You’re stuck in the middle. LITERALLY. As middle management you get the seemingly impossible task of not just managing those who report to you, but the delicate balance of working with other managers AND keeping your boss happy (which generally means keeping his/her boss happy). So how do you keep both ends of the spectrumRead… Read more »
References are often put on the back burner when there are resumes and cover letters to be written, but they can make or break your job search. Accordingly, ensuring reference lists are complete and up to date should be a priority in the job search and interviewing process. The key is to keep professional referencesRead… Read more »
Good leaders are always storytellers. People who knew Abraham Lincoln admired his storytelling skills from the days of his youth. Even if you’re new to public speaking, you too can develop your own storytelling ability. I’ve already written about the 10 Essential Elements of a Successful Story and about the 108 Most Persuasive Words inRead… Read more »
AmeriCorps, one of the national service programs under the Corporation for National and Community Service, is what I (and others) like to call “the domestic Peace Corps.” AmeriCorps is volunteering and making a difference right here in America – in your hometown, in your neighborhood, with the people and organizations in your communities who areRead… Read more »
Last month, we put out a call for our fifth round of GovLoop Featured Bloggers – and you responded with amazing enthusiasm. Over 100 people from all walks of government and industry life sent in great ideas for posts, about everything from technology challenges in city government to using Twitter to monitor food safety in yourRead… Read more »
Cisco, Qualcomm, Intel, SAP, and IBM have “Smart City” programs that promise to solve urban problems, involve citizens, conserve energy, and launch cities into a new “digital” future. Their marketing and technology expertise would have us believe that no city could run faster, better, and cheaper without more technology. Cisco has committed to create aRead… Read more »
Last weekend, New Zealand joined Australia for GovHack 2015. If you’re not familiar with the idea, this is a 2-day hackathon set up for people – community, industry, academia, civil society and public sector − to get creative with government data. The goal is to build some ‘thing’ using open government data. To be clear: this isRead… Read more »
Have you read the results of the Government Business Council’s new “Digital Disconnect” survey? The results are fascinating, and I could go on for quite some time about them (just ask my dogs, who have been listening to me rant about the survey all morning). However, at the moment I will focus on the resultRead… Read more »
While we hope our employers will invest in us by providing leadership opportunities and professional development, it is important to seek out opportunities ourselves beyond the workplace. The advantages to professional development outside of your office include the following: Broader network – Working with folks outside of your organization expands your personal and professional network.Read… Read more »
Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed increasing references to government agencies as enablers rather than enforcers or regulators. I think that this is a side effect of 2 ideas that are gaining acceptance: the shift in the public sector to focus on trust rather than compliance seeing the public sector as an inter-connected systemRead… Read more »