Career

More than Money; or How Government Is Like a Double Overhead Cam

In advance of the Government Doesn’t Suck Rally, I wanted to answer a question here that I encountered on Facebook Questions: Why are there so many smart people just focused on making money? I answered: Like a lot of people, I disagree with the thrust of this question. My parents are wicked smart, as isRead… Read more »

Handouts

I go to meetings because that’s often where people go to learn something new. When I connect, I want to make an impression. Neither one of us has time for an extended discussion as the value is in meeting the people in the room, and following the discussion. Rather than trying to make sales, IRead… Read more »

Proposal Lessons from an Aerial Forest Adventure Park

Would you rather listen to this article? Here it is Proposal Lessons from an Aerial Forest Adventure Park, read by Olessia. A week ago I invited a very fit and adventurous girlfriend of mine (whom my husband says reminds him of Angelina Jolie) to join me in climbing in the largest aerial forest adventure parkRead… Read more »

Going ROWE: D.C. gov workers worried new mayor will end “results only work environment”

Just posted this morning, the third installment of the new Center for American Progress series, “Going ROWE,” a behind-the-scenes look at how D.C.’s information technology agency is transforming in to a “results only work environment.” This weekly series documents the transformation of a government office into a workplace where employees can work where they want,Read… Read more »

…But Do You Respect Your HR Team?

Once viewed as a necessary evil to the organization, today’s effective HR Teams are no longer an organizational obstacle. Do you believe that? Before you answer, check out what employees have said at Google, SAS Southwest Airlines and, yes, even the govies at the Nuclear Regulatory Agency. Today’s global network demands that successful Human ResourcesRead… Read more »

The Federal Coach: Leadership from 30,000 Feet

Today I interview Randy Babbitt, the administrator of the FAA Randy Babbitt is the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. Babbitt began his aviation career as a pilot, flying 25 years for Eastern Airlines. A skilled negotiator, he also served as president and CEO for U.S. Air Line Pilots Association, the world’s largest professional organizationRead… Read more »

Community Building: Why the Why is Vital

Yesterday, I stumbled across @nickcharney‘s post Lessons in Collaboration on GovLoop. He brings to life a construct developed by Simon Sinek on the topic of how great leaders inspire action. How do great leaders inspire action? It all starts with the why, as in Sinek’s “golden circle” above. The average person, as Nick points out,Read… Read more »

How To: Obtain a Contracting Job in the Federal Government (GS-1102 series)

Times have never been worse, yet never better for obtaining a position in the Federal Government as a “contract specialist” commonly referred to as a GS-1102. My name is Robert Knauer. I am a certified professional contracts manager, certified professional purchasing official, and federally certified at the highest level (Level III) in contracts. I retiredRead… Read more »

The Federal Coach: Improving the Hiring Process for Federal Workers With Disabilities

An estimated 54 million Americans are living with a disability. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and this year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act–the landmark legislation that prohibits discrimination based on disability. Although much progress has been made, individuals with disabilities are still underrepresented in the federal workplace–representingRead… Read more »

That “Ah-Ha!” Moment

I had been HUD’s web manager for 8 years before I actually watched someone use our website during usability testing. We had won awards for our customer-friendly content, and I was just so sure that we had most of it right. Then I watched 3 people struggle to find the answers to, what we thoughtRead… Read more »