The Exit Interview: What It Is and Why You Should Do It

Attracting and retaining talent is a challenge for many public sector organizations, especially in light of an aging workforce and an upsurge of retirees. One effective method to uncover the reasons employees jump ship, be it to the private sector or elsewhere in the public sector, is the exit interview. What is an exit interview?Read… Read more »

7 Words That Demystify Office Politics

In my recent posting on ‘ceiling diplomacy‘ I gave names to elements of office dynamics. Below I‘ve provided a list of additional words that fit the bill. The below terms, definitions and usage will help you communicate your frustrations about office politics more effectively. 1) me-signments (noun) – Assignments you’ve taken upon yourself (i.e., FamilyRead… Read more »

Yay or Nay on Feedback USA?

For four years, many have been eagerly awaiting cross-agency action on President Obama’s 2011 executive order streamlining service delivery and improving customer service. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently launched the pilot of Feedback USA to help agencies meet that goal. But, does Feedback USA look like it’s going to be worth the wait? Feedback USA is adding customerRead… Read more »

Is That Really A Problem?

During my time as a GovLoop fellow, I have written 20 blogs about Esri’s geospatial innovations. And if you ask any of my coworkers they would probably think that number is actually small because of how much of a map nerd I am. I love to research and write about how maps are used toRead… Read more »

Human Resources and the Cloud

A multigenerational workforce is the new norm. Four generations are working together for the first time, leading to varying levels of expectations – and this means that HR workers need to accommodate the different needs inherent to each generation. This requires balancing the desire to hire fresh eyes and maintaining the older workforce’s talent formedRead… Read more »

Prepare Yourself for the End of Summer Bummer

There can be a lot of stress at the end of summer. Fall’s coming on fast and that means the extra work of end-of-year campaigns and deadlines, year-end reviews, Election Day, and the holiday season. The blissful summertime quiet of your office is vanishing as your coworkers return from their vacations. And, perhaps your boss has suddenly stopped procrastinating about year-end planningRead… Read more »

A Civil Servant’s Guide to Project Management

Project managers navigate through uncharted waters, which can be exciting and/or challenging. The Business Dictionary defines project management as the body of knowledge concerned with principles, techniques, and tools used in planning, control, monitoring, and review of projects. My definition is a person who wears many hats at any given moment. I am networking with more tenured projectRead… Read more »