Summer Reading List for Success in the Public Sector

This summer, rather than dragging out the insipid beach-friendly reads with sand in their spines, why not bone up on practical skills and knowledge that can help you in your work? Many of these books are so brand-spankin’ new that I haven’t had a chance to read them yet. If this list isn’t enough, check last year’sRead… Read more »

Improving LinkedIn Groups: Guidance for Group Managers

This is the second in a series of articles offering recommendations for how LinkedIn, group owners/managers, and members can improve the quality and value of LinkedIn groups. The initial article offered suggestions for LinkedIn. This piece focuses on suggestions for LinkedIn group owners and managers. The ideas can also be extended to other kinds of… Read more »

How To Implement The Customer Experience Advice In The US Digital Services Playbook

A few weeks ago, I advised federal agencies to build better digital customer experiences. I enjoyed the wave of hate mail that post generated, so I’d like to return to the topic of digital customer experience (CX) again this week. Even the US Digital Service (USDS) thinks federal agencies need better digital CX. Last year,Read… Read more »

How to Drill Down Government Finances

Incase you missed last week’s online training, Full Disclosure: How Governments Can Best Display Financial Transparency to the Public, here’s a quick tip sheet based on the City of Chattanooga’s Open Budget App and how government finances is giving meaning to the trend of open data. But first, what is financial transparency? According to Socrata’sRead… Read more »

Let’s Talk (Honestly) about Networking

Women especially are told to network — to find a support system that can bolster their professional goals and help them overcome barriers. But what’s really the point? And if it is so worthwhile, how do you do it? Those (and others) are the questions I recently asked Asha Aravindakshan. Aravindakshan has traversed sectors, startingRead… Read more »

Digital Engagement Series Part 4: Send Messages That Get Read

Originally posted on the GovDelivery blog. If you have been reading our blog lately, you have noticed our focus on public engagement through digital marketing. First, we covered how to set organizational goals, then establishing target audiences, and most recently branding. Now, we will unveil step four, sending messages that get read. The proliferation of smartphones,Read… Read more »

Saving Soldiers: Health in the Military

It seems like we’re always hearing stories in the news about how we should exercise more, go to the gym and maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. But with long, stressful hours spent working throughout the day, the gym is not always the most appealing option for post-work activities. We know that obesity is a growingRead… Read more »

DorobekINSIDER: Why Government Fails – a List

Why do government systems fail? That is essentially the question raised by MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough following word that IRS data got hacked. MSNBC’s Morning Joe on government IT problems The short but exceedingly provocative discussion that followed spurred me to think: How would I answer that question? What are the big obstaclesRead… Read more »