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Career Development as Your Family’s Intellectual Property

Posted by on Dec 9, 2022 in Culture, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Career Development as Your Family’s Intellectual Property

Employees grumble that their employer doesn’t take enough of an interest in their career development. Meanwhile, the organization is wishing that employees would take more responsibility for their careers. Both feel as though their points are valid. How can we meet in the middle?

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The Shift from Color Blindness to Racial Consciousness

Posted by on Nov 17, 2022 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

The Shift from Color Blindness to Racial Consciousness

Read leading expert, Alison Manswell’s, perspective on race in the workplace, as she addresses how we can begin to have open conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

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How We Help You Achieve: DEIA Executive Order 

Posted by on Nov 9, 2022 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

How We Help You Achieve: DEIA Executive Order 

We’ve developed a new course, Exploring Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, that combines our existing DEIA training with new content that will help your organization adhere to the latest updates in DEIA policy. This course will provide an overview of diversity and inclusion principles while emphasizing their importance for fulfilling agency missions. The course is now open for registration on the website! 

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Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part V: Measuring Success

Posted by on Oct 9, 2019 in Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part V: Measuring Success

In this five-part series, we talked about how you can help identify and assess leadership gaps within your organization and through introspection. We also covered how Federal Agencies can best avoid mission-critical leadership gaps through effective succession planning. In each discussion, we highlighted the importance of setting specific goals and emphasized that maintaining flexibility is crucial to achieving those goals. Now, in this final installment, we will discuss ways gap-closing success can be measured and potentially improved.

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10 Tips to Perfect Your Presentation Skills

Posted by on Oct 1, 2019 in Analytics, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

10 Tips to Perfect Your Presentation Skills

Is giving presentations the part of your job that you dread? Not to worry, we have provided some practical tips that you can immediately put into action. With the amount of emphasis placed on sharing and utilizing data in the President’s Management Agenda, the demand for data analysis-focused presentations is likely to expand. Try applying these tips to perfect your presentation skills.

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Qualities of the Ideal Federal Leader

Posted by on Sep 18, 2019 in Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Project Management, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Qualities of the Ideal Federal Leader

One of the three key drivers of transformation named in the 2019 President’s Management Agenda (PMA) is realigning human capital to serve America’s priorities for the 21st century. While there is a significant focus on filling technology gaps, several authorities have defined ideal qualities for leaders in the Federal Government.

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The Secrets of Successful Workforce Planning

Posted by on Sep 3, 2019 in Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

The Secrets of Successful Workforce Planning

A significant segment of our workforce is becoming eligible for retirement as birth rates are at an all-time low. Add to that a wave of uncertain budget and economic conditions in our future. This combination presents a very real challenge for public and private industry. Let’s explore the ways we can ensure our success through workforce planning:

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41st Blacks In Government National Training Institute Conference Recap 2019

Posted by on Aug 13, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

41st Blacks In Government National Training Institute Conference Recap 2019

At the 41st Annual Blacks In Government National Training Institute (BIG NTI), approximately 2,000 attendees filled the exhibit hall and ballrooms at the Sheraton in downtown Dallas, TX from August 5th through the 8th. Management Concepts was a proud Gold Sponsor, furthering this year’s theme, “BIG NTI: Your Benchmark for Achieving Excellence in the Workplace.”

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Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part III: Within Your Organization

Posted by on Aug 9, 2019 in Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part III: Within Your Organization

Although leaders may be quite effective in their current roles, they may not be well equipped to handle changes that occur due to new requirements. As each Administration introduces initiatives, there is a need to identify and address gaps between current skills and knowledge and future leadership requirements. In the first part of this series on leadership gaps, we discussed the process of identifying and assessing leadership gaps. In the second part, we dove into the process of identifying and addressing your leadership gaps. Now, in part three, we will explore ways to close leadership gaps within your organization.

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5 Tips for Avoiding Prohibited Professional Practices

Posted by on Jul 18, 2019 in Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

5 Tips for Avoiding Prohibited Professional Practices

In the private sector, we see companies soar or plummet after a crucial management decision becomes known. Their mere survival is closely tied to the public perception of difficult choices. For the Federal Government, the stakes are even higher because American taxpayers finance their work. Each agency or organization has a specific purpose. If any of them fail to succeed, we all lose. Here are a few tips to help you avoid HR compliance missteps.

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Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part II: Introspection

Posted by on Jul 9, 2019 in Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part II: Introspection

In part I of this series, we talked about how to identify the skills required to fulfill your agency’s mission, determine to what extent these qualities exist among your leaders, and define the difference between the two in preparation for addressing leadership gaps. And most likely, as you reviewed the competencies that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) considers essential, you may have recognized that you, as a leader, or prospective leader, can improve in certain areas. In this part, we will look at ways to identify and address your own strengths and weaknesses related to leadership.

