February 2014

Welcome to February!

with Newsletter Editor, Elizabeth Fischer Laurie

This month there is a lot to celebrate. We have President's Day on February 17th, and it is Black History Month. Some will celebrate Valentine's Day, while others celebrated the Super Bowl this past weekend. If we are very lucky, we will have at least one more snow day, which is practically a holiday for many.

What interested me this month, however, is February 22nd, also known as Be Humble Day. I had never heard of this holiday but perhaps there is a good reason: in keeping with the spirit of the day, the creator of this holiday could not brag about his creation. As a result, he remains unknown. Still it is a great reminder to us all that being humble is an important character trait at the office and in life in general. In my short experience as a fed, it is clear to me that government employees excel at being humble and providing a great deal for the American people with little recognition in return. 

So carry on YGLers and whatever you are celebrating this month, I hope it is a good one for you. 

President's Corner

by Ginny Hill

Here we are in February...the gyms have emptied out, haven't they? Sticking to New Year's Resolutions is not something most people are good at. Why? Because change is hard! 

I heard a quote the other day that said, "Comfort is the enemy of change."  What that means to me is that short-term comfort is much more appealing than the long-term discomfort of change. Change is inherently uncomfortable, but change is necessary for growth. That's why we make New Year's Resolutions, isn't it? We want to change; we want to grow. So challenge yourself to set some goals for 2014. Maybe they aren't resolutions, but they're baby steps to get you on the path to growth.

I finally sat down this weekend and wrote down my goals. Sometimes that's all it takes to get the ball rolling.  Writing down your goals will inspire you to act on them.  And then growth is inevitable!

Career Goals and Their Impact on the Future of Government

YGL is committed to being the authentic voice for the next generation of aspiring government leaders. 

Work can encompass a lot of one's time. Many of us have goals for what we want to get out of our work. At YGL we want to be able to help in any way we can. To help us better help you please fill out the following survey.

This survey should take about 5 minutes. Your contribution is very valuable and will provide powerful insight into issues related to how you engage with work and the world around you. Please note that all responses are confidential and we do not tie individual responses to personal information. 

You can take the survey here.

Become a YGL Ambassador

Do you love YGL and want to help get the word out to other government employees, contractors, and students? Well, we need your help! We are starting a new YGL Ambassadors program that seeks to name 1-2 points of contact per agency to talk about YGL with their friends, coworkers, intern/fellow groups, etc.  All you have to do is send out one message per month. We'll even provide you with a reminder, along with ideas and content each month. You decide on the message, the audience to send it to, and how to deliver it, such as a tweet, a blog post or article, an announcement at a meeting, or an email to a listserv. Commit to just 6 months or a year, and then help us find the next Ambassador from your agency to keep the momentum going. 

If you're interested in signing up as an Ambassador or want more information, contact Kehli and Kourtney at memberservices@younggov.org.  

YGL National Board seeking Director of Curriculum Development and Instruction

Reporting to the YGL Chief Learning Office, the Director of Curriculum Development and Instruction is responsible for developing and implementing an integrated curriculum in professional education with broad support for the federal government, non-profit, and private sector communities. In addition, the Director will organize and/or deliver the YGL University workshops and programs with emphasis in career management, mentoring, emotional intelligence, communication skills, leadership skills, networking, team building, working under pressure, time management abilities, problem solving, self confidence, how to manage criticism, resilience, working well under pressure, among other topics. If interested, please contact Miguel Joey Aviles at clo@younggov.org.

YGL National Board seeking Director of Social Media and Marketing

YGL is looking for a Director of Public Relations and Social Media to work with YGL on growing and supporting YGL’s presence in social and other forms of media. The ideal candidate will have interest and experience in these areas along with the ability to design new public relations strategies.

If interested, please contact Tyler Robinson at chairman@younggov.org.

We want to hear from you!

Did your chapter do something awesome this month? Have a member who deserves to be featured in an upcoming newsletter? Want to share information about a nationally available event?

Contact Newsletter Editor and YGL Chief of Staff, Elizabeth Fischer Laurie, at chiefofstaff@younggov.org to share your story. Content and photos may be featured in our newly redesigned national monthly newsletter.

