I’ve been quite slammed as of late. Teaching 7 classes and trying to write a dissertation keeps one a bit busy. In addition, I’ve gone on the job market. It makes me sad to think of leaving such a wonderful place, but it’s exciting to see what comes next. I have two options for myRead… Read more »
Federal pay debate Our country is in the middle of a deep recession with public concern about deficit spending and now the spin doctors and pundits think that federal salaries are too high. I’m a GS-11 level public servant, and all pay tables for federal employees are public information, posted at www.OPM.gov. Take my jobRead… Read more »
There is a really good conversation that was started the other day by Stefan Lindegaard, an open innovation leader who I follow and get strong value from. It was about failure and the value of failure with a focus on both engaging interested parties in a dialogue and coming up coining a phrase (failsourcing, amongRead… Read more »
When asked, most people believe they take 100% responsibility for their lives. Do you? Have you ever blamed someone or something for things that has gone wrong? Have you ever complained about someone or something? If you have/do, you give up responsibility. Recently on Face Book I reconnected with an acquaintance from my youth. AsRead… Read more »
I’ve got to warn you, I am about to do two things I told myself I never would. First, I’m going to start by breaking the cardinal rule of blogging as a public servant: don’t ever talk about the particulars of your workplace. Second, well, let’s just say if I explained it now, it wouldRead… Read more »
The Federal Government fiscal year 2011 budget indicates the intent to hire more federal employees. How many you ask? Over the next few years, the Center for Human Capital Information (who happens to be a member of the Portal for Talent Management in Government) indicates the number to be between 300,000 to 400,000 new federalRead… Read more »
In the last decade, technology has transformed business, media and education. Telecommuting and web conferencing are increasingly common solutions to the problem of expensive travel. New applications like Twitter and Facebook make it easier for people, businesses and brands to connect. Leaving aside the question of paper books, there are few reasons to mourn theRead… Read more »
Gov 2.0 advocates claim that their various projects in social networking and open government will, of course, lead to improved performance from government agencies and more satisfactory citizen engagement. But where is the proof? As Poister, Pitts, and Edwards (2010) conclude from their analysis of the last twenty years of strategic management in the publicRead… Read more »
Will Marshall of Marshall Strategic Marketing has been getting some spectacular results for his clients. We were talking about how that happens and I realized he is doing something I learned about 30 years ago, finding the Creative Solution. It’s difficult to positively define the creative solution. I get irritated when I am looking forRead… Read more »
Yup that’s right. I find, when asked, most people WANT more work – as long as it’s meaningful and purposeful. When possible look for those opportunities. It’s an opportunity to contribute to the team, to learn something new, and to gain an appreciation … and greater understanding perhaps of the bigger picture. When you volunteerRead… Read more »