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Becoming an Extraordinary Informal Leader

Posted by on Jul 2, 2019 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Becoming an Extraordinary Informal Leader

What is an informal leader? Whether you think leaders are born or made, we all are leaders and can develop leadership skills throughout our career lifecycles. Being in a position of authority has nothing to do with being a leader. I was an informal leader and in fact, only held a management position for 1-1/2 years of my 27-year Federal Government career.

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Getting the ‘Gears of Government’ Moving in the Right Direction

Posted by on Jun 25, 2019 in Leadership, Project Management, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Getting the ‘Gears of Government’ Moving in the Right Direction

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published a new playbook and distributed it through a memo to agency heads and C-level directors to help agencies accelerate the cross-agency priority goal of the President’s Management Agenda of modernizing the Federal workforce. The Executive Playbook for Workforce Reshaping: Accelerating the Gears of Transformation, offers four plays for government leaders and employees and anyone with an appetite for change.

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3 Challenges to Modernizing Federal Government IT

Posted by on Jun 18, 2019 in Coaching & Mentoring, Consulting, Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

3 Challenges to Modernizing Federal Government IT

Unlocking untapped potential within Federal data will help grow the economy, increase efficiency in government, and better address complex problems using data-driving approaches. To stay competitive globally, it is imperative that we make data more usable and accessible.” Suzette Kent, Federal chief information officer.

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Congratulations to AFFIRM Leadership Award Winner Sam Shellenberger of DOL VETS

Posted by on Jun 13, 2019 in Consulting, Leadership, Project Management, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Congratulations to AFFIRM Leadership Award Winner Sam Shellenberger of DOL VETS

Management Concepts manages and operates the National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI) on behalf of DOL VETS to further develop and enhance the professional skills of veterans’ employment and training service providers throughout the United States.

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5 Strategies for Effective Prioritization from Eric Papp

Posted by on Jun 4, 2019 in Consulting, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

5 Strategies for Effective Prioritization from Eric Papp

Last week, many Management Concepts colleagues and Department of Defense (DoD) Financial Managers attended the American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC) Professional Development Institute (PDI) 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. There was a wealth of information presented through workshops, educational sessions, and mini-courses. There were numerous speakers from DoD and industry who presented useful information, however, one speaker’s message caught our attention – that of Productivity Strategist, Eric Papp.

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Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part I: Identify and Assess

Posted by on May 30, 2019 in Human Capital, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Eliminating Gaps in Agency Leadership – Part I: Identify and Assess

Nothing is constant but change. While the qualities and skill-levels of your organization’s leaders may have been top-rate when they were appointed, constant innovation and evolving priorities can transform a well-equipped leadership team into one that struggles to meet basic requirements. On which end of the spectrum does your agency’s leadership reside? Let’s explore the process of identification and assessment.

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Four Characteristics of an Emotionally Intelligent Leader

Posted by on May 16, 2019 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 4 comments

Four Characteristics of an Emotionally Intelligent Leader

The value of Emotional Intelligence (EI), or “the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others,” is increasingly being used as a cognitive leadership tool to enhance the effectiveness of communication in the public and private sectors. In our recent webinar, Emotional Intelligence, The Use of Emotional Intelligence for Effective Relationships, we defined EI and described ways it impacts our daily lives. Let’s take a closer look at four of the characteristics that are common among emotionally intelligent leaders and explore steps we can take to improve our own EI as leaders:

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The Future of Federal Workforce: Reskilling, Automation, & Hiring Practices Part III: Federal Workforce Culture

Posted by on May 7, 2019 in Culture, Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

The Future of Federal Workforce: Reskilling,  Automation, & Hiring Practices  Part III: Federal Workforce Culture

As we discussed in Part I and Part II, the onslaught of technological advances we have experienced in recent years has forever changed the way we live and work. In this final part of our series, we will examine how panel experts have addressed workplace culture issues that directly impact the Federal workforce.

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Emotional Intelligence Webinar May 8, 2019:
Whether You’re in the Executive Suite or Not — This Session is for You

Posted by on Apr 30, 2019 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Emotional Intelligence Webinar May 8, 2019:   Whether You’re in the Executive Suite or Not — This Session is for You

If you are like me, you realize maintaining effective relationships is not easy. Think back to your ineffective relationships: what role did emotions play? In our professional lives, unhealthy relationships affect team chemistry, advancement, and even engagement. In fact, Gallup estimates employee disengagement cost U.S. companies $450-$550 billion a year — not exactly pocket change. Therefore, how does being emotionally-mindful set effective relationships apart from ineffective ones?

