Healthy skepticism toward public institutions can be welcome in a civil society that allows for conversation and debate power structures. But, the last few decades of anti-government sentiment have proven to truly degrade trust in government across the board, culminating in President Donald Trump’s four years of his administration that attacked “root and branch” the legitimacy of the administrative state and government itself. Dr. Lisa Parshall is a Professor of Political Science at Daemen Unive...
Jan 12, 2023•16 min•Season 3Ep. 212
The COVID-19 crisis effects on work-life culture has been vast, from the ways we interact with one another to the hybrid work environment that has become synonymous with the pandemic. For feds, hybrid is the new normal, which has had a major impact on businesses. In D.C., the federal government accounts for a quarter of pre-pandemic jobs and owns or leases one-third of D.C’s office space, which doesn’t just affect public servants, but also downtown businesses. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently c...
Jan 11, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 211
Stagnation can be extremely dangerous for any leader, but for public servants in a constantly-evolving workplace, it can be even more precarious. Self-reflection and thus growth can be excellent tools for managers. Andrew Feldman is the founder and principal consultant at the Center for Results-Focused Leadership, which helps public agencies use evidence, data and strategy to improve their results. He also hosts the Gov Innovator podcast. He has a piece on our site right now headlined “ A Person...
Jan 10, 2023•12 min•Season 3Ep. 310
In an era of chaotic politics, roller coaster economic indicators and historic inflation, individuals would be smart to keep an eye on their holistic financial situation. For many public servants, financial wellness programs can be a way that they get more in touch with their finances and many agencies offer these programs for employees. Sidney and Saundra Curry are co-founders BC Holdings of Tennessee , a financial wellness and workforce training company. BCH has worked with the Army Corps of E...
Jan 09, 2023•22 min•Season 3Ep. 209
In the two and a half years that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has been in that role, he’s rankled members of Congress, the public and industry groups with his operational changes. But, he presses on, telling GovExec that he’s going to make mistakes, but ultimately learn from them. Senior Correspondent Eric Katz spoked to DeJoy recently for a story headlined headlined " USPS Prepares for a ‘Year of Implementation,’ and the Shaping of Louis DeJoy’s Legacy. " He joined the podcast to talk about D...
Jan 06, 2023•28 min•Season 3Ep. 208
The history of patriarchal society on which much of American culture is built relies on a set of characteristics that bring masculinity and leadership together. To gain access to these higher rungs of hierarchy, women have to navigate, adjust and break the constraints of these concepts. As gender equality becomes more a priority for society, understanding and deconstructing these connections becomes is paramount In a series of papers, the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service has conducted re...
Jan 05, 2023•23 min•Season 3Ep. 207
Before the new Congress was seated this week, the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol wrapped up its business by releasing its 800-plus-page report and hundreds of interview transcripts. With the second anniversary of the attack upcoming and recent intelligence community warnings of domestic extremism, the committee’s findings are as important as ever. Courtney Bublé joined the podcast to discuss the January 6 report and the committee’s work....
Jan 04, 2023•26 min•Season 3Ep. 206
Even compared to widespread internet adoption, social media is pretty new. Despite its relative newness, at least seventy percent of Americans use one or another social media platform regularly, according to Pew Research. The internet is forever, of course, so the digital paper trail is a part of the security clearance process. Lindy Kyzer is the editor of ClearanceJobs.com, a former Defense Department employee and, as a GovExec contributor, has a post right now headlined “Social Media Monitorin...
Jan 03, 2023•19 min•Season 3Ep. 205
The COVID-19 crisis thrust Dr. Anthony Fauci into the spotlight in ways even he could not have imagined. As the pandemic became more deadly, he became a political villain for many in the anti-science movement and the sole hero for those who saw villainy in the Trump administration’s fumbling early pandemic response. As vaccines and science became a political football, Fauci became another of the many avatars on which Americans hung their political tribalism. Fauci has been a guest on GovExec Dai...
Dec 29, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 204
Lawmakers met late into Wednesday night following a joint session address by Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the omnibus spending bill and hit a roadblock overnight. But, Thursday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a deal to advance the plan before Christmas weekend. GovExec Senior Correspondent Eric Katz has been covering the spending bill negotiations. He joined a special edition of the GovExec Daily podcast from the U.S. Capitol to discuss the omnibus negotiations....
