The New York State Civil Service Commission began with the enactment of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883. The law was passed after the assassination of President James Garfield, who was shot by a disgruntled seeker of a government job. The theory behind creating civil service was that competitive examinations and requiring theRead… Read more »
The Department of Homeland Security and FBI recently issued a memo to its state and local law enforcement partners titled “No Specific Threat to American Jewish Community, Despite Recent World Events.” The intelligence document said in part: “We have no specific information that Iran or its surrogates are targeting Jewish organizations, facilities, or personnel inRead… Read more »
Basic Info Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age by Douglas Rushkoff Why I bought it I read an article Rushkoff published (on CNN) entitled Are Jobs Obsolete and immediately thought anyone who is willing to ask a question that challenges the very assumptions underlying our problems is worth investigating. Here theRead… Read more »
Congratulations to the GovLoop Mentors Program Finalists! As many of you know, the GovLoop Mentors Program is a first-of-its-kind, government-wide initiative that connects public sector professionals across agencies and at every level (federal, state and local). This free program responds to the unprecedented need for effective knowledge transfer and leadership development throughout government. The SpringRead… Read more »
Leadership is about somehow getting people with different views to come together and execute on goals and plans they would never agree to on their own. Clearly, that’s not happening in many local governments. Polarizing leadership and divisive management are real and entirely common issues that destroy organizational effectiveness and ultimately lead to operating failureRead… Read more »
I am beginning to get a little tired of all the headlines in the media about ‘social media disasters’. A social media disaster is when Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Blogger or another social media service goes offline for an extended period of time, has user account information stolen or loses data. These are all situations whereRead… Read more »
When I talk with people in transition this is the question they are asking: will I ever work again? We are in a unique but interesting economic time. There’s the recession, of course. Even more important, however, is the confluence of advances in applying technology, coming of age of automation, and the New Normal ofRead… Read more »
Several months ago, I participated in a unconference in Santa Clara, California, called Overlap. I did it on my time as an investment in my growth. I came away with a renewed sense of purpose and energy that has improved my professional life. It also sparked a change in my awareness of what I do,Read… Read more »
This pointless brouhaha over the Kevin Rudd video has once and for all decided the fact that political reporting, and those that do it, in this country are bereft of what should be political reporting’s very core – objective policy and program analysis of all sides. It is indicative of two things, I think; theRead… Read more »
Creativity, innovation and inspiration comes in many forms. It doesn’t require a scientist or an inventor or an ethicist. Sometime, the sheer pleasure of being present to the thing you love doing most makes for the most transcendent of moments. Here, Galen Hooks of The LXD, one of my favorite dance crews, speaks of dancingRead… Read more »