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The Leader’s Role in Workforce Agility Part II: How to Shape an Agile Workforce in the Federal Government

Posted by on Apr 25, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 1 comment

The Leader’s Role in Workforce Agility  Part II: How to Shape an Agile Workforce in the Federal Government

In my last blog post Building Your Muscle for Change, I discussed how you need to develop and model resiliency, strategy, and communication skills before implementing an organizational workforce agility initiative, if you’re to be a successful Federal leader. By being more adept in your own managerial and leadership practices, you will be better prepared to shape an agile workforce.
After you’ve built your muscle for change, it’s time to put those new muscles to work!

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HR in the Federal Government: A Changing Landscape Part II: Is Technology the Answer? (Hint: YES!)

Posted by on Apr 23, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

HR in the Federal Government: A Changing Landscape Part II:  Is Technology the Answer? (Hint: YES!)

The President’s Management Agenda (PMA), released to the public in March 2018, runs the gamut in terms of requirements and recommendations for agencies and departments within the Federal Government. A recurring theme in the document? Technology must be leveraged to modernize, create efficiencies, and get the job done better, faster, and smarter, including managing and improving quality customer service in agencies and HR departments.

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Eight Ways to Manage Up in the Federal Government

Posted by on Apr 17, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Eight Ways to Manage Up in the Federal Government

Simply stated, “managing up” refers to doing whatever you can to make your boss’ job easier by essentially managing your manager. Managing up means navigating the complexities of both you and your supervisor’s personality to ultimately achieve the goals of the organization. Perhaps most importantly, managing up is a way for you to get a leg up on the competition.

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The Importance of Being a Good Writer: Federal Employee Essentials Edition

Posted by on Apr 12, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 1 comment

The Importance of Being a Good Writer: Federal Employee Essentials Edition

As a Federal employee, much of your internal and external communication comes in the form of writing (emails, memos, reports, executive summaries, and announcements) so, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that improving your writing and communications skills is a great way to advance your career within the Federal Government.

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Management & Leadership Coaching in the Federal Government

Posted by on Apr 4, 2019 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Management & Leadership Coaching in the Federal Government

When you hear the word “coach,” what’s the first image that pops into your head? For many, it’s a throwback to high school sports, where a coach doesn’t just help you win games — a coach helps you grow as an athlete. For others, it could be someone else, like a professor in college, a musical director, a military officer, a boss, even a family member. A coach is anyone who provides guidance, fosters your growth, and helps you to succeed in your role.

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The Leader’s Role in Workforce Agility Part I: Building Your Muscle for Change

Posted by on Apr 2, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

The Leader’s Role in Workforce Agility Part I: Building Your Muscle for Change

An agile workforce considers people as the differentiator, not technology. When you hear a term like “agile” tossed around so often, it starts to become an abstract concept that is hard to wrap your brain around. In our quest to define terms like agile, we overcomplicate the essence of what it really means. I like to make the complicated, simple. Agile means to be able to adapt and change. How’s that for simplicity? Okay, so maybe workforce agility is a little more complex than just adapting and changing.

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HR in the Federal Government: A Changing Landscape Part I: Challenges and Solutions to HR’s Changing Priorities

Posted by on Mar 29, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

HR in the Federal Government: A Changing Landscape Part I: Challenges and Solutions to HR’s Changing Priorities

Human resources (HR) are—simply put—the people who make up an organization and carry out the work that achieves the objectives of that organization’s mission. An HR department is tasked with managing those resources, ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations, and overseeing benefits and often recruitment.

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Federal Workforce 101 Series (Part I) – Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Proposal Impacts on Federal Workforce Engagement

Posted by on Mar 26, 2019 in Financial Management, Leadership, Workforce Management | 1 comment

Federal Workforce 101 Series (Part I) – Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Proposal Impacts  on Federal Workforce Engagement

Coming off the heels of the longest Federal Government shutdown in history last month, news of the President’s fiscal year 2020 budget proposal and the many proposed changes to Federal pay and benefits might feel a bit hard to swallow for many Federal workers. On top of an all-too-familiar proposal to freeze Federal pay, President Trump’s budget also called for significant funding cuts and reorganization of many Federal agencies or elimination of some programs, altogether.

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Community of Change: Shaping and Shifting Culture

Posted by on Mar 22, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Community of Change: Shaping and Shifting Culture

On behalf of, Management Concepts we invite you to join
our practice LinkedIn Group, Community of Change: Shaping and Shifting Culture. The goal of this practice is to: Raise awareness around the value of addressing the behavioral norms that enable or inhibit an organization’s ability to deliver on mission-driven priorities, and provide best practices and tools that enable you to integrate culture change to enable individuals, teams, and organizations to deliver high-quality citizen services.

