President Obama’s State of the Union address brought with it so much to chew on. It was his mention of withdrawing 34,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan within the year that caught our attention. We began thinking about the challenges vets often face in returning home. Already there are issues for veterans trying to find employment. Read More

From considerations like office safety concerns spurred by events like the Sandy Hook Elementary Massacre, to the Americans with Disabilities act, and the implemented changes post Fiscal Cliff in December of 2012, as was highlighted in our Expert Panel , the hiring process is evolving rapidly. Keeping up with the changes is crucial for all Read More

It is realistic to acknowledge that at some point, you may receive a promotion or have new job opportunities. When that time comes, have you thought about what seeds you will have planted so that your job duties are still fulfilled? Will you have trained a successor to fill your specific job title? Will you Read More

  Tolkien’s creativity has captured our imaginations for generations, but more importantly his stories tap into some everyday truths and topics like communication and leadership. From addressing unlikely friendships like that of Gimli the dwarf and Legolas the elf to the large picture struggle between good and evil, these stories are timeless. Maybe the most fascinating thing Read More

As if Christmas Island didn’t already have an edge on one of the major holidays, it jumped into the future at 5 a.m. ET on Monday, becoming, along with Kiribati and Samoa, the first populated place to reach 2013. Although as a race, us humans experience the hours, days, months and seasons differently, the way Read More

We have all heard of the writers’ block.  This is when a writer who is usually a brilliant communicator and fluidly exudes energy in writing and developing their content, cannot get the pen to make contact with the paper to move forward.  The writer becomes “stuck”.  It is commonly believed that writers’ block is caused Read More

Trust forms the foundation for higher levels of retention, productivity, performance and citizenship behavior which are the “above and beyond” behaviors that lead and contribute to organizational success. According to a recent study by Center for Work Life conducted among more than 500 organizations large, medium and small, it was found that trust in the Read More

Growing up, we all loved superheroes. Batman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman etc. They were all known for their special powers. But even Superman who didn’t need any gadgets didn’t have the relationship management powers. The only person I have ever heard of is Don Juan and even he was only known for his “special powers” with Read More

In order to address this question we have to first discuss the difference between leaders and managers.  Both are important to the success of an organization or institution, but there is a fundamental philosophical and operational difference between a leader and a manager. And the differences become even more compelling in government. In simple terms: Read More

There are plenty of similes out there that talk about characteristics of good leadership, or the unique aspects, which are conducive to being a good leader.  I, on the other hand, have often wondered about characteristics, which describe the opposite kind.   There is a certain type of dialogue that is a give away.  And I Read More