It’s been more than eight months since CNN and the Arizona Republic began reporting about veterans dying while they were waiting for medical services—in some cases, on secret lists that clinics were maintaining to hide the long delays from authorities in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since then, Secretary Eric Shinseki has stepped down, bonusesRead… Read more »
What do government agencies mean when they say innovation? With the term’s popularity on the rise, we took a moment to define it, identify core themes, and provide examples. To begin, here are a handful of key stakeholders you should know about: There are sixteen Government Innovation labs around the world. Several cities have ServiceRead… Read more »
He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it. Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) The budget season of 2010 for local government was particularly brutal. Many localities were taking deep cuts and scaling back. DepartmentsRead… Read more »
Leadership evolution: a personal revolution The opportunity to become a leader occurs in one of two ways: it is given to you or you take the opportunity to lead. Either way, the road to effective leadership is not one to tread lightly. When an organizational freelancer is given the opportunity to lead it may wreakRead… Read more »
Governments today face serious, seemingly intractable public management issues that go to the core of effective governance and leadership. Government leaders are presented with difficult choices, but also unprecedented opportunities. The right kind of leadership approach and style can drive change in government. From budget reductions to a struggling economy, disasters to pandemics, the seeminglyRead… Read more »
The 2013 shooting at the Navy Yard. The 2010 attack on the IRS building in Texas. The September 11th attacks. All of these disasters took place on federal property. Work should be safe. It’s that simple. But federal buildings are often the target of attacks. So how can government do a better job of protectingRead… Read more »
It’s small, but mighty. If ignored, it gets worse. It can cause us to limp, stumble, and ultimately fail. What is it? It’s our “Achilles’ heel.” We have weaknesses. Some weaknesses, such as dishonesty, aggressiveness, or blatant disrespectfulness, are glaring. Others, though not as obvious, can be just as debilitating to a leader and theirRead… Read more »
If you want to know about major innovation in the public sector then look to NASA. The space agency is a crown jewel of government innovation and a global role model for groundbreaking scientific research and discovery. NASA serves as a reminder to America of what’s possible when Uncle Sam harnesses his full potential, asRead… Read more »
As the story goes, when asked by his father about who chopped down the cherry tree, George Washington said “I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.” While this actually did not happen, throughout his life, Washington demonstrated a strict adherence to telling the truth, especially to himself. Historical accounts tellRead… Read more »
There’s much a leader can gain from working on her listening skills: an encouraged and inspired team, an environment that fosters idea sharing, and closer relationships with colleagues and other professionals. Listening isn’t just about being polite. It’s about respect, humility, and growth. So often we treat listening like waiting for our turn up toRead… Read more »