One of the most frustrating and, I think, silliest things I found when working in Australian government agencies was how almost every department, agency and statutory body developed almost all of its own policies, procedures, software and tools. There was often ‘undercover’ sharing – where people in agencies would ask their colleagues in others forRead… Read more »
Democracy is a design problem. –Dana Chisnell On May 27th I received an absentee ballot in the mail, my first as a California voter. As excited as I was to perform my civic duty, I had a busy week traveling to Long Beach to meet with our fellowship project stakeholders. Sunday afternoon I finally satRead… Read more »
This post originally appeared on cpsrenewal.ca. In Tragedy in the Commons, Alison Loat and Michael MacMillan quote columnist Andrew Coyne: “People often ask: how can we reform politics? And the answer is: we can’t. There are very few institutional changes that would do any good, and whatever would has no chance of being enacted.” I’dRead… Read more »
Do you have a creative and effective government program or initiative, or know of one that deserves recognition? If so, you now have an extra week to submit an application for the Innovations in American Government Award. Administered by the Ash Center at Harvard Kennedy School, the Award is given to programs that serve asRead… Read more »
We know that gold stars don’t hold the same appeal today as they did when you were a kid, but there’s no shame in striving for the adult equivalent. Getting recognized for good work is always important. As a government organization you do essential, impactful work on a daily basis with less glamor and aRead… Read more »
The late Zig Ziglar, a well-known author, sales trainer and motivational speaker, is credited with saying, “You can get anything in this world you want – as long as you are willing to help others get what they want”. Too often however our focus is either on what we want, or what we think othersRead… Read more »
The Sunlight Foundation recently hosted TransparencyCamp, a gathering of technology, policy and government thought leaders to discuss open government and open data initiatives. My recent post, “ICYMI: TransparencyCamp Event” gave a general overview of the event, and highlighted a session with former Philadelphia Chief Data Officer Mark Headd. This blog will look at a subsequentRead… Read more »
Am I writing a bunch of leadership gobbledygook in my GovLoop blog? I had to stop and ask myself this question after reading a Harvard Business Review article entitled “The Trouble With Leadership Theories,” by Doug Sundheim. This short, but poignant article draws attention to the ways we toss leadership jargon, or as we sayRead… Read more »
When I talk to my colleagues in the federal government, there seems to be a common theme around leadership or lack thereof. We seem to think that there has been a decline in the effectiveness of those in leadership positions. Many people in leadership positions have not demonstrated that they are sufficiently prepared for theRead… Read more »
That’s me pictured above with my parents and Bill Clinton in the Oval Office. It was a Saturday morning about 20 years ago following a Presidential radio address. The “Blue Pass” I’m wearing allowed me unfettered access to the West Wing, including the White House Briefing Room where I assisted dozens of reporters. This isRead… Read more »