Many of the people I know who work in the public sector were drawn to their jobs by this desire to serve, to make a difference in their community or the country. After landing that first desk job though, I have also seen them lose their drive. If you’ve ever done it, you know, sittingRead… Read more »
There’s No “I” in Team – But There is a “ME”! Why Teamwork is Overrated Let’s all work together! Sounds great, right? Well, sometimes it is. But if you want to create an environment where creativity, imaginative problem solving, and attention to detail flourishes, you may need to let some of your team members workRead… Read more »
In advance of the Afghan Presidential election run-off scheduled for June 14, Larry Sampler, assistant to the USAID Administrator for Afghanistan and Pakistan join me on The Business of Government to explore how USAID has sought to promote stability and order in Afghanistan and what is USAID’s three-fold transition strategy. The following is an excerptRead… Read more »
Cloud based communication and collaboration services help you ease into the daunting world of cloud-based services by using the most mature product. These products offer rich features at a low price without the hassle of managing the infrastructure. The major players are Google Apps for Government and Microsoft Office 365. I have used both andRead… Read more »
When you read about getting ahead in life, many times you’ll hear people discussing cutthroat options, ruthlessness, or other ways of dealing with the competition. But we really think that it’s actually collaboration that’s the key to success. Oftentimes, being a member of a collaborative group pushes members to excel, and make them feel likeRead… Read more »
There is a pocket of space where the government and industry are working together – and doing it well. Seriously. This is not one of my (always very funny) jokes. Collaboration really is at work between federal employees and their industry counterparts. The great news? The partnerships are totally above board. Every year the AmericanRead… Read more »
A recent study, “Top Trends in Alternative Workplace Strategies,” conducted by New Ways of Working, makes some interesting points about the status of workplace mobility programs in the private sector. One point is that the most common name for these programs is “no name.” When asked about how they refer to their mobility program, manyRead… Read more »
Even before our most recent March snow day, the savings to the Federal government for employees who continue to work while at home has topped $32 million, based on a study conducted by the Global Workplace Analytics and Telework Research Network and quoted in the March 3th edition of Wired Workplace. The weather this winterRead… Read more »
GAO has issued a series of reports over the past three years identifying more than 80 areas where there is potential duplication and overlap. It observes that “agencies face a range of barriers when they attempt to work collaboratively.” On occasions, the Government Accountability Office breaks the mold for its reports and looks for thingsRead… Read more »
Sometimes to make collaboration work you need to set some ground rules. It’s easy to say, “let’s start up a google doc!” – and imagine everyone leaping in to give their ideas. But it’s not so simple as that, especially if folk haven’t had the experience or confidence in this way of working. Instead it’sRead… Read more »