Overcoming Challenges to Shared-Services Success

At the Alliance for Innovation’s recent Transforming Local Government conference, Virginia Beach was awarded a 2015 Innovation Award for its shared-service plan with Norfolk and Chesapeake. Too often, people weigh the cost savings and efficiency of shared services against the risk of job loss and political difficulties and conclude it’s just not worth it. In workingRead… Read more »

What You Need To Know About LinkedIn Publisher

Do you want to get more visibility on LinkedIn? Recruiters, potential business partners, and possible leads are searching LinkedIn for people like you – is your profile being found? LinkedIn isn’t just a static site to post your resume or search for jobs, and it’s not just a virtual Rolodex. It’s become a social networkRead… Read more »

Geospatial Data is Different — Yes, and No

After millennia, now most people are drawn to “GPS,” or “Google Maps,” and rely on navigation to drive, to hike, to find a restaurant, to catch fish, and more. Such interest and dependence on geospatial information systems’ data creates a neologism of “a Google Map” or a “GPS Map,” but neither are maps as weRead… Read more »

Connecting with ITS

If you’re a regular reader of the ITS blog, you already know that we provide the government IT and acquisition communities with private-sector solutions for everything from simple IT commodities to complex infrastructure and emerging technology. Now, we’ve made it even easier for government buyers and our industry partners to get the information they need,… Read more »

A Storyteller’s Creative Process

I’m the Digital Storyteller for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It’s a new position that I’m happy to say I’m really enjoying. I’ve gotten to learn so much about digital platforms, content, and subjects within the Agency. Back in January and February, I wrote and published a series on our blog about Community EmergencyRead… Read more »

11 Ways to Achieve Work-Life Balance

Over the past few years, federal agencies have been encouraged to support programs that promote work-life balance. According to a presidential memo issued last June, “To attract, empower, and retain a talented and productive workforce in the 21st century, the Federal Government must continue to make progress in enabling employees to balance their responsibilities atRead… Read more »

5 Ways to Get More Out of your Committees

Are you an active participant on a committee or are you waiting to be spoon fed? IE are you contributing to the goal or just creating more work for the person who was assigned to hold the spoon? George, Sally, Henry, Heather, and Mike are all on an employee recognition committee.  Heather works in HRRead… Read more »