Cheryl Ward

Just talked about this today in a small group of supervisors at GSA… THE hot topic that should be in all telework training is:
How to manage the work when your staff is teleworking?

Telework is a significant performance management issue, and as our workforce teleworks more, the supervisors need to know more about how to foster productivity,…[Read more]

Actually, I think that TAA is often looked over for smaller buys and Small Business buys, but when you see feds with the tools in hand all over public events, it becomes much more difficult for the overseers to turn a blind eye. Somebody is likely to find themselves in an uncomfortable spotlight with a lot of ‘splainin’ to do….

I am sure that works for the pilots that are going on, but enterprise adoption will require more than that.

Isn’t anyone in federal government concerned about violating the Trade Act Agreement? isnt iPAD totally manufactured in China?

I did extensive research with the CHECKBOOK tool and PLANSMARTCHOICE — I talked to my local plan representative (for Blue Cross Blue Shield), and after all that, I am afraid to change plans. I gave serious consideration to switching from Standard to Basic… but my husband is 20 years my senior, and there is more risk that we will need to step…[Read more]

This discussion has been very interesting and has raised some ideas that should be useful to agency leaders as we navigate through the next couple of years. I am closing this discussion for now — and sharing the link with GSA senior leaders. I recommend that others share it with their chief personnel or human resource officer if you feel it…[Read more]

Megan you raise some interesting points — suggestion programs used to be much more visible in government but I have heard nothing about them for years. With today’s social media and interative collaboration tools, it seems like a whole new generation of ways to recognize innovation and cost-saving ideas ought to be rising to the surface… the…[Read more]

Excellent article, AJ – some things are tough for federal agencies – can’t use govt funds to pay for some of the cool stuff, but we could do a lot of these things — I especially like the walking staff meetings… Our holiday in-office celebration will include baby pix this year… it is easy to get so focused on deadlines that ‘a little fun’…[Read more]

Very thoughtful response, Peter — thanks for posting here. I will pass along to leadership in my agency and hope others who read this discussion will do the same.

I have been hearing about State governments and wondering how long before things begin to improve there. Hopefully you can hang in long enough to see the return of better times. Thanks for sharing.

Tea at the Ritz or at the Willard during December… Nutcracker at Washington Ballet… Handel’s Messiah is usually at the Kennedy Ctr, too…. Model train exhibit at Union Station, followed by Irish Coffee in one of restaurants there… I think there is a special candlelight thing at Woodlawn Plantation over near Ft Belvoir, too.

Before…[Read more]

I certainly appreciate your perspective — and thank you for your service as a Marine.

Our government is a big bureaucracy Congress in particular annoys me because these days they so seldom agree to actions that would actually enable government to work better. Since 2000 especially I have felt that the overall intent that their actions have…[Read more]

I feel very badly for you, Brandon. I hope your work assignments are meaningful and I hope that you are getting signficant psychic reward for the work you do. That’s what makes it all worthwhile for me, and for most public servants who are here because they want to make a contribution to American society.

This freeze will cut govt costs for PC&B for 2011 Since there would normally have been a COLA for 2012, costs will be less than planned for the second year too. Then in 2013, when there should be a COLA, the level of pay to which that percentage increase will be applied will be significantly lower than if we had received COLAs in 2011 and 2012. So…[Read more]

Yes! I love a young perspective and try to have one myself, despite my years…. 😉
Many of these programs you mention are programs that are available to management right now — where I work at GSA these are pretty prevalent… tuition, loan repayment, teleworking (I work from home 2 days a week), and GSA has a childcare center at the downtown…[Read more]

Thanks for weighing in William — I can appreciate your perspective, and for many, attempts to offset the effects of the freeze may seem like ‘fluff stuff’.

Let me make sure I have not misled you — I have no clue what OPM is doing along these lines — I know that conversations about this are going on at GSA where I work, and I am fairly certain…[Read more]