Fresh thinking for 2025: Seven ways to have more ideas
'The Imagination Muscle' by Albert Read discusses where good ideas come from, and how to have more of them. Here are my key...
debraJanuary 13, 2025
Editing quiz
This quiz covers some of the less obvious ways we can improve our writing at the editing stage, as outlined in ‘Editing Made...
debraJune 9, 2024
Editing quiz – answers
Check your answers to the editing quiz. (The correct answers are shown in bold.) Use verbs instead of nouns, where possible. 1A Using...
debraJune 9, 2024
Stumbling blocks for report writers
Your particular pathway to working in local government may present some specific challenges when you start writing council reports. Here are some examples...
debraMay 1, 2024
How to develop a corporate policy
I hope you find this step-by-step process useful if you need to develop a corporate policy. I developed this process for an internal...
debraMay 1, 2024
Workshop notes
In this article I share a trick to help you with presentations, list some resources to help staff write quality reports, reflect on...
debraApril 16, 2024
How to add the strategy into strategic planning
While everyone is capable of both strategic thinking and planning, it’s natural to have a preference for one over the other. The whole brain...
debraApril 16, 2024
Thinking like a councillor
We all speak, write and make decisions based on our own experience – and we tend to walk around assuming everyone sees the...
debraApril 16, 2024
Coping with uncertainty
Changes in direction related to the RMA, three water management, and spending priorities for transport all impact on the local government sector. Changes...
debraApril 16, 2024
Resources to help you complete your Long Term Plan
What a year for local government! Cyclones and floods have created havoc for infrastructure budgets, U-turns have been signalled for the Affordable Water...
debraOctober 18, 2023
