Performance Metrics: The Canary in the Coal Mine
The federal bureaucracy can be efficient. The author cites an example of an office improving its statistics, at the expense of its customers, by learning how to work the system to improve its performance metrics. A recent GAO audit report on performance metrics may be the "canary in the coal mine" for the government system of measuring performance.
Posted: August 19, 2008 7:33 AM | Full Story
- "So, Mr. Einstein, what do you plan to come up with next year?"
- Goals, Objectives, and the Everyday Employee
- Making Pay for Performance Pay Off
- The Best Performance Discussion Guidance I Ever “Borrowed”
Survey Surprise: McCain Trounces Obama as Reader Preference
National polls consistently show Barack Obama running ahead of John McCain. Past surveys of our readers have revealed changes in voter sentiment before similar results showed up in national polls. That may or may not happen this year but, in this anonymous survey, John McCain finished far ahead of Senator Obama--unlike our earlier survey which showed a very close race. Reader comments reveal the concerns and issues of importance to our readers. The underlying issues cited by many readers are often not discussed in the national media but may play a major role in the 2008 presidential race.
Posted: August 19, 2008 8:58 AM | Full Story
An Opportunity To Reorganize the Entire Federal Workforce
Senator John McCain says that the impending retirement of baby boomers is an opportunity to reorganize the entire federal workforce and to change the civil service system to recognize and reward the employees who do the best work.
Posted: August 19, 2008 7:07 AM | Full Story | Discuss this Story
From "Blonde Bomber" to Prison Warden
A former professional wrestler is now the warden at a federal prison and says that his former career will server him well in his new job at a facility expected to house up to 2500 inmates.
Posted: August 19, 2008 8:00 AM | Full Story | Discuss this Story
Reviewing Personnel Procedures at Army Lab
Military officials and Congress are calling for a review of the personnel procedures at secure installations that conduct biological research. Army Secretary Pete Geren has convened an investigative team to look at the lab where Bruce Ivins, the biologist suspected of sending anthrax-laced letters to politicians and journalists in 2001, used to work.
Posted: August 19, 2008 7:39 AM | Full Story | Discuss this Story
"What are they going to do, arrest me?"
A man who has allegedly threatened to shoot two Internal Revenue Service officers has been charged with interference and intimidation of an IRS employee. The charge could send him to prison for a year and a fine of $100,000.
Posted: August 19, 2008 7:13 AM | Full Story | Discuss this Story
When Acceptable People Perform Unacceptably
There are some people working in government who are good people and you may like them--they just don't do the work they are being paid to do. Management often avoids dealing with them. So, how should you deal with these nice people who are not doing their jobs?
Posted: August 17, 2008 9:22 PM | Full Story