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3 Key Themes Dominate the 2019 ASMC Regional Professional Development Institute Event

Posted by on Mar 21, 2019 in Financial Management, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

3 Key Themes Dominate the 2019 ASMC Regional Professional Development Institute Event

This year’s theme, “Who Dares Wins”, is the motto that originated with the British Special Air Service. The Deputy Chief Financial Officer (DCFO) of the Department of Defense (DoD), Mr. Mark Easton, was the keynote speaker – addressing this theme in a very thought-provoking and informative way. He conveyed that it’s a great time to be an FMer, and that while there are many challenges now and on the horizon, FMers are “Daring to Win” each day. Additionally, he provided a macro-level view of a few key financial management (FM) initiatives, including the undertaking of the largest audit ever, the impending roll-out of the FY20 budget, technological advances within the DoD, and more. It was great to hear about the progress being made by each of the Armed Services on their respective audits. They’re digging in, addressing findings, implementing corrective action plans, and establishing best practices.

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3 Tips for Newcomers to the Federal Workforce

Posted by on Mar 12, 2019 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

3 Tips for Newcomers to the Federal Workforce

Between the paperwork, acronyms, and levels of bureaucracy, the Federal workforce is a daunting field for newcomers. There are many “listicles” and websites that provide information on what to expect on your first day, year, or at any time during your tenure as a Federal employee. With that in mind, here are three tips to ease your transition.

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The Future of Federal Workforce Reskilling, Automation, & Hiring Practices: Part II

Posted by on Mar 5, 2019 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

The Future of Federal Workforce Reskilling, Automation, & Hiring Practices: Part II

The Federal Government often falls behind the curve on new technology and workplace practices. Administrative and budgetary constraints can curb innovation, while politics dictate the pace and volatility of these changes.

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ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: How to Be a Change Agent in the Workplace

Posted by on Feb 20, 2019 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR:  How to Be a Change Agent in the Workplace

It is critical to manage change by creating and implementing a strategy that defines an approach consistent with the unique needs of the organization. The strategy serves as the guiding framework, providing direction and shaping decision making throughout the change process.

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Federal Spotlight Interview: Nathaniel H. Benjamin

Posted by on Jun 21, 2018 in Coaching & Mentoring, Leadership, Workforce Management | 1 comment

Federal Spotlight Interview: Nathaniel H. Benjamin

I’ve been in Federal Service excluding military time for about 15 years and my main responsibility is managing the Human Capital Office for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under that responsibility, I’m responsible for talent acquisition for general schedule employees.

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The President’s Management Agenda Series: Transforming through Innovation

Posted by on May 18, 2018 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

The President’s Management Agenda Series: Transforming through Innovation

The President’s Management Agenda refers to the concept of innovation frequently, and it is depicted as playing a critical role in achieving the outlined goals.

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Federal Spotlight Interview: Adrianne M. Callahan

Posted by on Mar 28, 2018 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 2 comments

Federal Spotlight Interview: Adrianne M. Callahan

One of my biggest achievements is winning the Federal Employee of the Year – Outstanding Specialist Category. Competition for the Federal Employee of the Year is extremely high, my nomination was reviewed and ranked the winner out of 18 nominations from various agencies within the Chicago Federal Agency area and it truly was a humbling surprise.

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Ready, Set, Go: Time to Finalize FY 2019-2023 Strategic Plans

Posted by on Feb 22, 2018 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 1 comment

Ready, Set, Go: Time to Finalize FY 2019-2023 Strategic Plans

After months of waiting, Performance.gov is finally back online. While it’s only an interim resource and a brand-new site is forthcoming from The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and General Services Administration (GSA), leaders across the Federal government are thrilled to have something easily accessible to support continued updates to draft strategic plans submitted last summer.

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Finding Time for Strategic Thinking

Posted by on Feb 1, 2018 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Finding Time for Strategic Thinking

In our fast-paced work environments, there is a natural inclination to keep our heads down and accomplish only the tasks directly in front of us at any given time. From the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep, we are bombarded with emails and social media alerts that require our immediate attention. Indeed, we are often rewarded on the job for our ability to navigate daily emergencies and constantly be available.

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Year In Review: Our Most Read Blogs of 2017

Posted by on Jan 12, 2018 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Year In Review:  Our Most Read Blogs of 2017

And that’s a wrap for 2017! Just in case you missed some of our most read blogs of the year, we wanted to make sure to call them out… again. With topics ranging from human resources, OMB Releasing the 2016 Compliance Supplement to how culture can make a significant impact in an organization – there’s something we all can relate to.

We strive to produce content that is not only relevant, but that also can provide insight and value while initiating new ideas to our subscribers. As an early 2017 Forbes article put it “Blogs offer an avenue for delivering that value to a global audience. They provide a hub for tutorials and walk-throughs, and an avenue for crafting and constructing resources that help individuals that are looking for useful information.” And on that note, enjoy reading our top 10 most read blogs from 2017.

