A previous post laid out the Focus on Efficiency Framework: Plan – Decide – Implement – Review – Repeat. In this post I’ll spend some time talking about Deciding. In many cases the Decision to Implement is made in the blink of an eye, even before Planning. And after investing resources in the Planning phaseRead… Read more »
Back in late September, I was inspired by a great new book called “If We Can Put a Man on the Moon: Getting Big Things Done in Government.” It’s authored by William D. Eggers and John O’Leary. Eggers is a leading expert on government reform who currently serves as the global director for Deloitte ResearchRead… Read more »
Here in the UK, the first sighting in public has emerged of the Government’s new overarching ‘UK Public Sector ICT Strategy’ due to be published next month. The strategy has been in development over the last year by the UK Government’s CIO Council (a central co-ordinating body modelled on the Federal CIO Council) and plansRead… Read more »
In a book by Rob Cross and Robert Thomas entitled “Driving Results Through Social Networks”, I thought the following challenge epitomizes what the government must address regarding social networking software. Work and innovation are inherently collaborative endeavors, but as the need for collaboration increases, the demands of people’s time rises. The answer is not moreRead… Read more »
Happy Tuesday! The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered two agency attorneys to remove a YouTube video they produced that criticizes climate change legislation backed by the Obama administration. Laurie Williams and Allan Zabel, who are married and live in San Francisco, received clearance from EPA to post the video, but were told they could mentionRead… Read more »
VA Finds It on Craigslist The Department of Veterans Affairs has done what many people do when looking for just the right product or service—it went to Craigslist. Or rather, to the man who created it. VA announced this week that Craigslist founder Craig Newmark has agreed to serve on a blue-ribbon panel charged withRead… Read more »
A previous post laid out the Focus on Efficiency Framework: Plan-Decide-Implement-Review-Repeat. In this post I’ll spend some time talking about Planning. In the Plan phase you’ll plan to become more efficient by working toward an established goal or taking advantage of some new opportunity, to ensure your limited resources are used to the best possibleRead… Read more »
The Office of Personnel Management wants to make political appointee “burrowing” into agencies more difficult all the time – not just during election years. OPM director John Berry recently sent a memo to agency leaders outlining a new policy that mandates OPM’s approval on all current and recent political appointees who want to move intoRead… Read more »
As the annual Federal Benefits Open Season begins, one thing is clear: while this may happen every year, this year is different. Fourteen health plans are pulling out of the FEHBP, another 18 are lowering their coverage, and the Office of Personnel Management says that, across the board, the premiums for those plans that areRead… Read more »
Greetings GovLoopers! UPDATE as of 11/8/09: Based on initial feedback last week, please see the various changes in BOLD below. In talking to many of the social media practitioners in and around government agencies, one of their stated best practices is the development and display of a solid policy that provides guidelines for engagement onRead… Read more »