VIDEO OF THE MONTH: "Finding Your Inner Kiai" by Nicole Nason
Nicole Nason is the newly appointed Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Here is your chance to see Ms. Nason in action! In this TED Talk, Ms. Nason talks about the journey to find your inner power and identity; starting with finding your inner kiai.
It seems as if I write a lot of thriving tips with the theme of effective communication at their core. I think that's because effective communication really is at the heart of so many parts of life. And when communication goes wrong it creates a domino effect—and oh, the chaos it can cause!
This week an anonymous note was placed in my neighbor's mailbox complaining about something in their yard, that the author didn't like. The note caused anguish to the recipient and because it was anonymous did not allow them an opportunity to explain the situation.
My neighbor took to social media to explain their point of view. Once we had all the facts, a reasonable person could totally empathize with their predicament.
"Turn the Ship Around! A Story of Turning Followers into Leaders" by L. David Marquet -Book Reviewed by TLP Cohort #6 Member
The book "Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders," was recommended to me by a friend who had recently completed the CT Transportation Leadership Program. Once I started reading I knew I had chosen the right book for this assignment. Lt. David Marquet found himself assigned as a Captain to the U.S.S. Santa Fe submarine. Unlike the other ships he served on (the U.S.S. Will Rogers and the U.S.S. Olympia), this ship had a terrible reputation. There was a great deal of poor performers, minimal morale and the crew aboard the ship were very unhappy.
Some of the most successful leadership lessons he taught included changing how the tasks were done so that the workers were not just comfortable and compliant in their everyday tasks. He also believed in not being afraid to fail and that people always make mistakes; this is important because this is how they learn. Lt. Marquet encouraged distributing control in the decision making process and that if you own the problem and solution, you become an important link in the chain of command.
These are just some of the lessons learned from reading this inspiring book. Lt. Marquet was not only able to turn a failing ship into one of the most successful submarines in the U.S. Navy history, but he also was able to do so by using his leader-leader format instead of the traditional leader-follower way in which most of us are used to. I would highly recommend this book to others, as I found it educational and full of many beneficial leadership ideas.
"Women Play Increasingly Vital Role in Transportation" by Jim Tymon, Executive Director of AASHTO
As we celebrated International Women's Day this year, 13 women are currently serving or have been nominated to serve as chief executives of the 52 transportation department agencies represented by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO); the largest number of female state DOT chief executives ever in the industry's history.
This is a critical milestone in more ways than one, as women executives, engineers, and other professionals provide different points of view and approaches to help address the many challenges facing the transportation industry.
APWA is proud to announce "It Starts Here" as the theme for the 2019 National Public Works Week.
This theme represents the many facets of modern civilization that grow out of the efforts put forth by the public works professionals across North America. What starts here? Infrastructure starts with public works... Growth and Innovation starts with public works... Security starts with public works... Healthy Communities start with public works... The bottom line is that citizens' quality of life starts with public works.
It's not too early to start planning how your agency can highlight what you do for your community and it's residents. Did you participate in last year's "Fill a Public Works Truck Food Drive?" If you did, THANK YOU! If you didn't participate last year, please consider participating this year. It is a great way to give back to your community and bring positive attention to your agency.
For more information on the "Fill a Public Works Truck Food Drive," click here.
To get resources and order items for National Public Works Week from APWA, click here.
For information on how to plan a "Public Works Family Appreciation Day," click here.
40th Annual CASHO Equipment and Technical Show: May 16, 2019
Are you looking for professional development activities for your crew?
CASHO is committed to keeping our industry on the cutting edge. Recognizing that state and municipal budget cuts have been severe in recent years, it is essential that funds provided are utilized as efficiently as possible. With your support, the 2019 CASHO Equipment and Technical Show is recognized as the show that public works and municipal officials "can't afford to miss." The Equipment and Technical show is unique and varied in nature and serves as a valuable educational tool to all in the public sector.
Sign your crew up today and come visit the onsite T2 Center representatives who will be running the education stations!