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The Three Leadership Skills You Need in 2018

Posted by on Nov 1, 2017 in Leadership | 1 comment

The Three Leadership Skills You Need in 2018

The end of the 2017 fiscal year has come and gone, and most organizations are in the midst of performance appraisals and planning for 2018. Whether you are a front-line supervisor, an experienced senior leader, or a new employee in the Federal government, this is an important time for reflection on how you can improve and expand your capabilities.

Everyone has personal areas for growth so you are better prepared to help your organization meet its goals; however, in thinking about the realities of the Federal government in the upcoming year, three fundamental skills underlie most critical tasks:

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Resilience: Millennials on the Rise

Posted by on Oct 30, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Resilience: Millennials on the Rise

On October 19, 2017, Management Concepts participated in a professional development series with the Young Government Leaders (YGL) and Blacks In Government NOW Generation (BIG-NOW). We have been joining forces to create educational networking events to increase the participation and engagement of underrepresented groups within public service. This breakfast event was held in Washington DC and included a dynamic keynote speaker followed by panelists who told compelling personal stories about how they have succeeded in their careers while sharing thoughtful career advice to those in attendance.

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Today’s Vision, Tomorrow’s Future: BIG NTI Conference Recap

Posted by on Sep 26, 2017 in Leadership | 0 comments

Today’s Vision, Tomorrow’s Future: BIG NTI Conference Recap

At the 39th Annual Blacks In Government National Training Institute (BIG NTI), approximately 2,000 attendees filled the exhibit hall and ballrooms at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from August 21st through the 24th. Management Concepts was a proud gold sponsor, and presented and hosted a pair of workshops in addition to a Munch & Mingle networking event in conjunction with the BIG NOW Generation.

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Building an Organization’s Performance Culture

Posted by on Sep 22, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Building an Organization’s Performance Culture

For leaders tasked with developing a performance culture in response to the Human Capital Framework (HCF) released by The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in April, I suspect agencies are seeking answers to the questions like: Where do we start and how do we interpret the framework? If you are uncertain with where to start, how to make it relevant to your agency, or how to execute let’s explore possible immediate steps to support your existing performance culture or begin to shift your existing culture to one of performance.

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Time to Thrive: Empowering Millennials in the Workforce

Posted by on Sep 15, 2017 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Time to Thrive: Empowering Millennials in the Workforce

Every day there are countless articles and studies casting aspersions on millennials. This cohort of young adults has been blamed for the declining viability of chain restaurants, gyms, diamonds, and even the National Football League.

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Federal Spotlight: Chad Sheridan

Posted by on Sep 14, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Federal Spotlight: Chad Sheridan

Chad Sheridan serves as Chief Information Officer for the Risk Management Agency (RMA) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Here is our Federal Spotlight interview.

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When You Manage Resilience, Your Best Self Shows Up

Posted by on Aug 1, 2017 in Leadership | 2 comments

When You Manage Resilience, Your Best Self Shows Up

In chaotic times like these, frustration and exhaustion creep up like a ninja if you don’t check in with yourself and revisit how you’re managing your resilience. While it’s often easier to focus on what drags you down (people seem to like saying misery loves company much more than positivity loves professionals), it’s crucial to make time to find, and utilize, what makes you a strong professional.

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Experts and Leaders Convene: How the Federal Workforce Can Thrive in an Uncertain Future

Posted by on Jul 13, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Experts and Leaders Convene: How the Federal Workforce Can Thrive in an Uncertain Future

On June 29 in Washington, D.C., the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) hosted an event—Stabilizing the Workforce in an Uncertain Future—featuring experts in Federal workforce development from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Defense and Treasury departments, and Virginia Tech’s School of Public and International Affairs. Management Concepts sponsored the event, also featuring our top experts and leaders in People & Performance Consulting.

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Your Words Matter: Have Conversations that Make Things Happen

Posted by on Jun 26, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Your Words Matter: Have Conversations that Make Things Happen

All day long, we hastily grab a coworker for a quick chat, zip off emails to get or give important information, and (if you are like me) often multitask while commuting home by catching up on missed phone calls from the day. How often do you pause to consider what you want to achieve through conversation before you start talking or typing?

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Now that I’m the Leader, How Will My Team Change?

Posted by on Apr 24, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Now that I’m the Leader, How Will My Team Change?

Many new leaders think they should walk in with all the answers; great leaders walk in with the right questions. Then, they lead their teams to a co-crafted solution.

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So I’m Officially a Leader… Now What?

Posted by on Apr 10, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

So I’m Officially a Leader… Now What?

Well, you did it. After all your hard work, your contributions, and your tenacity, you got it. That promotion. That next step. Then, a week passes. You’re headed home, and it hits you. “What’ve I gotten myself into now? I think I’ve got ‘what it takes,’ but what if I don’t?”

