In launching our innovation program, my colleagues and I surprisingly received the most push-back from our most innovative colleagues. “We’re already innovating!” was the common refrain. True dat. We have jaw-droppingly talented colleagues who are doing amazing things to help U.S. exporters. However, these best practices aren’t often widely shared across an organization with officesRead… Read more »
How can you get your employees to give you the thumbs up? Improving morale is one place to start. “Budget cuts, restrictions, reduced resources, and shutdowns” could be the mantra of our times. Many public sector workers got into their field out of a love for service, but constant roadblocks can wear down even theRead… Read more »
I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s day and had a chance to spend it, in person or in spirit, with your own mom. Although my own mom passed away many years ago, and I miss her terribly, she still influences my life today. I think back when she was alive and what a richRead… Read more »
We have all heard the phrase “Change is Good.” But is it? Change can be good; however, making a change without regard for those affected by it, is a recipe for trouble. When a leader tells employees about a change instead of involving them in the change, a team’s work quality, morale, and motivation suffers,Read… Read more »
Can we achieve Integrated Talent Management (ITM) within the Federal government? My answer is “Yes, we can.” In order for Federal agencies to achieve ITM, they have to do business differently than they have done in the past. One example that comes to mind is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA has achieved ITMRead… Read more »
Have you ever thought about or actually started a small business? If your answer is yes, you’d be in very good company. The U. S. Small Business Administration’s definition of a small business is any business with fewer than 500 employees. Using that definition, according to the U.S. Census, by the end of 2013 thereRead… Read more »
There are many personal challenges in life, such as illness and death of those close to you, marriage, birth of a child, a divorce. For me , it’s been a career change for my wife and subsequent sale of a home with a move and purchase of a new home. Some say successful people justRead… Read more »
Could you be a micromanager? Set your employees free with these important tips. The most successful executives are those who learn to delegate. A top manager hires experienced people who complement his skill set and fill his gaps, letting his subordinates help make him look like a superstar performer who gets things done. Micromanagers, onRead… Read more »
The deep knowledge of networks of science and medical researchers is invaluable when pandemics and health emergencies occur. But how do you marshal diffuse networks of expertise in a crisis? Almost 40 years ago, the Forest Service developed a command-and-control approach to battling forest fires that was successful in coordinating efforts across multiple jurisdictions andRead… Read more »
Does your agency have a knowledge management (KM) strategy? What is your agency doing to protect mission-critical knowledge from walking out of the door when subject matter experts retire or leave? How does your organization encourage corporate knowledge sharing? The biggest challenge I’ve faced with implementing a corporate KM strategy is defining and simplifying itsRead… Read more »