?
Feedback is not easy for most people. Learning to give it constructively and receive it gracefully are two skills that can make difficult situations much less so. Getting in the habit of asking for feedback is also important. You should be soliciting feedback from your direct reports, or letting them know that you are interestedRead… Read more »
Safety First
Have you seen Simon Sinek’s 2014 TED talk, Why good leaders make you feel safe? He said, “In the military, they give medals to people who are willing to sacrifice themselves so that others may gain. In business, we give bonuses to people who are willing to sacrifice others so that we may gain.” HeRead… Read more »
Public Servant as Servant Leader
I was struck last month by a story I read in The New York Times. The Prime Minister of South Korea announced he was stepping down after 302 lives were lost in a ferry disaster. In that article, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won is quoted saying “when I saw the people’s sadness and fury, I thoughtRead… Read more »