One of my history professors in college used to always say “Do not condescend to the people of the past.” This is a hard rule to follow, especially when learning about how our ancestors perceived technological changes. It is difficult to take seriously historical fears that the advent of the telephone would tear apart theRead… Read more »
We’ve been away for some time now, so please don’t expect that we can return to normalcy in a day or even a week. We need each of you to take time, each hour, to check on your co workers and offer encouragement and comfort where necessary. We are one team, the best team inRead… Read more »
Leaders are trying to use measurements as their swimming goggles. It is the major technique they are relying on. My beef with measures is that we are not applying them proportionally. – Martha Johnson. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “measure twice and cut once.” But in government it seems like we are measuring eight times.Read… Read more »
The economic pressures government agencies feel from the uncertainty of budget cuts, real-time shut downs, and sequestration affects every part of an organization. The Project Management Office (PMO) is no exception. In a recent blog post, I discussed a new approach, Project Intelligence (PI), which seeks to improve project execution by providing project managers withRead… Read more »
After owning my laptop for 5 years, strange things started happening. My nightly ritual of watching The Daily Show on Hulu ended when flash player stopped working. As new technology grew incompatible with my 5-year-old operating system, every item I had downloaded stopped working. The solution was clear, it was time to buy a newRead… Read more »
On GovLoop Insights’ DorobekINSIDER: Back in the 1800s the US passed legislation that created the civil service. The civil service was meant to be a group of people that were performing for the country and because that could put them into all sorts of political crosshairs they were afforded some protections. To this day theRead… Read more »
“At GSA I encountered an insidious war between the Rights government and the Performance government.” – Martha Johnson. Back in the 1800s the US passed legislation that created the civil service. The objective of the legislation was change the civil service from a rewards system where you got your job just if you voted forRead… Read more »
There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may wellRead… Read more »
On GovLoop Insights’ DorobekINSIDER: In 1962 President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous, “We Go to the Moon,” speech at Rice University. At the time a rocket to the moon seemed inconceivable. But the common goal, the collective support, showcased what we can accomplish when we all get on the same page. In part twoRead… Read more »
On GovLoop Insights’ DorobekINSIDER: It would be easy to remember former GSA Administrator Martha Johnson from the training conference scandal in Las Vegas, Nevada last year. The scandal was front page news and fodder for late night comedians that resulted in her resignation in April 2012. But despite it all, Johnson has remained passionate aboutRead… Read more »