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Federal Spotlight: Soraya Correa

Posted by on Mar 30, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 6 comments

Federal Spotlight: Soraya Correa

Soraya Correa serves as Chief Procurement Officer for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Here is our Federal Spotlight interview.

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Agency Experts and Leaders Convene to Address Challenges Facing Federal Workforce Management

Posted by on Mar 29, 2017 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Agency Experts and Leaders Convene to Address Challenges Facing Federal Workforce Management

Speakers and panelists from Federal agencies included experts in workforce planning and organizational development from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FBI, Government Accountability Office (GAO), and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They joined for a panel on closing critical skills gaps in Federal organizations, including a fire side chat on community-building and leadership development in the Senior Executive Service (SES).

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Federal Spotlight: Georgia A. Thomas

Posted by on Mar 20, 2017 in Coaching & Mentoring, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Federal Spotlight: Georgia A. Thomas

Georgia A. Thomas serves at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as the organization’s Southeast and Southwest Area Manager, Communication and Stakeholder Outreach (CSO), Field Operations. Here is our Federal Spotlight interview.

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Resilience: The Word of the Year

Posted by on Feb 17, 2017 in Leadership | 0 comments

Resilience: The Word of the Year

Resilience already feels like the word of the year—our signal and guide to something better that can happen tomorrow if we harness today’s nervous energy and channel it wisely. And we must choose to be resilient.

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How to Navigate an Uncertain Political Landscape

Posted by on Jan 31, 2017 in Leadership | 0 comments

How to Navigate an Uncertain Political Landscape

Depending on your political orientation, you may find new changes in Federal government to be necessary course corrections, unfortunate shifts in the landscape, or something in between. Regardless of your views, many government employees (and they agency missions they support) are now faced with uncertain futures. However, concentrating on the right things will help you navigate the uncertainty, and even strengthen some of your most important skills.

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Leaders: Hold onto Your Wigs and Keys in 2017

Posted by on Dec 9, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

Leaders: Hold onto Your Wigs and Keys in 2017

Seasoned Federal employees, especially those based in the DC area, are no strangers to Presidential turnover and the organizational dancing that signals a new administration is coming to Washington. However, that doesn’t mean the process gets any easier to live through or lead others through. And, if you’re new to the government, I’m sure you’re sensing the uncertainty in the air. What are the top 5 leadership skills you need to weather the chaos and keep moving forward in 2017?

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Are you a #ChangeAgent: Be the Change You Want to See

Posted by on Oct 10, 2016 in Coaching & Mentoring, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Are you a #ChangeAgent: Be the Change You Want to See

On September 29, 2016 we sponsored an event with the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) on the topic of “Positive #ChangeAgents Transforming Work Cultures By Delivering Results Differently and Better”.

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Quit Moving the Target: How to Set Clear Expectations and Not Drive Your Employees Crazy

Posted by on Sep 20, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

Quit Moving the Target: How to Set Clear Expectations and Not Drive Your Employees Crazy

Have you ever felt like you are chasing a moving target? My first supervisor had me feeling like that constantly. I had to commiserate with my teammates and …

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Speaking the Same Generational Language

Posted by on Aug 24, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

Speaking the Same Generational Language

Having so many generations in the workplace can generate mixed emotions for supervisors and managers. It presents well-documented advantages but also…

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Building Your Own Olympic “Dream Team”

Posted by on Aug 5, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

Building Your Own Olympic “Dream Team”

The opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games takes place this evening, kicking off more than two weeks of exciting competition involving the world’s best…

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Juno to Jupiter: Navigating the Creative Space

Posted by on Jun 29, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

Juno to Jupiter: Navigating the Creative Space

In this fast paced environment creative thinking and innovation are vital to individual, team, and organizational success. Through information overload, expectations…

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How Does Critical Thinking Inform Our Problem Solving?

Posted by on May 20, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

How Does Critical Thinking Inform Our Problem Solving?

In an increasingly complex world, the ability to think rationally and solve problems effectively is even more critical. In the modern workplace, we need to…

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Millennials in the Public Sector: We Want You!

Posted by on May 5, 2016 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Millennials in the Public Sector: We Want You!

