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Jena McGregor

Jena McGregor

Staff writer Jena McGregor teases out the leadership issues in the day’s news.

Tom Fox

Tom Fox

Guest contributor Tom Fox, of the Partnership for Public Service, writes weekly about issues in the federal workplace.

Lillian Cunningham

Lillian Cunningham

Lillian Cunningham is the editor of On Leadership and writes features for the section.

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Ask the Fedcoach: May, 2011

Posted at 12:01 PM ET, 05/06/2011

Getting answers from administration leaders
By Tom Fox
Secretaries Kathleen Sebelius, Shaun Donovan and Ray LaHood, as well as GSA Administrator Martha Johnson and OPM Director John Berry, take questions from fed workers about agency climate, succession planning and flexible work options.

By Tom Fox  |  12:01 PM ET, 05/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:22 PM ET, 05/03/2011

John Berry on revitalizing the federal workforce: Talking with the director of the Office of Personnel Management
By Tom Fox
John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, on how “if you don’t care who gets the credit, you can get a lot done in this town.”

By Tom Fox  |  04:22 PM ET, 05/03/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 05/02/2011

Public Service Recognition Week: A roundup of how agencies are celebrating
By Tom Fox
For Public Service Recognition Week, agencies and their leaders are taking different approaches to celebrating the work of federal employees.

By Tom Fox  |  11:00 AM ET, 05/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:29 PM ET, 04/29/2011

What is a Performace Improvement Officer?
By Tom Fox
This is a question I’m frequently asked by federal leaders. And it’s vital for agency managers at all levels to understand who they are and what they do.

By Tom Fox  |  01:29 PM ET, 04/29/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:45 AM ET, 04/29/2011

The Federal Coach
By

By  |  11:45 AM ET, 04/29/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:33 PM ET, 04/26/2011

Playing to employees’ strengths: Talking leadership with Comptroller General Gene Dodaro

By Tom Fox
The comptroller general on how “75 percent of success is picking the right person for the right job.”

By Tom Fox  |  06:33 PM ET, 04/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:06 PM ET, 04/26/2011

Top 10 books for federal leaders in 2011
By Tom Fox
Here’s a rundown of my five favorite recent leadership books, as well as five classics. Each book is an easy read and includes actionable ideas for federal leaders looking to navigate the ambiguity and challenges that lie ahead.

By Tom Fox  |  03:06 PM ET, 04/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:16 PM ET, 04/25/2011

Work with someone who doesn’t understand social norms?
By Tom Fox
Have a colleague who performs fine but doesn’t understand social norms? You’re not alone.

By Tom Fox  |  03:16 PM ET, 04/25/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 08:49 AM ET, 04/25/2011

Why do so many ‘slugs’ keep their jobs?
By Tom Fox
This week’s question comes from a former federal employee who wants to know why so many non-performing federal workers aren’t fired.

By Tom Fox  |  08:49 AM ET, 04/25/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:51 PM ET, 04/19/2011

Thad Allen on leading during the Gulf disasters: Lessons from the former commandant of the US Coast Guard
By Tom Fox
One year after the BP spill, we talk to Adm. Thad Allen about what he learned from leading crisis response efforts following both the oil spill and Hurricane Katrina.

By Tom Fox  |  02:51 PM ET, 04/19/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:29 AM ET, 04/18/2011

Inspiring a badly battered federal workforce
By Tom Fox
As a federal manager, you must now clean up a mess that you didn’t create and cannot control. So, where do you start?

By Tom Fox  |  10:29 AM ET, 04/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:17 AM ET, 04/15/2011

Playing favorites with fed workers?
By Tom Fox
If you keep getting the short end of the stick at your agency, you have more options than changing departments or just sticking it out.

By Tom Fox  |  11:17 AM ET, 04/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:18 PM ET, 04/13/2011

Natural ‘street cred’: Talking with the director of the National Park Service
By Tom Fox
Federal Coach | Jon Jarvis, director of the National Park Service, on keeping parks relevant for an “increasingly distracted and urban population.”

By Tom Fox  |  02:18 PM ET, 04/13/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:52 AM ET, 04/08/2011

Ask the FedCoach your shutdown questions
By Tom Fox
Federal workers: With the looming shutdown, how are you managing the uncertainty? Ask the Federal Coach for advice in a live discussion this Friday, April 8. Click here to watch the conversation.

By Tom Fox  |  11:52 AM ET, 04/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:50 AM ET, 04/06/2011

Gary Locke on reforming a system: Talking leadership with the Secretary of Commerce
By Tom Fox
The Secretary of Commerce, and presidential nominee to become the next U.S. ambassador to China, on what leadership looks like to him.

