Tomorrow, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an amazing document written by bright and determined individuals who wanted to throw off the yoke of servitude from the British crown. It, of course, was signed on July 4, 1776. But five months later, it looked as if the American Revolution wasRead… Read more »
Leadership is a talent that people either learn and develop over time or an attribute they are born with and carry through all facets of their life. If you take a moment to review the past few years, you may recall the words of a leader who instilled confidence, mentored or coached you to beRead… Read more »
In case you missed it, today marks the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act (CRA). President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark law on July 2, 1964 (pictured above). The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title VII of the CRA, which prohibits employment discrimination in the public and private sectors (in additionRead… Read more »
On the April, 2014 Rolling Stone magazine cover, Julia Louis-Dreyfus sported a tattoo of the Constitution, but with the wrong signatories at the bottom. How many editorial eyes saw that cover from conception to publication? How was it not noticed? Have we forgotten the past, thinking it’s irrelevant; moving too quickly, our eyes on theRead… Read more »
A recent report of entrepreneurs found that the characteristic they seek most when investing in someone’s venture startup is the ability to sustain an intense effort. Michelangelo laid on his back for four years painting the Sistine Chapel. Tim Howard had 16 saves during this year’s World Cup match against Belgium. What are you goingRead… Read more »
My favorite innovation techniques, such as brainwriting, come from some key books in my personal library: Gamestorming, Back of the Napkin, Blah Blah Blah: What To Do When Words Don’t Work, creatingminds.org, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information and Visual Explanations. Common to all of these resources is the concept of “visual language” or “visualRead… Read more »
In our last post on digital innovation, we set the stage for the future of the public service agency. We talked about the goals of the digital public agency: the ability to engage with constituents; the ability to simplify operations at all levels; and the ability to change and adapt to new circumstances. We alsoRead… Read more »
Today, public sector organizations at all levels are facing shrinking budgets, with some of the most severe cuts taking place in information technology and support services. But at the same time, these organizations are expected to deliver services and conduct business at the speed of technology, as citizens of all ages – from boomers toRead… Read more »
In ancient Greece, privileged countrymen consumed a sacred drink called barley wine containing barley, grated cheese, and wine. But the if drink was not kept in a constant state of movement, the contents would harden and became undrinkable. Just like the barley wine, if we settle for comfortable routines, our thinking becomes rigid and ourRead… Read more »
We can learn a lot about leadership from the men and women who fought for our country’s independence and shaped its early course through history. It’s rare these days that federal employees are called on to literally take up arms and sacrifice their lives during the daily practice of democracy – but moral conviction andRead… Read more »