Do your meetings have a creative killer? Newsrooms call them “story killers,” the naysayers at meetings who repeatedly shoot down stories while unsuspecting victims are trying to generate new ideas. Creative killers assassinate ideas, breeding fear and limiting impact for hundreds, maybe even thousands. These idea deaths never get investigated and their potential never getsRead… Read more »
Flood insurance? Bank deposit insurance? Pension guarantees? Home loan guarantees? . . . No private sector business will take on some risks that the federal government agrees to bear on behalf of the broader society – at least not at an affordable price. So government, by nature, oftentimes puts itself at financial or reputationalRead… Read more »
The Urban Institute’s Harry Hatry is one of the pioneers of the late 20th century performance measurement movement. He has just released a new guide on transforming performance measurement that sums his best practical advice in one place. Harry Hatry is legendary. His indefatigable commitment to measuring government performance stretches back to his days asRead… Read more »
After reading a recent article from Government Executive, This May Be the Worst Abuse of Federal Telework Ever, I started reflecting on who is at fault when government agencies waste your tax dollars. The article talked about how several employees at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) were spending their telework days doingRead… Read more »
I’ve been getting calls from reporters who are asking whether President Obama is interested in government management. But a management innovation he introduced in the early days of his administration is finally taking off. Sometimes it takes a few years to find out if a management innovation works. Background. Early in the Obama Administration, OMBRead… Read more »
Ready for your performance evaluation? Nothing stirs up the stomach like knowing it’s time to find out how you measure up at work. In some organizations, 360 degree evaluations are popular, while many of us receive monthly, quarterly, or yearly evaluations directly from our supervisors. Then there are those impromptu, informal evaluations where a supervisor,Read… Read more »
I once worked with a woman who created the marketing materials for a world-class tennis resort. She would spend days developing brochures, magazine ads, direct mail pieces and flyers. Each time she submitted a new piece of work for review, she’d hear nothing other than there was a typo on page three or that aRead… 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 »
Ever had a boss ask you to perform a task that was totally out of your area of expertise? Trying to work outside one’s comfort zone can bring up anxiety for even the most seasoned professional. But if leaders prioritize building up their employees’ strengths, they can improve morale and efficiency. According to a GallupRead… Read more »
Reformers have promoted the notion of performance budgeting since it was introduced by the 1949 Hoover Commission. Major initiatives have been attempted and incremental progress has been achieved. But not enough has happened. A Government Accountability Office survey last year reports that the percentage of federal managers saying they used performance information in allocating resourcesRead… Read more »