Dec 22, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 203
2022 did not feature a presidential election or the start of a catastrophic global pandemic like 2020 did. It did not begin with an attack on the United States Capital as 2021 did. But, this year was hardly boring. COVID-19 has become a regular part of our lives, as has record inflation. Student debt was canceled and then it wasn’t. Vaccine mandates came and went. Federal employees had to deal with it all while navigating a chaotic political climate. Tom Shoop is editor at large and the former e...
Dec 22, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 202
As 2022 winds down, we’ve reached the end of another year of public sector COVID-19 response. Funding is drying up, boosters have become a mainstay of public health messaging and the populace is learning to live with the pandemic as we head into another year of COVID-19’s presence in our lives. Courtney Bublé writes the Coronavirus Roundup on GovExec.com. She joined the podcast to talk about another pandemic year as 2022 comes to a close. *** Follow GovExec on Twitter! https://twitter.com/govexe...
Dec 21, 2022•16 min•Season 3Ep. 201
Despite making up approximately half the U.S. population, women are wildly underrepresented in the highest levels of American government. Women candidates face different and more difficult barriers than most men in American politics, though voters don’t often reckon with those feelings. Debbie Walsh is director of the Center for American Women and Politics, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. She joined the podcast o discuss women in the political and government s...
Dec 20, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 200
As the COVID-19 crisis heads into another year, the financial effects of the pandemic have been felt throughout the American economy. With fuel prices fluctuating during the holiday season, Americans are increasingly worried about the economy in the coming year. Dr. Patrick Gourley, PhD, is an associate professor of economics at the University of New Haven. As part of our #MoneyMonday series, he joined the podcast to discuss the economic outlook for 2023. *** Follow GovExec on Twitter! https://t...
Dec 19, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 199
This week, Congressional negotiators reached a bipartisan framework agreement for a full-year funding plan for the remainder of fiscal 2023 . But, a framework is not a bill and, simultaneously, Congress is working on a weeklong continuing resolution that would avert a government shutdown when funding runs out on Friday night. GovExec Senior Correspondent Eric Katz has been covering the spending bill negotiations. He joined the show to discuss the state of things in Congress. *** Follow GovExec o...
Dec 16, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 198
Whistleblowers are a fundamental part of transparency, but are often misunderstood. While high-profile whistleblowers because cause célèbres, there are thousands who face retaliation from higher ups. These include government contractors, grantees who work with and are adjacent to government, as is the case in United States, ex rel. Polansky v. Executive Health Resources, Inc. , which recently came before the Supreme Court. Richard Renner is a partner in the law firm of Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman &...
Dec 15, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 197
Former President Donald Trump's Schedule F executive order is long-rescinded, but its supporters continue to bring up its ghost in the guise of accountability for bad federal employees. While the House-passed Preventing a Patronage System Act and a similar, though stalled, Senate plan both would work against similar policies, the threat of a patronage-style civil service system remains. Joe Spielberger is policy counsel at the Project On Government Oversight and the author of an op-ed in the Hil...
Dec 14, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 196
Student debt has been a point of conversation for years and President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive $10,000 of student debt of non-Pell Grant recipients has brought the arguments surrounding forgiveness to the fore. After a federal court put a hold on the plan, the program is paused but so are student loan payments, leaving borrowers awaiting the news. Dr. Cliff Robb is faculty director for the Consumer Finance and Personal Financial Planning programs at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He jo...
Dec 13, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 195
Cryptocurrency advocates have claimed that the technology could revolutionize monetary policy in the U.S. and worldwide, but the actual application of crypto has more closely resembled an investment asset since crypto became mainstream about five years ago. Regulation of cryptocurrency has been slow compared to its adoption and recent volatility in the cryptocurrency markets have brought more scrutiny to crypto exchanges and users. Alexandra Kelley is a reporter for GovExec sibling site Nextgov....
Dec 12, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 194
The ways that governments use technology is constantly changing, from the adaptation of technology and systems to the ways in which agencies secure their networks and data. As the year comes to an end, 2023 approaches with new technologies and strategies are coming forward for government to heed. Scott Buchholz is the chief technology officer for Deloitte’s Government and Public Service practice. He joined the podcast to discuss the 2023 Government Tech Trends forecast. *** Follow GovExec on Twi...
