People

Innovation: Are feds afraid of their own shadows?

Agency performance suffers when employees are too fearful to try new ways of doing things, writes Steve Kelman.

People

Tapping into feds' desire to serve

When it comes to motivating employees, studies show that the messenger matters as much as the message, writes Steve Kelman.

Digital Government

Free expression in China: Opportunities and limits

An English-language Chinese newspaper is surprisingly candid, Steve Kelman learns.

Acquisition

Should contractors keep the right to respond to past-performance reviews?

Steve Kelman considers a proposal to disallow contractor responses to past-performance reviews.

Modernization

PowerPoint and a new generation of visual learners

Steve Kelman learns a few things about the power of images.

People

Why contests are a smart procurement tool

Research shows that groundbreaking ideas are more likely to come from people working on the fringe, writes FCW columnist Steve Kelman.

People

The best approach to management: Tough love

In a recent study, columnist Steve Kelman found that the best performance comes from a mix of hard and soft management styles.

Digital Government

Message to Facebook: Knock off the changes.

Facebook's Timeline feature creates confusion, not clarity.

Acquisition

A new idea for encouraging vendors to help agencies save money

Steve Kelman proposes that agencies offer extra points to bidders who suggest money-saving ways to change draft solicitations.

Digital Government

4 ingredients of successful teams

Teams often succeed or fail because of decisions that are made before they even hold their first meeting.

People

How to prime feds for better performance

Columnist Steve Kelman says agencies should join the quick-experiment revolution that is spreading through the private sector.

People

The progress principle: How to keep employees on track

A new book's insights into productivity have important implications for supervisors, writes columnist Steve Kelman.

Acquisition

How agencies can cut contracting costs

As agencies tighten their belts, contracting is ripe for cost savings, writes columnist Steve Kelman.

People

A practical guide to collaboration

A new book makes research into workplace collaboration accessible and useful.

People

How agencies can get the inside scoop on wasteful programs

The federal government should tap into the wisdom of feds to identify activities that are ripe for termination, writes Steve Kelman.

Acquisition

How mushy mangoes can enlighten acquisition employees

Without a robust past-performance system, a lot of the incentive for better vendor performance disappears, writes columnist Steve Kelman.

Acquisition

How to make reverse auctions even better

Steve Kelman advises FedBid on how to enhance the value of its reverse auction service.

People

Use goals to motivate employees

Managers should embrace performance measurement as a way to improve their organizations from the inside, writes Steve Kelman.

Acquisition

Spread this around: Fresh ideas from the front lines of contracting

Steve Kelman and a group of contracting official present a number of ideas that could be used elsewhere in the government.

People

The dangers of a 'colorblind' workplace

Efforts to ignore racial differences in the workplace can make it harder for people to work together, writes Steve Kelman.