Community Family Life Services Volunteer Event a Success

About ten YGL members assisted the Community Family Life Services Center with their Give-A-Gift Holiday Store on December 14, 2013. The group wrapped and sorted toys that were distributed to over 40 children throughout the Washington, D.C. area. All volunteers had fun making a difference for children in need this holiday season.

Community Family Life Services is a nonprofit organization that provides housing, case management, employment counseling, mentoring, youth development, and emergency services to low-income and homeless individuals and families in Washington, D.C. Their mission is to provide children, youth, and adults with the tools they need to move themselves beyond poverty and homelessness into permanent self-sufficiency. You can find out more on their website.

CLO Connection by Joey Miguel Aviles What do Collin Powell, Ryan Seacrest and Sheryl Sandberg have in common? They all had powerful mentors that not only advised them throughout their careers, but also strategically supported them in tumultuous times. Mentoring is the bridge between being really good and being super-star good. Collin Powell said, “What adults do for children, what mentors do for children, is to pass on a hundred previous generations of experience.” And experience is the most powerful source of knowledge. Ryan Seacrest thanked his mentor Dick Clark for his generous advice and counsel. As a result of Mr. Clark’s mentoring, today Ryan is one of the most emblematic figures in the entertainment industry.  Whether you are an intern, a seasoned professional or an executive, you will always need the influence of wise mentors. I have been given the privilege of managing the National Senior Executive Association and Young Government Leaders Mentoring Program. We have over 40 Senior Executives imparting advice and guidance to over 65 mentees around the United States.  Senior Executives have shared with us that thorough this mentoring program they have received life changing lessons from their mentees, and vice versa. Mentees have been able to find new jobs, accept challenging opportunities, and overcome obstacles as a result of these mentoring relationships.  The power that comes with mentoring is available to anyone, but as Sheryl Sandberg said, “We need to stop telling people, get a mentor and you will excel. Instead, we need to tell them, excel and you will get a mentor.” The power of mentoring can only be attained through strategic hard work. The power to be super-star good rests within you, but you must be willing to act on it and put it to work! As Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “Power is given only to those who dare to lower themselves and pick it up. Only one thing matters, one thing; to be able to dare!”  Go ahead; I dare you to discover the power of mentoring!

YGL MLK Day of Service Volunteer Event Recap

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”  – Martin Luther King, Jr.

YGL members headed to Coolidge High School in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2014 to transform a high-need school into a more engaging, educational and vibrant place for students to learn and play as part of the MLK Day of Service. Volunteers spent the afternoon cleaning classrooms and getting to know one another while serving their local community.

The Latest from FEDManager.com with Lynnie Martin Recently Lynnie Martin interviewed Veronica E. Hinton, Director of the Air Force Senior Executive Management Office. Hinton provided insight on what she looks for in potential employees, how she unwinds, and strategies for interactions with your supervisor. You can read the full article here. Each month, the Young Government Leaders' feature column offers a fresh perspective on news and information, not just for current and future generations of YGL, but to all feds interested in hearing from those who will meet the next set of challenges facing the federal government. More articles relevant to your professional life can be found on fedmanager.com.

YGL and the Federal Times

with Tyler Robinson

YGL's Chairman, Tyler Robinson, recently started writing for federaltimes.com. About twice a month, Tyler will be covering topics of interest to young feds. We will be featuring some of the articles here on our monthly newsletter but encourage you to visit the website more often. 

One of Tyler's recent articles, Why feds give, summarizes a recent YGL member survey asking about young feds giving habits. It turns out that many feds feel fortunate and want to give back to their community. Furthermore, it is clear feds get a feeling of satisfaction from doing so and that most see it as a duty as a member of their local communities. You can read the full article here. 

At the end of January, Tyler wrote about the benefits of being a mentor. As you probably know, YGL launched its second cohort of its robust mentoring program back in the Fall of 2013. In the article, Tyler argues that both mentors and mentees can reap benefits from mentoring partnerships. You can read the full article here. 

Young Government Leaders is a 5,000 member, non-profit organization committed to providing the authentic voice for our generation of aspiring government leaders. We are actively building a community of leadership for young public servants across the country through professional development activities, networking opportunities, social events, seminars, fellowships, and scholarships. You can find out more and join for free on our website.