In the Next Generation of Government Training Summit session, “Courageous Followership and Intelligent Disobedience: What the Best Leaders Expect from their Teams,” Ira Chaleff used three fun examples: dancing, more dancing (the tango), and guide dogs, to illustrate the concepts of his two books, “The Courageous Follower” and “Intelligent Disobedience.” To explain “followership,” Ira openedRead… Read more »
Quick, be creative! For most people, this is a tall order. Thinking creatively on-demand is not an easy task; in fact, it can be outright intimidating. But, according to four experts in the field, it’s also probably not a necessary one for innovation. Results from OPM’s 2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey indicated that nearly 91Read… Read more »
“It’s ok to fall out of a tree.” “Maybe you shouldn’t climb that tree.” Henry De Sio broke the ice during today’s lunchtime keynote here at the 2015 NextGen Conference by bringing his two sons up on stage to share their leadership lessons. The boys were eager to share all of the info they’ve learnedRead… Read more »
To begin a blog about secrets, it is important to share one of my own—although my secret has never been an intentional one (a common theme discussed today). My writings, and in fact all of my leadership development work, is inspired by real life—my own experiences — and those of my family and friends, and,Read… Read more »
Attention Silicon Valley talent: “Uncle Sam” wants YOU! That is, to help reinvent government via mass digitalization of citizen-facing services across the sprawling federal bureaucracy. Several generations ago, in January 1961, President John F. Kennedy famously stated in his inaugural address: Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you canRead… Read more »
Sometimes trying to manage a team of strong personalities can feel like herding cats. The great strengths that make each team member fantastic on their own may cause them to butt heads when it comes to a group setting. If you’re at the helm of a team of independent spirits, it can be challenging toRead… Read more »
With technology advancing as quickly as it is these days, it can sometimes be hard to keep up. New phones, apps, software, and social media seem to pop up every day. Even though this constant stream of innovation is intended to make all of our lives easier, new technology can also present unprecedented challenges toRead… Read more »
Are you happy with your boss? Do you feel appreciated for your contributions? How satisfied are you with your work environment? Your answer to those questions will probably vary somewhat based on your position in the workforce. However, if you’re in the public sector, your responses may be drastically different from your boss’s. Each year,Read… Read more »
A good meeting is a magical thing. Ideas flow, decisions are made, and everyone leaves invigorated and ready to take on the world. The problem is that good meetings – like most magical things – are rare beasts indeed. What should be a fantastic team tool often turns into a slogging, frustrating experience where nothing gets accomplishedRead… Read more »
We expect a lot from our government. Despite frequent funding constraints, we still expect agencies to deliver quality results to the public. High expectations externally drive high ones internally. As a result, government agencies are incredibly mission-driven. So when employees in the public sector act, their managers expect those actions to directly align with theRead… Read more »