Key Benefits and Challenges of the OpenGov Directive

I used to be a journalist, and it was an incredible experience. However, I eventually got tired of being on the outside. I could call attention to government issues as an “objective” observer, but I wanted to affect positive change. My ultimate goal was to help bridge the gaps between government organizations and the peopleRead… Read more »

Will social media deliver on enterprise collaboration in 2010?

As the end-year reviews and new-year predictions and resolutions arrive in my inbox, I have been thinking about what has been the biggest impact or change in the collaboration arena. The biggest change I find is that the differentiation between social media software and collaboration applications has almost disappeared from the positioning messages. Traditional CollaborationRead… Read more »

CFCNCA is two-thirds of the way to their $64 million goal

As of 3 pm today, the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) has raised over $42.9 million and is now two-thirds of the way to their 2009 goal of $64 million. The Combined Federal Campaign is the only authorized workplace charitable giving drive for employees in the Federal workplace. CFCNCA is theRead… Read more »

Practicing Safe Stress for the Holidays: “Fast Food for Thought” from the Stress Doc ™

Yesterday I had a blast. It only lasted ten-minutes but the ebb and flow of the audience’s riveted attention and hearty laughter produced a slow to fade afterglow. I did some serious shtick on “Practicing Safe Stress for the Holidays” at a holiday gathering for members of Federally Employed Women (FEW)/Metro Washington Region. Consider thisRead… Read more »

Big vs. Small Federal Agency Government 2.0

It’s almost commonplace to hear things like, Federal agencies are getting better with Government 2.0, transparency, and communicating with the public. But most of the examples of this that I see and hear are from big agencies. You know, agencies like these: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENTRead… Read more »

“You can’t fax a handshake”

In an article in this morning’s NY Times about the President’s meeting with bankers yesterday (“Putting Obama On Hold”) the article closes with this line about the unfortunate absence from the meeting of three of the big bank CEOs: “There’s an expression that many bankers already know…when people need to be reminded of the importanceRead… Read more »

Becoming Engaged with NCMA Enhances Professionalism and Mission Success

The NCMA recently published an open letter to Government employees on how to become engaged with the NCMA without conflicts of interest or ethical violations. NCMA provides a collection of neutral networks or communities, at the local and national level, where contract management professionals from all types of government and industry agencies and organizations canRead… Read more »

3 Quick Facts on Compensation for Contract Professionals

Knowing compensation facts can help you get a better job offer or even get better compensation at your current job. Hard, credible numbers are tough to refute in any negotiation. The Facts Overall, compensation (meaning salaries, benefits and bonuses) in the contracts field is pretty nice. The National Contracts Management Association does a nice jobRead… Read more »

Federal Eye: Federal employees owe $3 billion in taxes

Federal workers owed more than $3 billion in income taxes in 2008, according to the Internal Revenue Service, a figure down slightly from the year before. The agency reported that 276,300 current and retired federal employees owed $3,042,200,000 in 2008, down from $3,586,784,725 in unpaid taxes in 2007. The list includes White House and CongressionalRead… Read more »