Dec 09, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 193
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing a comprehensive reimagining of how the federal government encourages diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility among the federal workforce. The phrase “diversity, equity, inclusion and inclusion” is often misunderstood, but the Biden order brings forward policy and establishes pathways for DEIA goals to be achieved at agencies. As part of Government Executive’s State of the Federal Workforce event recently ,I spoke to Dr. Jani...
Dec 08, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 192
On November 30, the Senate voted 92-3 to confirm Robert Storch to lead the Defense Department’s office of the inspector general . The Pentagon had only acting IGs since early 2016, including Glenn Fine, who was removed front hat position by President Donald Trump in the spring of 2020. GovExec reporter Courtney Bublé is covering the Defense Department IG story. She joined the podcast to discuss vacancies, IG offices and what Robert Storch has ahead of him. *** Follow GovExec on Twitter! https://...
Dec 07, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 191
The recent acquisition of Twitter by billionaire Elon Musk has been controversial. Layoff, resignations, loss of advertisers and an overall unpopular culture shift has brought up more questions than answers about the future of the social media giant. There are lessons in the situation for managers and leaders. If you find yourself talking over an organization or team, what can you learn from Musk's mistakes? How do you support your organization through change? Does your company value employee fe...
Dec 06, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 190
As a government shutdown looms in a few weeks, there is increased pressure on lawmakers to make deals on appropriations bills. As the end of the year approaches, it also means that the clock is ticking on Congress and the White House to act on a pay raise for feds in 2023 . GovExec reporter Erich Wagner covers the federal workforce. He joined the podcast to talk about the next steps needed for feds to get their pay raise before the year ends. *** Follow GovExec on Twitter! https://twitter.com/go...
Dec 05, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 189
As the month turns over, we’re into the December holiday season. Most organizations eschewed traditional, in-person holiday parties since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly three years ago, but more organizations are bringing them back for 2022. A host of safety and legal issues can face companies that have in-person events, though. Michael Schmidt is a labor and employment attorney with Cozen O’Connor. He joined the podcast to talk about holiday parties and how organizations can stay on the rig...
Dec 02, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 188
Every so often, small government advocates call for the elimination of various federal agencies like the Department of Education. In a new post for his series “That Time,” Tom Shoop outlines the first time members of Congress called for Education’s elimination… a scant one year after it was established . Shoop is editor at large and the former executive vice president and editor in chief at GovExec Media. He joined the podcast to discuss his “That Time” post about the Education Department. *** F...
Dec 01, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 187
The COVID-19 crisis created a massive shift in the way Americans think of mental health. For many, the fear of catching a dangerous virus created a level of anxiety that was previously unheard of. As a result, many agencies and employers were forced to adjust, making remote work the norm. Mental health is complex and looks different for each individual. Managers and organizations have had to adjust to this new reality as conversations about mental health became a bigger part of workplace culture...
Nov 30, 2022•16 min
The "Great Resignation" has not affected everyone equally across the American workforce. According to data from Leanin.org, the gap between women and men in senior roles quitting their jobs is the largest it’s ever been. Things like burnout and workplace stress have affected women leaders quite a bit since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Barbie Winterbottom is a Forbes council member, HR and talent acquisition expert and the author of the book The Five Imperatives. She joined the podcast to discuss...
Nov 29, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 185
It’s Open Season for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, so participants have until December 12 to choose a health plan for next year. While not everyone may be in the market to change plans, it’s worth looking into what is available and what will work best for feds, annuitants and their families. Kevin Moss is a senior editor with Consumers’ Checkbook. Checkbook’s 2023 Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees will be available on the first day of Open Season, Nov. 14. He joined th...
Nov 28, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 184
Next month marks the third anniversary of the first identification of the COVID-19 virus and the pandemic continues to take the lives of thousands of Americans each week. While President Joe Biden recently said that the pandemic no longer controls our lives, the administration has asked for more money and an extended emergency declaration. With the cold winter weather and the holiday season upcoming, the threat of COVID-19 looms over the U.S. still. Courtney Bublé writes the Coronavirus Update o...
Nov 23, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 183
