There are two book collections that have stuck with me in my lifetime, that have shaped my own reading direction. This in turn has helped to shape me. The first came in 1996, in the form of liner notes of Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Evil Empire’ CD. I was in my second year of college,Read… Read more »
One of the toughest parts of being a manager is delivering constructive feedback to your employees. You have to strike a delicate balance between putting them on the defensive, and being so vague that your feedback doesn’t sink in. How do you make sure your feedback gets heard – and taken to heart? Much dependsRead… Read more »
While we are not in control of the conversation, government workers can still listen and contribute to it. We can seed it with facts and ideas. We can respond to questions. We can be human, even as we maintain a thoughtful and focused public presence. All by leveraging the power of online communications.
GovLoop is halfway through its current mentorship program, which means mentors and mentees are starting to dig into really tough questions about career options, hurdles, and success factors. Most of our mentor-mentee partnerships have already discussed career paths, including what tactical steps they need to take along that path. Now mentees are starting to ask,Read… Read more »
“Are there places in America where the outwardly self-virtuous might be able to act in a not-so-obviously-seen amount of on-the-job mischief, and not get caught? Jorge Martinez-Vasquez admits in his world-acclaimed book, Fighting Corruption in the Public Sector, that “corruption is notoriously hard to measure in a precise way.” Findings presented within this report may… Read more »
Change isn’t easy, especially when people are involved. It gets even harder when you add to that mix more than $80 billion worth of information technology resources — scattered across multiple program offices, bureaus and departments. That’s how government has operated for decades. But sweeping reforms passed by Congress in December call for an endRead… Read more »
While a Master of Science in Leadership is a relatively new degree, in a very short time it is being perceived as a 21st century alternative to MPA degrees. MS-Leadership is a course of study that offers participants an opportunity to enhance their experience and leadership skills. Organizations recognize that using personal and creative approachesRead… Read more »
Could Luke Skywalker harness his abilities without Yoda’s wisdom? Would the Banks family learn the importance of family without Mary Poppins? There are no shortage of mentor-mentee relationships in cinema. In these examples, the mentors provide insight to bring out the best in the mentees. Similarly, we can leverage the advantages of mentorships to get ahead and avoidRead… Read more »
Bureaucracy – it’s not a word that inspires a whole lot of positive feelings these days. To the public, it can symbolize government inefficiency and unresponsiveness. To the federal worker, it often represents a rigid structure that stifles their agency’s agility. Bureaucracy can be overwhelming, even painful, but it doesn’t have to be. And forRead… Read more »
I recently had the distinct pleasure of interviewing one of my favorite public servants, the Director of the Division of Community Service and Nonprofit Support at the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Sherry Middleton. With over 32 years of experience in public service through both government and nonprofit work, Sherry is a respected, influential, andRead… Read more »