“The growth for education and training will be in continuing adult education. Online delivery is the trigger for this growth, but the demand for lifetime education stems from profound changes in society. We live in an economy where knowledge, not buildings and machinery, is the chief resource and where knowledge-workers make up the biggest part of the workforce.” – Peter […]
We highlighted five sessions to help you get a clear idea of some of the awesome topics being offered at NextGen this year.
HOW HAVING VISION AND FLEXIBILITY CAN EMPOWER YOUR STAFF During the hiring process, an organization does its due diligence to align a potential employee’s skills and strengths with the needs of the organization. How is it then that organizations consistently miss empowering staff to meet their fullest potentials? I believe we approach many aspects of our lives in these manners. […]
I recently attended this great free training for women to develop their communication and leadership skills, with tips on how to navigate their career. One of the useful discussions we entered dealt with traits of the best leader and team member. The three most important dimensions of a good leader were: Technical Competence Trustworthiness Being supportive/caring If you had to […]
Government employees and contractors know how important professional development events and resources are. Not only can they help you do your job better, but they can also drive your career forward. You’re invited to join NextGen Nation, a community built for government employees to get the training and resources necessary to be a rock star public servant. The Next Generation of […]
Conflict is inevitable. Organizations are built for conflict. Equally true is that by effectively managing conflict, you can lead your team to better collaboration and performance. If you were asked to define conflict, what would you say? Most people would say something along the lines of “differences of positions,” “we don’t see it the same,” “disagreement on an issue,” etc. Misunderstanding or […]
What do government supervisors say they do when they want to motivate staff members? Okay, I didn’t ask ALL government supervisors, only about 50 from a variety of departments and agencies. First, what is the cost of poor and good engagement? Gallup states that poor engagement has resulted in “70 percent of American workers “actively disengaged” and are emotionally disconnected […]
By Lekshmy Sankar Recently, a friend of mine was telling me a story of how she is teaching her daughter to be accountable for her actions, and I thought, “What a novel idea. Why don’t we all do that?” It made me think of a previous job that I had. I had a boss who was very big on hierarchy […]
By Lekshmy Sankar Social media – what a beautiful concept. It helps you connect with people around the world and express your views and feelings. For all of its potentially positive impacts, have you ever thought about how it is affecting how you behave at work? By now, we have all heard of the cautionary tale of teenage bullying on […]
Millennials have been called the cheapest generation. But with the recent economic recession, tremendous student debt, and an increase in urban migration, the truth of the matter is we’re a broke generation. It’s great that millennials are ready to roll up our sleeves and make a difference through public service. But it can be especially difficult navigating unpaid internships, entry-level positions, and lower-paying government jobs […]
By Lekshmy Sankar With all the conversations going on right now about pay gaps and equal rights in the news, I have been thinking a lot about equity in the workplace – specifically, how to make sure leaders consider equity. Many times, we believe that being fair and treating others equally is being a good leader. The truth is, that […]
We are always learning, but not always fostering our learning culture. If you have people, you have a learning culture. By our nature we observe, reflect, and adapt. It is happening all of the time, it is part of how we are wired. Understanding this–harnessing it into an intentional learning culture–is taking it to another level. Highly effective organizations do this. So we all […]
The other day a colleague asked me if I thought extroverts had a special advantage in terms of leadership opportunities. I reflected briefly and responded, “no.” Many of the leaders I’ve known over the years have been introverts. And I’ve known many strong extroverts who have struggled to advance to leadership positions. I asked my colleague why he was asking. […]
As a recent retiree of the federal workforce, I was impressed with the dedication and patriotism of those I worked with in the conduct of their particular mission or function. Every day the men and women that comprise our Civil Service conduct a cadre of activities and functions that sustain the democratic essence of our nation. The public is largely […]
There is a current phenomenon across the country and in business regarding a technique to relieve stress called “mindfulness.” I am addressing this topic because it is popular and has benefits in the workplace. I should be frank and disclose that I have seen many movements come and go concerning work and how to best conduct it but I think […]
The other day, a colleague asked me what I considered the most important quality of an effective leader. My immediate response was, “humility.” My colleague was incredulous. “Humility?! Really?! That’s the last word I would use to describe the leaders I know.” I asked, “Were these real leaders, or simply leaders by virtue of their professional title?” My colleague paused to […]
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch’s was famous for asking his constituents, “How’m I doing?” Koch’s signature question showed that sometimes the best way to find out how you’re coming across to other people is simply to ask other people how you’re coming across to them. Some variations of Koch’s strategy for soliciting feedback that you can use to […]
We all spend a lot of time in our heads, and our internal narrative is mostly self-affirming. It’s human nature to fall in love with our own thinking and to assume it’s right on target. It’s not so common, but very useful, to challenge our thoughts, perceptions and conclusions from time to time. When people disagree with us, we feel […]
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Shifting an assumption is the first step toward sustaining change in the new year.
