Communications

The Rapid Rise of Spanish Speakers in America: What Does It Mean for Government?

Is it time to swap “De Muchos, Uno” for “E Pluribus Unum”? It’s not every day that a gringo from Virginia steps to the Senate floor to give a speech in Spanish, but that’s just what happened yesterday when Senator Tim Kaine delivered his remarks on immigration reform. In addition to that small, but importantRead… Read more »

The Unexpected Consequences of Government Decisions

Many Americans are not aware that the standard railroad gauge in the U.S. (the distance between the two metal rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. Why the heck did our government leaders ever establish such an odd size for spacing the tracks when building our nation’s first rail lines? Well, that is because, when ourRead… Read more »

3 Ways Peer-to-Peer Services Will Rock Government’s World

Last week, I was able to attend the 2013 Personal Democracy Forum in New York City. This conference and community is about the present and future impact of digital technologies on our democracy. While listening to many of the thought-provoking and passionate presentations, there were a few different ideas that really spoke to me. HereRead… Read more »

Mission Magnet and Sheldon Cooper – Recruitment Tips for Hiring STEMM Talent

The Big Bang Theory is the most popular comedy on television. More than 20 million people each week sit down to watch Sheldon Cooper and his group of brainiacs search for answers to life’s most challenging puzzles. Those big brains are just what the government needs to stay on the front lines of research andRead… Read more »

3 Ways Government Can Build Trust and Partner With Citizens

In our recent guide entitled, “Innovating at the Point of Citizen Engagement: Making Every Moment Count,” I highlighted the activities of Raleigh, North Carolina, and their citizen-led, government-approved movement around innovation and open data. It’s an exceptional model of government-citizen partnership, and one that I’m trying to replicate and expand just a few miles awayRead… Read more »

Equal Pay Act Turns 50: Female Feds Fare Better Than Private Sector Counterparts

Is equal pay or gender-based wage bias a problem in your workplace? In case you missed it, June 10 marked the half-century anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, which prohibits gender-based wage discrimination in employment. One might think that pay equity for women would have been reached after 50 years. Alas, this goal remains fleeting.Read… Read more »