Leadership

When Was the Last Time You Were Competitive at Work?

Hope Solo, United States Olympic Goalie once said “I live for competition. It makes my life complete.” It’s Wednesday — have you been competitive at work today? The ability to compete in business is a time honored tradition that is revered much like typewriters, apple pie and baseball. It can also be fun. Moreover, whenRead… Read more »

The Worst 4-Letter Word in the Government

George Carlin is one of my favorite comedians of all time. He had the gift to recognize a completely normal situation and turn it into something hilarious. One of his most unforgettable jokes was his “Seven Dirty Words.” You don’t have to think very hard to come up with the seven. I’ll give you aRead… Read more »

Management Lessons From Challah & Wine

The traditional Shabbos meal begins with wine and challah. Although they taste good, I never really understood why we bothered. * On the traditional deep purple wine, or grape juice often used in its stead. When you combine them with the also-traditional white tablecloth, get ready for someone to spill – and stains that neverRead… Read more »

{Personality Tests} Don’t Give Me That “I”!

People are complex, variable and unpredictable. I like to think that we are more sophisticated than any 9-box grid, True Colors or personality test could ever hope to encompass. I feel violated when a marketer gets lucky and I suddenly “need” something I didn’t know even existed a few minutes earlier.   Nonetheless, personality testsRead… Read more »

12 Core Leadership Exercises

The core of your Leadership Mindset rests on the four aspects of the human experience: the Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual aspects. When one of those core aspects is weakened, your Leadership Mindset is unable to support the tactics required to accomplish your mission. Remember that day at work when your brain was fried fromRead… Read more »

Mentoring a New Employee? Here are the Most Important Tips

At various levels the federal government, there are structured, comprehensive career development (or mentoring) programs, like the Presidential Management Fellowship Program. Your agency might have its own version, but mentoring can be far less informal and structured, so long as it benefits both sides. If you are considering becoming a mentor to a new employee,Read… Read more »