“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” – Dale Carnegie Government employees spent a lot of time in meetings. Stepping up your game at these meetings is not hard. When you do, it can have a positive effect on your career and can makeRead… Read more »
I get asked a lot about career advice from 20 something folks inside and outside the government. Then my cousin Jay Saunders asked me, and it seemed worth the effort to share the basics that have seemed to help many younger colleagues… Read the rest at Innovation Excellence: http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2012/12/07/career-thinking-at-20/
My thoughts on leadership… Being a leader is about instilling trust in all those individuals you contact daily. Leadership is not inherent in each of us. We must educate ourself to ensure we are able to adapt to each individual’s need regards of their status within an organization. Show respect to gain respect. Show compassionRead… Read more »
‘Tis the season for Secret Santas, white elephant gifts, and good will toward men and women. But if you’re a federal employee, there’s a strict list of who it would be naughty to get a present from or give a present to. John Mahoney is partner and chair of the federal sector at Tully RinckeyRead… Read more »
“Keep the Change.” This was the tag line of Bank of America’s 2005 initiative to get their clients to save more. Here’s the story behind the phrase: Bank of America approached IDEO, a global design consultancy firm, with the problem of how to entice more people to open accounts. IDEO conducted observations across the countryRead… Read more »
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the issue of risk and how it relates to the idea of fearless advice and loyal implementation. Admittedly, these thoughts aren’t entirely formed yet so bear with me. When it comes to risk, we are our own worst enemy Generally speaking I feel as though civil servants over-inflateRead… Read more »
This blog post was originally posted on GovSupervisor.com. Author: Mark Leheney The supervisor was in disbelief, then shock, then rage, and finally full-out sobbing as she heard the staff talk openly for the first time about what it was like to work for her. For many years, she had run the place, doing whatever sheRead… Read more »
The buck stops here-the value of taking responsibility Every manager at some point in their career will be faced with the repercussions of the failure of someone who works for them. Whether it is an oversight that made your team miss a reporting deadline or a horrific blunder with terrible fall out written all overRead… Read more »
GSA’s SPF program is a professional development program that provides federal employees in-depth training on sustainability. The fellowship covers regulatory requirements, industry trends, systems thinking concepts, and provides hands on sustainability project experience. As part of the fellowship, each employee will receive training in relevant sustainability in procurement topics, perform substantive work on sustainability initiatives,Read… Read more »
After using all three in a professional setting for a few years, I think these are some general notes that can help new government contract specialists. Phone Negotiations First, I prefer phone negotiations. They’re usually faster than the alternative and don’t give either side much time to delay, meaning neither side overanalyzes its interests toRead… Read more »