Author: ericthomas
Are your employees bringing their whole selves to work?
Several years ago, I met someone who told me that she changed her voice at work when speaking to clients. Although she was a proud HBCU alumnus, she found she was taken more seriously when she “sounded white” on the phone. She used her mental energy to modify her speaking style while also solving the client’s problem.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Profiles in Courage” was published in 1955. Authors John F. Kennedy and Ted Sorensen describe intrepid decisions made by United States Senators to stick to their morals, regardless of backlash. It inspired a 1960s TV series of the same name. Since 1989, the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award has recognized public official(s) whose actions embody the same politically dauntless leadership. In this post, we shine the spotlight on some of these public figures.
Think back to some of the meetings you’ve been in. Did everyone keep on topic for the entire time? If you’re like me, you’ve had your fair share of meetings that drifted from the topic at hand. Maybe it was an off-hand remark that leads to a discussion on a current political event, or a recent blockbuster, or a nail-biting sports game. As a facilitator, it can be difficult to decide when to get the group back on track. Here’s a trick for letting it happen naturally.
Springtime has arrived and flowers are beginning to bloom. A new season is here and a new collection of colors has appeared. It’s time for spring cleaning, both at home and at work. Government forms and processes, just like closets, get cluttered over time. Bring in the feeling of “fresh” and “new” into your customer experience through service design.
If you’ve read magazines like US Weekly or People, you’ve seen the “Who Wore It Best” section. Readers are asked to compare two celebrities who wore the same outfit and judge who pulled it off. Being the project management nerds that we are, we looked at ITDashboard.gov data to see which federal agencies make agile project management work for them.
Vergys is all about giving, social responsibility, and helpfulness. While these values are simple, research shows doing good makes us feel good. This is why we offer “do good perks”, which include eight hours of volunteer time off per year, charitable gift matching, and Vergys-wide charitable initiatives. (more…)
Complexity is Complex and hard. Simplicity is Simple and easy.
Many people regard the above statements as fact, but can we alter the dialogue? (more…)
We will never return to an age of Simplicity as defined by Weaver.
Let’s say you drive to work – Everything about that process is Complex. While riding a bike would be a Simpler method – you peddle faster and the bike goes faster. (more…)
Before we bash complexity too much, let’s first talk about its alternative – Simplicity. As discussed in a leading document regarding the issues of Simplicity and Complexity published in 1948 by Warren Weaver titled Science and Complexity, there are also “Problems of Simplicity” (Warren p.1). (more…)
