By Jessica Havlak While working in what I’ll call the “white hat sector,” it can be a challenge to reach individuals with your message when they are almost as inclined to listen to their friends and family as they are to clinicians. Use this trust of peers to your advantage: engage them in a communityRead… Read more »
Much has been made lately about digital services in government. Better technology. More efficient software. Increasingly agile IT. Better digital services and better technology in government are absolutely important. But technology can only take your organization so far. There is a continued importance of having people actually working and dedicating their time to do theRead… Read more »
Many times, I hear people say things like: “you can talk about this and can talk about that, but please don’t talk about that.” I remember when I was a little girl and whenever a controversial subject came up my mother used to say “shhh” and her mother used to say “shhh” and my otherRead… Read more »
Many of us are antsy to see our futures before they happen. Haven’t we all been tempted to have our palms read or consult a crystal ball reader? In government, thankfully, such adventures are unnecessary, as we have qualified experts who can make predictions for the coming years. William Eggers, Director for Public Sector ResearchRead… Read more »
According to McKinsey, knowledge workers spend a whopping 19 percent of their day searching for information and expertise. Why? Take any one task and look at all the applications you use to get it done. Look at all the people you need to involve to do it. Look at all the time you waste switchingRead… Read more »
Whether you’re excelling in your career or facing discrimination at work, it’s good have a community to support your efforts. As a woman in government, fostering diverse partnerships is crucial to bolstering your career. We spoke with Jill Melnicki, a technology consultant for state and local governments, on the need for professional women to developRead… Read more »
A mentor of mine once told me about an important distinction when deciding how to spend one’s finite work time. A focus on the day-to-day fixing of issues, meeting with clients, and delivering the deliverables was spending time “in the business.” Getting your head up out of the weeds to see where you were headed,Read… Read more »
When I was growing up, I’m sure my parents and most others who were working adults struggled with what we now call “work-life balance.” My dad had a full-time job and worked part-time on weekends. My grandmother worked in other people’s homes, and my mom worked outside the home, off-and-on, but mostly kept our home.Read… Read more »
A consultant (should be) someone who offers good advice. Many times this is advice based on subject matter expertise, experience, or other unique qualifications. However having a particular subject matter expertise or experience is only one facet of being a good consultant. Great consultants have a lot more than just expertise – they understand howRead… Read more »
Wunderkind Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg talks about risk taking: “The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.[1]” And yet a recent government-industry conference[2] included a discussion on the question of whether federal leaders will take onRead… Read more »