If you Google “millennials and public service,” the search results paint an interesting picture. You will see clear references to a widening millennial talent…

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International Leadership Lessons from Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau

Posted by on Apr 6, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

International Leadership Lessons from Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau

The newly elected Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau is bringing Canadian politics to the spotlight. The news is flooded with images of this young, charismatic, athletic…

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Finding the Right Solution for Your Learning Need

Posted by on Mar 14, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

Finding the Right Solution for Your Learning Need

What is the best way to improve a skill or competency? Take a training class, right? It sounds easy. Sign up for a class, learn from a facilitator, meet some new people…

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Want a Smarter Workplace? Focus on Diversity

Posted by on Feb 26, 2016 in Culture, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Want a Smarter Workplace? Focus on Diversity

Diversity efforts are often perceived as solely focusing on compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws or enforcing political correctness. Yet in…

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Why Organizational Improvement Programs Don’t Work

Posted by on Feb 11, 2016 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Why Organizational Improvement Programs Don’t Work

Organizations are continually looking for ways to be more effective. Organizational improvement programs go by many different names—workforce improvement, productivity…

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Employee Wellness

Posted by on Jan 25, 2016 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Employee Wellness

Last week I lost my house key. And then a replacement house key. And then my wallet. Yesterday I dashed out to do an errand and upon returning to my car realized I had…

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A Quick Refresher on Giving Feedback

Posted by on Jan 12, 2016 in Leadership | 0 comments

A Quick Refresher on Giving Feedback

As a supervisor during the recent review cycle, were you uncomfortable addressing your employees’ poor performance? Did you cringe when you needed to have a conversation…

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Scientific Team Collaboration

Posted by on Nov 23, 2015 in Leadership | 2 comments

Scientific Team Collaboration

Early in my career, I realized that succeeding as a researcher involved more than technical skills. As a new assistant professor who was focused on research and teaching…

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Building an Emotionally Intelligent Team

Posted by on Oct 26, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 1 comment

Building an Emotionally Intelligent Team

Why is emotional intelligence so important for teams? Quite frankly, organizations need teams to get the work done. Historically, the most consistent and effective…

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Ask the CHCO: DoD’s Paige Hinkle-Bowles

Posted by on Aug 16, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Ask the CHCO: DoD’s Paige Hinkle-Bowles

In her interview with Federal News Radio for our Ask the CHCO series, Ms. Hinkle-Bowles shared some key areas of focus for the civilian workforce that support the…

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Building Resilience

Posted by on Aug 7, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Imagine you are in the water at the beach on a stormy day. The surf is high, and each time a wave comes it knocks you over. You stand back up, and another wave…

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Survey Fatigue: Do You Have It??

Posted by on Jul 14, 2015 in Leadership | 2 comments

Survey Fatigue: Do You Have It??

Survey fatigue is a common occurrence in agencies. I often work with them to collect information from their employees in an automated way, whether it is a training needs assessment, a training evaluation survey…

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Diversity and Inclusion

Posted by on Jun 8, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 1 comment

Diversity and Inclusion

Government agencies serve the American public, and thus should not only be representative of the population they serve, but demonstrate the value of that diversity…

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Recruiting the Next Generation of Feds

Posted by on May 12, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Recruiting the Next Generation of Feds

Over the past several weeks, we’ve heard from a number of Federal leaders through our sponsored “Ask the CHCO” series on Federal News Radio about the work going on…

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Is Your Ecosystem Thriving or Collapsing?

Posted by on Apr 27, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Is Your Ecosystem Thriving or Collapsing?

Imagine a thriving ecosystem, and you may envision a lush landscape with great diversity, energy, and balance. Now imagine an ecosystem that is suffering and you probably see…

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5 Steps to Take to Escape Old Employee Engagement Ideas

Posted by on Apr 15, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

5 Steps to Take to Escape Old Employee Engagement Ideas

Last week I was having a conversation with some colleagues about the renewed focus on employee engagement in the Federal government and how…

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No More Generation Bashing

Posted by on Apr 1, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 2 comments

No More Generation Bashing

We’ve been hearing the same complaints about generational differences for, literally, millennia. The old lament the youth of today, while the young believe…

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Inside the Minds of Chief Learning Officers

Posted by on Mar 24, 2015 in Coaching & Mentoring, Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Inside the Minds of Chief Learning Officers

On March 10 Steve Maier, President of Management Concepts moderated a thought-provoking panel discussion at a recent Training Officers Consortium (TOC) luncheon…

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Considerations for Building a Strong Coaching Culture

Posted by on Mar 12, 2015 in Coaching & Mentoring, Human Resources, Leadership | 0 comments

So you’re thinking about bringing coaching into your organization, but not sure where to start. How do you know what kind of coaching is…

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Building Leadership Capability: A Roadmap for Improving Employee Engagement

Posted by on Feb 23, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Building Leadership Capability: A Roadmap for Improving Employee Engagement

Just a couple short months ago, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released the results of the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS)…

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Telework: The “Just Right” Solution to New Types of Workspaces

Posted by on Feb 13, 2015 in Leadership, Workforce Management | 0 comments

Telework: The “Just Right” Solution to New Types of Workspaces

When it comes to office space these days, a lot of people are feeling like Goldilocks. For some moving to an open concept environment, all that space to collaborate…

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How Leaders Can Bridge the Gap Between Where They Are Now and Where They Want to Be – It’s All in the Mind

