Does Feedback Work?

“In the last six months, my supervisor has talked with me about my performance.” was one of the highest rated responses – at 81 percent – in the 2018 governmentwide survey of federal employees. But how did those conversations go?

Getting the Word Out - Part 1

Too often, government operations are invisible and taken for granted.  This is not unlike how most of us approach the availability of electricity in my home – we don’t notice the heroic efforts and complexity in keeping it on until we lose power in a cold snap!

Building a Culture of Informed Decision Making

A recent Government Executive article by Ed O’Brien, an associate professor at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, observes that “people assume they can and will use more information to make their decisions than they actually do, according to the research.”

Do Data-Driven Meetings Work?

The use of data-driven meetings was popularized in the mid-1990s by the New York City police department, which dubbed them “CompStat” meetings.  These meetings were seen to contribute to a significant drop in crime and was eagerly replicated by other cities (Citi-Stat) and a number of states (State-Stat).  Harvard professor Bob Behn studied this phenomenon and wrote a book about “

Sandra L. Fisher

Sandra L. Fisher has been studying, consulting on, and teaching about issues related to human resource management and organizational performance for over 15 years. After spending five years as a consultant in Arlington, Virginia, she is now an Associate Professor at the Clarkson University School of Business in Potsdam, New York, where she teaches courses in human resource management, innovation, organizational change, and organizational behavior. She has worked with a variety of government and for-profit organizations, helping them improve human resource practices to meet strategic goals.

Does Management By Numbers Work?

Dr. Hood, who is a well-respected public management professor, poses this question in a recent article in the Public Administration Review and his answer is:  it depends.

He posits that what the numbers are used for -- and the operational culture in the organizations in which they are used -- will influence the effectiveness of any “management by numbers” strategy.

The Operator's Manual - An Update of Chapter 7: Innovation

Recognize that employees, especially those who are on the front line of your organization and who regularly deal with your agency’s customers, often are the source of innovative services that can benefit your customers. Getting them engaged is key.

 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Innovation

Leadership in Action -- Summer 2013 The Business of Government Magazine (NEW)

The leaders profiled in this edition offer compelling insights, lessons learned, and, most of all, advice to others that is marked by clarity of mind and a sense of purpose. It is truly leadership in action...

Over the past 15 years, the IBM Center for The Business of Government has sought to connect public management research with practice.

Performance Budgeting, Texas-Style

When Cong. Cuellar was a state legislator in Texas, he saw how his state used performance information in the budget process.  When he was appointed earlier this year to the U.S. House appropriations committee, he finally reached a position where he could bring this perspective to Washington in a real way.  The next step is to convince his colleagues to try it.

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