government – Resource Library

Ask and Answer the right questions to drive employee success—across all demographics.
So often the “performance conversation” is focused on what an employee did wrong and should be doing right. Doing the right things, which is important to the overall organization, subtly implies there are “wrong” things and “right” things. However, it’s imperative that employees can find more meaning in their work aside from checking the boxes of right or wrong. Do your team members believe they’re a valued part of the team, and understand how they make an impact?

This was going to be a post about how wonderful the 2018 Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Annual Conference in Chicago was – meeting up with friends, finding Url the Squirrel, introducing my colleagues Vera and Lahaja to the grants community, Hamilton… but instead it’s back to regular order.

It’s often said that the most important asset in any organization is its people. It’s true in the public sector, it’s true in the private sector and it’s definitely true here at Management Concepts. We can deliver superior solutions not just because we have great course content, but because we also have amazing, highly-qualified instructors with a passion for teaching.

Human Resource departments have it rough. There are many who believe that HR departments are only extensions of corporate power largely created to protect companies from lawsuits, scandals, and to quash employee grievances. These same companies often regard HR as somewhat of a nuisance: a department that, with all its administrative policies and demands for compliance, can interfere with day-to-day operations and increase the cost of doing business.

In March 2018, the President’s Management Agenda (PMA) was released to the public. The PMA “lays out a long-term vision for modernizing the Federal Government in key areas that will improve the ability of all agencies to deliver mission outcomes, provide excellent service, and effectively steward taxpayer dollars on behalf of the American people.”

So how will the U.S. Government carry out these goals? In this blog series, we will explore some of the actions, processes, and practices it can leverage to ensure success.

I write this blog as I await the announcement to board my flight back to Washington D.C. after a phenomenal week at the 40th Annual Blacks in Government National Training Institute (BIG NTI). This annual training event ran from August 13-16, held at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel and hosted more than 2,500 professionals from Federal and state governments as well as private and not-for-profit organizations.

When the 17 founders of the Agile philosophy met and agreed upon the values and principles of what has become the Agile Manifesto, they brought with them a wealth of experience, skill, and knowledge on developing, testing, and deploying software in private and commercial industries. But very few of the founders had much experience in developing software within the environment of government. As a result, the Manifesto reflects this limited background and does not align with governmental software projects.

In March 2018, the President’s Management Agenda (PMA) was released to the public. The PMA “lays out a long-term vision for modernizing the Federal Government in key areas that will improve the ability of all agencies to deliver mission outcomes, provide excellent service, and effectively steward taxpayer dollars on behalf of the American people.”

So how will the U.S. Government carry out these goals? In this blog series, we will explore some of the actions, processes, and practices it can leverage to ensure success.

Tag: government