In my recent posting on ‘ceiling diplomacy‘ I gave names to elements of office dynamics. Below I‘ve provided a list of additional words that fit the bill. The below terms, definitions and usage will help you communicate your frustrations about office politics more effectively. 1) me-signments (noun) – Assignments you’ve taken upon yourself (i.e., FamilyRead… Read more »
Staying in the same job for your entire career is not a typical scenario for most government workers, making interviewing for jobs a necessary evil. Believe it or not if you prepare correctly, you can blow away the competition and never again be caught unprepared during an interview. In last week’s post about writing aRead… Read more »
Project managers navigate through uncharted waters, which can be exciting and/or challenging. The Business Dictionary defines project management as the body of knowledge concerned with principles, techniques, and tools used in planning, control, monitoring, and review of projects. My definition is a person who wears many hats at any given moment. I am networking with more tenured projectRead… Read more »
Looking back through almost 25 years of federal employment, I’ve seen a noticeable decline in workplace camaraderie and socializing within my organization. I’m not the only one seeing this; others have noticed this trend as well. I sent out a survey to a few retirees and long-term co-workers in an attempt to coarsely gage any trends acrossRead… Read more »
It is easy to manage, budget, and lead when times are good. But, now is the time when the good leaders can separate themselves from the pack. Take advantage of the downturn by positioning your teams for long term success, and be wary of any changes that will have a negative impact on your culture.
Of the original five “cleanest” cities from RD, only Portland and Columbus made my list. Sadly, two RD cities appeared on recent T+L/FORBES “dirty” lists and were excluded, as were most major California, Texas, Southern, Eastern and Midwestern cities.
I love many things about my job. The agency has a meaningful and worthwhile mission that I believe in. I share a mutual respect with my supervisor. I enjoy real friendships with a few of my coworkers and professionally appreciate many more. There are perks to my job: I can work from home sometimes, I’mRead… Read more »
You have probably heard the concept of human-centered design (HCD) thrown around, but you may be wondering what it’s all about. If you’re like me, you’ve probably searched for ‘human-centered design’ on the internet to learn more. In doing so, you were most likely confronted with a number of results that link to different HCDRead… Read more »
The majority of the leadership development opportunities available today focus on senior level career (GS14, 15 and Senior Executive Service) employees. Limited opportunities are available for new supervisors or mid-level employees. However, doesn’t it seem like a bit of an oxymoron to wait until you’re in a leadership role to start developing your leadership abilities? RecognizingRead… Read more »
Navigating office politics is hard enough. But finding words to express the frustrations you feel about office politic can be even more challenging. The below terms, definitions and usage will help you communicate these frustrations more effectively. Ceiling diplomacy (noun) – Undertaking the act of pretending you are unaware of something that you are veryRead… Read more »