There’s a million witty words for bureaucratic language…. gobbledygook, gibberish, mumbo-jumbo, jargon, double-talk, bureaucratese, technobabble! There are probably so many words for it because it’s such a widespread, and exasperating, problem. Including in the government. It’s fun to use crazy words, but it’s certainly not a best practice in terms of government efficiency. Annetta Cheek,Read… Read more »
Are you a project manager? Maybe project management (PM) is disguised in your job description, if it’s not in the actual title. As a leader in government, you likely encounter project management tasks every day. And knowing how to handle those tasks in a timely manner, with a clear scope and with all team members on board isRead… Read more »
I have learned more from my failures than my successes. A job that didn’t work out: “You’re a fake it till you make it kind of gal.” But branding is exactly that. It is about having a vision of an alternative future that is better than the present, but which can be reached. If you’reRead… Read more »
In case you missed it, President Obama’s FY 2016 Budget of the U.S. Government recommends a scant 1.3 percent pay raise for the federal workforce next fiscal year. Well, as the old saying goes, something is better than nothing. However, when it comes to issues of fair pay, it appears that many feds are onceRead… Read more »
Are your workplace interactions motivating and engaging? Or stiff and stale? Other than email, in which format do most of your professional interactions take place? Presentations? Status reports? Discussions? Brainstorming sessions? Whatever your answer, ask yourself if the primary formats are particularly engaging or effective. If not, consider the contributions of “liberating structures,” an innovation broughtRead… Read more »
We don’t always have the luxury of making our own first impression these days – particularly not when searching for a job. Once a hiring manager receives a resume and cover letter, they’re likely to do a Google search on potential candidates to see what else they can learn. In fact, recruiting software company Jobvite foundRead… Read more »
Use this checklist of email design best practices to deliver messages that are not only tailored to your audience, but also look professional, function properly, and capture the attention of increasingly-busy and multi-device-connected constituents to invite opens, attract clicks, and inspire action.
There are so many moving pieces that go into project management, that of utmost importance in keeping everything together is having all of the information about dates, deliverables, assignments, costs, etc. in one place. Here, I provide some of my favorite templates for government project schedules to help keep you sane. A variety of stateRead… Read more »
Money can’t buy happiness… right? A lot of us, theoretically, like the idea of a simple lifestyle. But at the same time, if we can afford it, we enjoy going out to eat with friends, buying nice clothes, and taking exotic vacations. It’s nice to have a higher budget, if just for those freedoms. ManyRead… Read more »
“Be careful what you wish for!” – Teachers and parents probably admonished you with that warning. But, here you are, all grown up. Working for your government and loving the whole concept of it! So, why would this vestige of days gone by be of any consequence for you? Well, because we forgot its meaning.Read… Read more »