Ideas

A U.S diplomatic organization that works

How a short video speaks volumes about current U.S. approaches to diplomacy in China.

Ideas

Moderates of the world, unite!

The time may have come for normally reserved political centrists to raise their voices.

Ideas

Coding it Forward fellows share their stories

Two college students planning careers in tech told Steve Kelman why they chose to prioritize government service.

Cybersecurity

GenCyber: NSA sets up summer camps to teach kids to hack

Steve Kelman finds the normally secretive agency's camps an intriguing way to offer a taste of cybersecurity careers to middle and high school students.

Ideas

Customer service at the National Security Agency

Steve Kelman finds a helping hand in the highly secretive spy shop.

Ideas

Steve Kelman reports from his 50th college reunion

After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Harvard College class of 1970 got the chance to reconnect.

Ideas

A hopeful update on the President's Management Agenda

Steve Kelman says there's a lot to like in the Biden administration's approaches to improving citizen satisfaction, employee engagement and acquisition reform

Ideas

Should the FDA have done more months ago about an impending baby formula shortage?

Steve Kelman asks whether any well-placed Food and Drug Administration officials could have anticipated the current baby formula shortage.

Ideas

Good decision, bad outcome

Steve Kelman shares an important lesson from the smartest person he knows.

Ideas

Storytelling and slide decks

Steve Kelman shares ideas about how to inject narrative techniques into your humdrum PowerPoint presentations.

Ideas

Practical ideas for managing polarization at work

Steve Kelman flags a paper that suggests that a "receptive mindset" can help bridge polarization gaps inside organizations.

Ideas

Non-traditional contractors grow up

The Digital Services Coalition, a trade association representing non-traditional IT contractors, is out with a new strategic plan.

Ideas

Performance measurement is alive and well

Steve Kelman reviews the current slate of the Biden administration's priority performance goals and corrects the record about the use of performance management.

Modernization

Is performance measurement a fad that has now come and gone?

Steve Kelman warns that a constant priority under the previous four presidents is getting far less attention from the Biden administration.

People

A ‘friend from the city’ making her mark on government contracting

Steve Kelman reports on a new addition to the cohort of non-traditional government contractors.

People

Note to managers: A little recognition goes a long way

Steve Kelman shares research on the impact a simple thank-you note can have with the workforce.

Acquisition

A non-traditional IT contractor looks a gift horse in the mouth

Steve Kelman checks in with Agile Six, and that firm's efforts to adapt to labor rates on a major VA contract.