Posts By: Mary Kay Fenlon

What’s the Ideal Manager-Employee Relationship?

February 12, 2024
by Kim Scott

You may have seen me featured as “The Candid Boss” for The Muse, an online career resource destination. One of the questions I am often asked is, can managers and employees be friends at work?

An even more essential question to ask is, what does an ideal manager-employee relationship look like?

President’s Message

February 12, 2024
by Rick Pierce

The calendar has turned to yet another year. Many of us have cleaned our work areas, purged ourselves of items no longer relevant, and are preparing to embrace the coming of a new day—or are we? Change …ah, a word not… Read more »

Management Musings

February 12, 2024
by Giuseppe M. Fazari

“When the legend becomes fact, print the legend,” is a famous line from John Ford’s acclaimed film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The idea is that when the fictional story is better than what truly happened, it was better… Read more »

A Question of Ethics

February 12, 2024
by Peter Kiefer

Today’s Question of Ethics Conversation looks at several ethical challenges regarding employee performance. It discusses four questions many supervisors face in their oversight role. Moderator Samantha Wallis: Deputy Trial Court Administrator, Supreme Court, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Panelists Lizzie Alipaz:  Court… Read more »

Courtside Conversation
Whitney Freese

February 12, 2024
by Carlene Redmond

Whitney Freese Senior Management AnalystClark County (Washington) Superior Court11 Judges, 4 Court CommissionersNACM Member since 2021CORE® Champion Whitney Freese, a long-serving court professional, has reached a major milestone in her field. After holding various court positions and soon after joining NACM,… Read more »

2023 NACM State of the Profession

November 8, 2023
by Jeffrey Tsunekawa

One of the highlights of the 2023 Annual NACM Conference in Tampa, Florida was the State of the Profession speech, delivered by NACM President Jeffrey Tsunekawa. NACM Board member and vice chair of the Governance Committee Nicole Garcia summarized President Tsunekawa’s approach…

2023 CourtFutures Top Trends to Watch: By NACM Respondents

November 8, 2023
by Philip Knox & Peter C. Kiefer

We have summarized the best thinking of over 1,700 court professionals, with various subsets having reviewed 241 different possible scenarios of the future.1 This report highlights recent assessments, focuses on responses from NACM members, and compares their assessments with those of the overall group…

The NACM DEI Guide

November 8, 2023
by Roger Rand, Edwin Bell, and Zenell Brown

In 2020 a lot of national news focused on issues of racial bias, violence against people of color, and civil unrest. I want to remember some of the victims of 2020 in the hopes that you too will never forget them…

Thoughts from Early Career and Seasoned Professionals

November 8, 2023
by Pima County Consolidated Justice Court

In the court system, what do early career professionals and more seasoned supervisors have in common? At the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court (PCCJC), the answer is easy. Both groups view judicial administration as a career and not simply as… Read more »

President’s Message

August 24, 2023
by Rick Pierce

Greetings NACM members and court stakeholders: Thank you for the honor to serve as your president of NACM. I have the wonderful opportunity to work with outstanding court professionals in my office in Pennsylvania and now build upon professional relationships forged… Read more »

Management Musings

August 24, 2023
by Giuseppe M. Fazari

“You can’t do this. You can do this.” “You’re not smart enough. You’re just as intelligent as them.” “You’re fat and look awful. You look great and besides no one is perfect.” “You’re going to look foolish. Anyone would be… Read more »

Tips of the Trade: Grants Management

May 17, 2023
by Melinda Brooks

This article will tackle the more practical tips of the trade: organizational habits and tricks to get organized and communicate clearly within and outside of your organization on grant-funded projects…

A Question of Ethics

August 24, 2023
by Peter Kiefer

“Quiet Quitting”: What Is It? What Should We Do About It? April 27, 2023, A Question of Ethics Conversation Episode “Quiet quitting.”  It is a topic that many of us have heard about.  In an era where it is a… Read more »