August in Washington always reminds me of the proverbial calm before the storm. That is, the storm of political acrimony and legislative gridlock as the fiscal year draws to an end and appropriations bills pile up in Congress. But this year the stakes are much higher as some members of Congress are actively threatening aRead… Read more »
A commercial on TV: the young boy walked up to home plate on an empty ball field with his bat, a ball, and a smile as he was prattling on about the world’s best hitter. He settles in at the plate and, with one more verse of world’s best hitter, tosses the ball into theRead… Read more »
The Department of Energy’s Josh Silverman led efforts to halt the release of more than one million tons of the world’s most potent greenhouse gas from Energy Department facilities, the equivalent of taking over 200,000 cars off the nation’s roads every year. Silverman is the Director of the Office of Sustainability Support for the EnergyRead… Read more »
It’s finally here, the long talked about retirement tsunami. “If you look at federal employment statistics there is not just a large percentage of folks who are eligible to retire but an increasing number of folks that are actually taking up the government on that offer,” said Tom Fox. Fox is the Vice President forRead… Read more »
The Digital Government Strategy, the Open Data Directive, the Open Data policy and the Open Data Partnership agreement are all pushing agencies to find new ways to jumpstart innovation. Hackathons are the easiest and cheapest way to do that. The idea is simple, get a bunch of smart and talented programmers together, provide them withRead… Read more »
The trend toward self reliance is growing in velocity and scope. This post is highlights of the shift that is becoming increasingly clear. As I recall, we were taught at a young age to rely on others instead of ourselves – back in the old days: parents set our limits and standards teachers enforced theRead… Read more »
About 70% of employees work in an open office right now, but that percentage is a bit lower in the federal government. An open office simply means either a totally open room or cubicles. If you are one of the 70%, you know that while the rooms can be really helpful to getting to knowRead… Read more »
Capital budgeting is an important budgetary tool utilized by states as they plan for acquisition of capital assets. A capital budget is a plan for acquisition of capital assets, which are resources that have an expected lifetime that extends beyond the acquisition year. A capital budget reflects the value of time and usually has distinctiveRead… Read more »
I continue to be amazed by how wrong government attorneys are in the legal advice they provide regarding Freedom of Information laws (FOIL). The latest example of this is the opinion rendered by a Buffalo School District attorney. School board member Jason McCarthy recently asked at a board meeting whether several upper level district employeesRead… Read more »
A well-designed leadership development program is essential to identifying, attracting, filling, and retaining employee leadership. By using a consistent talent management program at all levels across the organization, future leaders are developed fruitfully. Leadership programs truly shape the success of business processes like hiring strategies, employee development, and career succession planning. Did you know thatRead… Read more »