Yearly Archives: 2012

What Makes A Good Mentor?

Mentors often provide valuable insights and institutional knowledge about an organization to a younger workforce. By working with a mentor, new employees are given new perspectives on organizational issues and are provided the opportunity to grow professionally and learn from their mentors experiences. What makes a good mentor? At all the places I have worked,Read… Read more »

The Exciting Launch of Represent.ca and What It Says About Open Data in Canada

Last week a group of volunteer programs from across Canada announced the launch of Represent.ca – a website that tries to map all of Canada’s boundaries. Confused? Don’t be. It’s simple. This is a nifty piece of digital infrastructure – try visiting the website yourself! After identifying where you are located it will then tellRead… Read more »

Today’s political law links

NONPROFITS AND SUPER PACS. LA Times. “Campaign finance reform advocates said there has actually been little need for nonprofits to funnel money to super PACs because the tax-exempt groups have been able to engage in political activity with little oversight.” MICHAEL ADAMS TO DINSMORE. The firm’s press release is here. MUSIC AND CAMPAIGNS. The Times.Read… Read more »

Illinois seeks input on digital driver’s license system

Deltek Analyst Joanna Salini reports. The state of Illinois recently released a request for information (RFI) regarding solutions and new technologies for its digital driver’s license system. The state’s current contract with Viisiage Technology, as part of L-1 identity Solutions, is due to expire in June 2013. The state currently uses a social security onlineRead… Read more »

How To Find A GSA Schedule That Fits Your Needs

Making a determination of if a GSA Schedule is right for you can done by doing your research.GSA currently has over 15 categories of federal schedules that cover a wide range beginning with supplies and services to wild land fire and equipment so you have a lot to choose from. Once you locate the scheduleRead… Read more »

Reward and Recognition in the Public Service – A System In Need of Reform

Social Connect via: Dan Pink gives a good TED talk on the subject of incentives that I’d like to share as an opening to this post. He believes that “carrot/stick” incentive models are not appropriate for the knowledge worker who does not perform mechanical tasks or “inside the box” tasks. During the talk, he givesRead… Read more »

Elected Bodies Need Guiding Principles

The Colorado City City Council recently approved an interesting set of guiding principles that they will use to govern Colorado City. A few highlights of the principles and comments from me in italics follow: Principle 1: The Council will focus on policy and outcomes. The Council’s unique value is to ensure that the strategic directionRead… Read more »

Good Governance Worldwide

Check out ASPA’s new Web site aimed at promoting good governance worldwide – particularly in modernizing and emerging democracies. It offers a wide array of best practice content – through e-articles, commentaries, book reviews, interviews, blogs, podcasts, videos, topical forums, wikis, etc. – and should open up networking opportunities for practitioners, applied researchers, PA students,Read… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: Video Blackout of Hearing on Budgets for Legislative Support Agencies

This Tuesday, there will be hearing on budgets for the Library of Congress, the Government Printing Office, the Government Accountability Office, and the Congressional Budget Office. It’s too bad that the public won’t have a real opportunity to learn about these important agencies, as the meeting is not expected to be webcast by the committee,Read… Read more »