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 »
Several months ago, a coworker noticed I had a “throw down meeting” scheduled on my Outlook calendar. “Is everything OK?” she asked, eyebrows furled. I laughed, and realized I had some explaining to do! I told her “throw down” is slang for “fight” – those of us who work with troubled teens have heard aboutRead… Read more »
This past week I was able to attend a Management Concepts training offered by my Agency focused on presenting data analysis. This was a great three day training that if you ever have the opportunity to take I highly recommend. But as I know training dollars can be thin, I’m going to share some ofRead… Read more »
Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to monitor one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Being able to detect different emotions and label them appropriately as well as react to them appropriately is what emotional intelligence is all about. I would go a step further to say that emotional intelligence inRead… Read more »
When school ended in May, I switched my workout from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am. For some of you, that may be no big deal, but for me, it’s a big commitment! I’m not a morning person at all. The first few weeks, it was a struggle to get up at 5:10 and drive toRead… Read more »
The goal of social media is to turn customers into a volunteer marketing army. –Jay Baer Just a few years ago social media was seen as an adolescent playground. Selfies, Facebook pokes, and pointless status updates created what seemed to be a cesspool of millennial playtime. Times have changed. If you don’t have an ongoingRead… Read more »
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he’ll never go hungry.” Is it really that simple? This often overused adage is applicable both for our peers (federal consulting firms) and our clients (government agencies). In an era of slashed budgets and contractRead… Read more »
The secret to usability is not brilliant design. Even the most talented designers have difficulty being creative on demand. Artistic talent helps but it is not a requirement. Anyone can create good, usable products. There are a few techniques to help you create good designs. One secret to good design is using iterative processes. YouRead… Read more »
We depend on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to protect our health by providing information and regulation for drugs and medical devices. But sometimes when times get tough, the FDA needs to depend on someone as well. Marcia Crosse, Director at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for the Health Care team, is that pillar.Read… Read more »
Sometimes looking to your past can improve your future. Napoleon marching on Moscow is an example of project management, which helped future generals avoid being blinded by their own hubris. Closed societies, like the Ming Dynasty in China, illustrate the dangers of getting closed off from potential growth and later helped other societies prosper fromRead… Read more »