“I like your creativity and where this is going, but…” It doesn’t even matter what your boss says next—she’s already decided that your idea is awful. Your fate was sealed the moment she uttered ‘but.’ The praise before that dreaded conjunction does nothing to soften the blow. As the old adage goes, everything before theRead… Read more »
Governments today face serious, seemingly intractable public management issues that go to the core of effective governance and leadership. Government leaders are presented with difficult choices, but also unprecedented opportunities. The right kind of leadership approach and style can drive change in government. From budget reductions to a struggling economy, disasters to pandemics, the seeminglyRead… Read more »
If you want to know about major innovation in the public sector then look to NASA. The space agency is a crown jewel of government innovation and a global role model for groundbreaking scientific research and discovery. NASA serves as a reminder to America of what’s possible when Uncle Sam harnesses his full potential, asRead… Read more »
As the story goes, when asked by his father about who chopped down the cherry tree, George Washington said “I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.” While this actually did not happen, throughout his life, Washington demonstrated a strict adherence to telling the truth, especially to himself. Historical accounts tellRead… Read more »
There’s much a leader can gain from working on her listening skills: an encouraged and inspired team, an environment that fosters idea sharing, and closer relationships with colleagues and other professionals. Listening isn’t just about being polite. It’s about respect, humility, and growth. So often we treat listening like waiting for our turn up toRead… Read more »
Young Government Leaders (YGL) and GovLoop present the NextGen Public Service Awards for superior public service and achievement. The 4th Annual NextGen Public Service Awards will be given at the 2014 NextGen Award’s Ceremony, which will kick off the NextGen Training Summit on July 23rd in Washington, DC. We have 18 finalists in six differentRead… Read more »
At every level of government, citizens are working to learn more and connect, share their ideas, effect change, and improve services. And despite this growing trend of moving all conversations online, there are many government entities that are hesitant to formally endorse or launch this kind of dialogue. Common questions include: “what if the dialogueRead… Read more »
“No” is often not the worst answer. No reply is the absolute pits. It leaves the asker hanging and sometimes unable to determine and/or implement an alternative plan. Yet this phenomenon plagues an increasing number of people in today’s world. Are too many people adrift in a Kafkaesque combination of a messy e-mail inbox and/orRead… Read more »
Seventy-four (74) is the number of school shootings since the country was brought to our knees by the senseless killing of 20 young students and six adults in Newtown in December 2012. Eric Cantor is the, now former, House Majority Leader widely regarded as the most conservative of the House Leadership brought down by aRead… Read more »
Think back to when you were a kid. You had an idea and you knew it was right. The system for chores wasn’t good enough. You KNEW that if you and your sibling worked together the way YOU wanted the chores could get done easier and faster. Once you came up with a plan toRead… Read more »