Leadership

Brainstorm 2.0

How do you negotiate or strategically plan your organization’s next step as an active partner with 50,000 individuals? Ideation can help leaders focus a group, allowing them to speak in one clear and strong voice. Using the right social media tools helps bring the crowd together to brainstorm about a single topic, and then self-prioritizeRead… Read more »

The Politics Of Repairing Streets And Sidewalks

According to a recent HUD Inspector General Audit, the City of Buffalo improperly used federal funds for public improvement projects such as street paving and sidewalk repairs. The audit which I learned about through a blog post by Investigative Post, addressed whether the City of Buffalo:1) administered its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program effectively,Read… Read more »

Using Consultations to Make Informed Decisions

A perennial lament by advocates of the use of performance measures is that Congress seems to rarely use them in making decisions. Here’s a guide prepared by GAO, along with three examples of how congressional committees have used performance information to make decisions. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) works for Congress and is a bigRead… Read more »

Telework: Planned, Unplanned, Whatever

Our recent June 29th derecho event, featuring lightening, thunder, rain, wind, trees falling, and power lines failing, has provided yet another opportunity for people in the Washington, DC area to experience what the Federal government calls “unplanned telework.” As it did when our area suffered through snowstorms and earthquakes, the government provided employees with theRead… Read more »

Health Care Security is a Fundamental Freedom — Part I of III

In 21st century America, access to affordable health care for all should be considered a fundamental freedom and a basic human right. Today, more than ever, access to health care is central to one’s attainment of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Yet tens of millions of Americans nationwide, including those with severe andRead… Read more »

Did We Forget Why We Are Here?

Freedom – that is why we are here, is it not?! How did our great nation begin…. somewhere in there, was a quest, a yearning, for freedom. Freedom from what? Freedom from any large entity dictating to us – telling us how we must live our lives, no taxation without representation, of speech, life, libertyRead… Read more »

Happy 4th of July! Brief Reflection on The Four Freedoms

Happy 4th of July to the GovLoop Community! Last night I was reading a little bit about Norman Rockwell, I was feeling patriotic due to the holiday and decide to read a bit about some of his work. Just doing some Googling on Mr. Rockwell I was reminded of his series of paintings, The FourRead… Read more »

Do TV Sitcoms give Public Servants a Bad Rap?

Lately I’ve become obsessed with the show Parks and Recreation. I think it’s hysterical — and maybe part of that is because I work around government, and can relate the characters to people I’ve met. But it does make me wonder, is the show reinforcing negative stereotypes about government? For example: 1) Leslie Knope isRead… Read more »