By Tom Fox  |  10:50 AM ET, 04/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:06 PM ET, 04/04/2011

Obama asks federal employees for their suggestions on government efficiency
By Tom Fox
Last week, President Obama personally asked federal employees in a video message for their ideas about how to make government more effective and efficient.

By Tom Fox  |  03:06 PM ET, 04/04/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:09 AM ET, 04/01/2011

How do you manage someone who wanted your job?
By Tom Fox
To help you navigate this awkward situation, I want to start by sharing a story of a friend who was promoted into a position that another colleague felt entitled to assume.

By Tom Fox  |  11:09 AM ET, 04/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:20 AM ET, 03/30/2011

Moving up the federal ranks: Talking with Michael Watkins, co-author of The First 90 Days in Government

By Tom Fox
Michael Watkins, co-author of The First 90 Days in Government, talks about how best to move up the federal ranks.

By Tom Fox  |  10:20 AM ET, 03/30/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:17 PM ET, 03/28/2011

Want to engage your federal employees? Just Google it
By Tom Fox
Is working at Google like working in government? In some ways, yes. Google’s own analysis showed that even with all its perks, employee engagement and performance is largely driven by one variable.

By Tom Fox  |  04:17 PM ET, 03/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:41 AM ET, 03/23/2011

Learning from West Point: Talking with the deputy director of ICE
By Tom Fox
The deputy director of ICE on how 90 percent of what he knows about leadership he learned in the military.

By Tom Fox  |  11:41 AM ET, 03/23/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:23 PM ET, 03/21/2011

Waiting for the federal budget: What agency leaders can do during planning purgatory
By Tom Fox
It’s hard to make rational program, policy and management decisions when you have no idea how much money will be available for the rest of the fiscal year, but here’s what you can do in planning purgatory.

By Tom Fox  |  02:23 PM ET, 03/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:41 PM ET, 03/18/2011

Ask the FedCoach: Handling tricky promotions
By Tom Fox
How do you navigate the politics of promoting someone based on merit when other team members have more experience?

By Tom Fox  |  12:41 PM ET, 03/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:26 PM ET, 03/16/2011

Talking leadership with the National Cancer Institute’s Harold Varmus
By Tom Fox
The National Cancer Institute’s Harold Varmus on how budget pressures affect scientific research and create new challenges for attracting young talent to the field.

By Tom Fox  |  05:26 PM ET, 03/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:42 PM ET, 03/14/2011

What it takes to be an innovative government leader
By Tom Fox
There is a widespread misconception that innovation does not and cannot exist in government. It does, and those innovators share common traits.

By Tom Fox  |  03:42 PM ET, 03/14/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:02 AM ET, 03/11/2011

The federal worker’s guide to a government shutdown
By Tom Fox
Wondering what happens to your agency, your pay and your benefits if the government decides to close its doors? Here’s a cheat sheet.

By Tom Fox  |  11:02 AM ET, 03/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:56 PM ET, 03/09/2011

Advancing public-private innovation: Talking with the Rockefeller Foundation's Judith Rodin
By Tom Fox
Judith Rodin of the Rockefeller Foundation talks about what the U.S. government needs to do to be more innovative.

By Tom Fox  |  07:56 PM ET, 03/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:58 PM ET, 03/08/2011

Managing stress amid the budget-cutting uncertainty
By Tom Fox
While the White House and Congress work on a compromise to fund the government for the rest of the year, many federal programs will continue to be kicked around.

By Tom Fox  |  04:58 PM ET, 03/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:56 PM ET, 03/04/2011

Ask the Fed Coach: Making the sales pitch for working in government
By Tom Fox
Federal leaders need to better sell their agencies if they want to attract top talent. Here’s how.

By Tom Fox  |  01:56 PM ET, 03/04/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 08:11 PM ET, 03/02/2011

How government can innovate: Lessons from Fred Dust of IDEO
By Tom Fox
Fred Dust, a partner at design and innovation firm IDEO, talks about how the public sector can break down its barriers to innovation.

By Tom Fox  |  08:11 PM ET, 03/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:27 PM ET, 02/28/2011

Four leadership lessons from American Idol
By Tom Fox
Although I know many people don't like to admit that they watch "America Idol," I am not one of them. I not only like the amazing singers and the ones who make me cringe, but I take in a number of leadership lessons hidden within the show.

By Tom Fox  |  04:27 PM ET, 02/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)

 

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