I keep seeing people refer to this news report or that, statements by public official X or Y, interviews with “experts,” etc. Especially as I read blog posts here on GovLoop. I recommend going straight to the source: OPM. They’ve put out a lengthy Q&A about furloughs that they keep updating. Be sure to readRead… Read more »
Note: everything I discuss below is from me as a private individual, not representing anything connected to EPA, the federal government, or anyone else.) Have you heard of microfinancing? The basic idea is that by making very small loans to entrepreneurs (like $25) in developing areas, you help them help themselves and contribute to theRead… Read more »
I just read an an article with the headline I used as my blog post title. It said things like: Speaking with reporters, web users expressed a near unanimous desire to visit a website and simply look at it, for once, without having every aspect of the user interface tailored to a set of demographicRead… Read more »
I try to remember to do basic research every once in a while, where I figure out how the world works without a goal in mind. This contrasts with applied research, which is about solving particular problems or taking advantage of specific opportunities. The distinction can be pretty clear in science. For example, in physicsRead… Read more »
I know that post title is a little obtuse, but I couldn’t come up with something that captured what I meant. I initially wrote “Hijack My Influence,” but that sounded both like this would be a warning about identity theft and a bragging claim I have influence. So … thanks for reading to get whatRead… Read more »
Earlier this week, I came across Hannah Ornell, another GovLooper, asking for definitions of “managing up.” I left my thoughts as a comment, but decided to write a blog post so I can find this later. I coach my team pretty frequently on managing up. To me, it’s a set of actions under the umbrellaRead… Read more »
We have annual ethics training at EPA, and I’m working my way through this year’s version. Our ethics attorneys do a great job with it, and I generally learn something every year. I’m very proud to serve in the federal government. One reason is that my colleagues and I stand for something about integrity andRead… Read more »
Over the years, I’ve had the honor of either directly running or managing the people running EPA websites responding to various crises: 9/11 (that happened one month after I joined public affairs) Columbia Shuttle Accident Hurricane Katrina BP Oil Spill Radiation coming to the U.S. from the release of material from Japanese nuclear reactors followingRead… Read more »
I recently had a midyear review with each member of my team, where we sat down for about 30 minutes, shut out the daily grind, and talked about how things were going. I know some folks, both managers and staff, don’t really like doing these reviews. I think they’re a terrific opportunity. As we talk,Read… Read more »
Ok, here’s the deal. We at EPA are running several social media engagement projects around Earth Day (April 22), and most are off to a good start. But we’re doing one thing actually on Earth Day itself: trying to capture a moment in time. Specifically, we’re asking people to submit a photo they take onRead… Read more »