Posted by on Feb 11, 2015 in Leadership, Project Management, Workforce Management | 0 comments

In a previous post I presented a basic approach to goal setting that could be used to help leaders acquire new skills as they set goals to make the required behavior changes…

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Managing the Diverse Needs of Expecting and New Parents in the Workplace

Posted by on Feb 3, 2015 in Human Resources, Leadership, Workforce Management | 2 comments

Managing the Diverse Needs of Expecting and New Parents in the Workplace

A few weeks ago, the President issued a memorandum “Modernizing Federal Leave Policies for Childbirth, Adoption and Foster Care to Recruit and Retain Talent…

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Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

Posted by on Oct 5, 2011 in Leadership | 0 comments

It’s the end of an era, and I sincerely hope Apple can keep the vision alive.

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Glue

Posted by on Mar 9, 2011 in Leadership | 0 comments

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Call It Leadership If You Want To, But . . .

Posted by on Oct 15, 2010 in Leadership | 2 comments

The November, 2010 issue of Vanity Fair offers a fascinating and in-depth, if depressing, insight into the world of Merrill Lynch’s leadership before and during the financial crisis, when Stanley O’Neal was at the helm.

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Reality Depends on Where You Sit

Posted by on Oct 4, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

A locus solely out of “what works for me” is doomed to fail. This is really a matter of consciousness, not tools or techniques.

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In the Groove

Posted by on Oct 4, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

For those of you who have tried to change a habit, you know how hard it is.

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The Long Run

Posted by on Oct 1, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

All this may have worked in the climb up, but once people like this arrived at the top, things started to change.

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I’m Interested in That

Posted by on Sep 23, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

One client I worked with once said, “I learned as a leader that if I don’t tell people my story, they’ll make one up for me.”

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“It’s All a Priority”

Posted by on Sep 22, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

Effective leaders don’t make the mistake of trying to do everything. They forge strategy. Telling employees they should do everything makes no sense.

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Progress

Posted by on Sep 21, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

But when people take responsibility – and it’s a very big responsibility — for figuring out where they are going to do their best work, then new and better things can start to happen.

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The Best Quote in the Business

Posted by on Jul 2, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

George Carlin once said, “Have you ever noticed that everyone driving faster than you is a maniac, and everyone driving slower than you is a moron?”

Think about it.

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Organizational Laryngitis

Posted by on Jul 1, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

Organizational laryngitis is widespread, culturally entrenched, a sapper of new ideas and a demoralizer.

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An amazing statistic

Posted by on Jun 7, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

Listening is a powerful leadership and management skill.

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Development and the Dripping Faucet

Posted by on Apr 7, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

Using the power of time makes leadership development effective.

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The How of the What

Posted by on Apr 2, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

A lot of management and even leadership thinking focuses on the “what” of work – deadlines, meetings, delegation, feedback, and so on. These are defined activities with a purpose, result and presumably some kind of measure.

What is often missed in mechanistic models of workplace performance, however, is an understanding, let alone embracing of the “how.”

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Share It. Often.

Posted by on Mar 31, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

Was Apple’s iPod envisioned, designed, built, managed, delivered, and serviced all by one person? What I wonder is, “How do leaders…

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A Radical Haven of Innovation

Posted by on Mar 16, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

What would happen if for one day you led a group of your colleagues to create a radical haven of innovation? Every day…

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When You Leave: Victim or Victor?

Posted by on Mar 10, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

How you leave a job may be an important factor to consider when searching for your next one.

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Leadership and the Olympics

Posted by on Mar 2, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

As someone who watched many hours of the Olympics, I noticed an underlying, yet present connection between my work in the field of leadership and those Olympians on television. Leadership was…

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Let’s Go to the Data: What Really Works in Leadership?

Posted by on Feb 23, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

Go into your neighborhood bookstore and you will find countless titles on leadership. It can be confusing, and overwhelming.

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Learn from Failure or Fail to Learn

Posted by on Feb 16, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

It may sound almost heretical in an achievement-driven culture to spend much time thinking or talking openly about failure.

After all, the reality is that…

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The Courage to Lead

Posted by on Feb 10, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

It takes a lot of courage to lead. It takes courage to step up to the challenge. It takes…

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Are you a producer, or a performer?

Posted by on Feb 2, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

We all know what a producer is: gets the job done, churns out product, is a volume operator. You can be sure there’s a check-mark next to the task. We may not be so sure about…

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What Unlocks Potential in People?

Posted by on Feb 2, 2010 in Leadership | 0 comments

This is an intuitively, inherently appealing topic. After all, who doesn’t want to see others (or himself or herself) fulfill individual potential?

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Keep the Change

Posted by on Jan 29, 2010 in Leadership | 2 comments

Keep the change. No, it’s not just what people say when they get your morning coffee
from the local barista. It’s something…

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