I don’t know about you, but I live and die by my calendars. Between my smartphone and my Outlook calendar at work, my entire life hangs in the balance of these handy electronic schedulers. Rather than feel confined by this, I actually like it that way. I love being able to open my Outlook calendarRead… Read more »
I am currently a year into a fellowship with the CDC, a dream opportunity I remember applying for like it was yesterday. I was six months out of school and had a generic resume I would tweak for various positions. None of my friends had applied to the public sector, and I never had anyRead… Read more »
Learning or experiencing leadership can be daunting. Every day a myriad of new theories and articles appear on what leadership skills a manager should exhibit, or what key phases or words a leader should use to motivate a team, or how better understanding strategies of a long-dead samurai warriors can help make you an exceptionalRead… Read more »
Returning from long holiday weekends and vacation get-a-ways can often remind us of the places in our lives we feel stuck: in a job, a community or a relationship. Are you feeling like this little turtle? A few month’s ago, a dear friend and I were walking along a lake shore when we stumbled uponRead… Read more »
As I get ready to head back overseas after spending three years in the U.S., I am already wondering about the technological advances (or lack thereof) that I will encounter as I re-enter Embassy life. As an example, I curiously posted a question in an online forum whether our medical records (which are required toRead… Read more »
My brother has his sword, and I have my mind. A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones We have all been there. The day in the office when you realize you have lost your edge. You aren’t as sharp as you used to be. Things seem toRead… Read more »
Dealing with the public over social media when you are a public sector organization (PSO) posts a particular set of challenges. Some people inherently dislike and distrust the public sector and will feel the same about your organization. Some may try to use your social media channels to vent on issues that may or mayRead… Read more »
On July 1, 2014 I was honored to be a presenter at the “Work Smarter, Faster, and With Less Stress: 20 Government Productivity Tips” webinar. I presented 21 tips from my featured blogs posts here on GovLoop. They featured productivity tips for individuals and group (meetings and the Briggs/Myers personality types). I wanted to takeRead… Read more »
Government employees have faced a number of “downers” in recent years: sequestration and budget cuts, furloughs, and pay freezes, just to name a few. Federal employees hired today are required to contribute a greater proportion of their salaries to their pensions than those hired just a few years ago. Travel budgets have been cut downRead… Read more »
There is arguably no greater responsibility for the federal government than protecting the safety of Americans in general and the homeland in particular. But don’t tell that to the multitude of vociferous critics of the National Security Agency. On Sunday, the latest sensational article about the NSA appeared on the front page of the WashingtonRead… Read more »