Okay. That’s harsh. Yup. It is. Does it count that I’m being harsh with myself first? And foremost? Here’s the thing. When I started out in public service, I said what I thought. Now, I was raised right – so I said what I thought, but I said it politely and patiently and in aRead… Read more »
Thanks for coming back for part 2 of this series. If you have not already, please check out Change the Way You Hire Part 1: Am I Qualified. Would you rather have an employee with two years of experience but has demonstrated the ability to handle more complex tasks over time, or someone with fiveRead… Read more »
Do your meetings have a creative killer? Newsrooms call them “story killers,” the naysayers at meetings who repeatedly shoot down stories while unsuspecting victims are trying to generate new ideas. Creative killers assassinate ideas, breeding fear and limiting impact for hundreds, maybe even thousands. These idea deaths never get investigated and their potential never getsRead… Read more »
What makes you yell with excitement? Roger Hanlon, a marine biologist, captured video of an octopus in camouflage mode. Hanlon hit the surface screaming. “They thought I was having a dive accident,” he says in the video. “It was a eureka moment.” We like eureka moments on the innovation team, and we look for waysRead… Read more »
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 »
I’m throwing a disclaimer out here first: I’m an Accountant, not a Human Resources Specialist. That being said, I find the HR components of the federal government really interesting. Perhaps the most puzzling aspect is how to land that elusive interview. So here are a few lessons I learned along the way… 1. If youRead… Read more »
Oftentimes, getting the job comes down to building relationships. One way I did this early on in my postal career was to seek out ways in which I could showcase other people and their talent. Late Motivational Speaker Zig Ziglar was often quoted as saying, “You can get everything you want in life, if youRead… Read more »
Attracting the right people to your organization is a difficult process and the traditional hiring model needs to be updated. In this four part series I will share some ideas to start a conversation around how we hire and ultimately keep talent in our organizations. I will discuss some of the things that I thinkRead… Read more »
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 »
College, the number one path for preparing for a career, is nothing at all like an actual job. Besides the social acceptability of napping in public, college is about a focused period of voracious learning. Work leaves less time for learning and focuses instead on the daily grind of fulfilling your responsibilities. Creating the spaceRead… Read more »