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Request for Federal Communicators Network Information
Please let me know if there is anything that you would like publicized on the Alert or Calendar. The Federal Communicators Network site at http://www.fcn.gov provides resources, tools, and information to help our members write stories about government reinvention. If you have resources, stories, or time please contact me at lee.wexel@npr.gov or call (202) 694-0036.
Free Press Passes for Calendar Events
We usually get one free press pass for each calendar event listed on the FCN web site http://www.npr.gov/calendar. If you’re interested in attending a conference with a free press pass, contact me. Press passes are given out on a first come first serve basis. Your only obligation is to write a report on the conference to share with other FCN members. See the latest reports at http://www.fcn.gov/reinvent/pool/index.htm
Hammer Time!
- A little history...the Hammer Award is the Vice President's answer to yesterday's government and its $400 hammer. Fittingly, the award consists of a $6.00 hammer, a ribbon, and a note from Vice President Gore, all in an aluminum frame. NPR has presented more than 1250 Hammer Awards to teams comprised of federal employees, state and local employees, and citizens who are working to build a better government based on four reinvention principles.
- Check out the Hammer Award information at: http://www.npr.gov/library/awards/hammer. A searchable database is at: http://www.npr.gov/library/papers/dbase/hsearch.html.
We hope you’ll use the following information to develop stories for your newsletters, news releases, and your web site. To facilitate better coverage of hammer awards we are providing advance information on: Projected date of award, Name of the agency and team, Results, Where the award will be presented, and a Point of Contact (POC) name and number. Please note this information is subject to change. Please call Denise Clyburn of NPR at (202) 632-0150 or email her at denise.clyburn@npr.gov, if you have questions.
January 6
Who: Department of Defense--Defense Automated Printing Service (DAPS), Indianapolis Center & Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Indianapolis Center
Results: This team automated storage, retrieval and review of Government Bills of Lading (GBLs) and did it with "home grown" talent, which reduced start-up costs by $180,000. Automation improves access to GBL information, reduces late payment penalties, and improves relations with suppliers and customers.
POC: Lois Douglas (703) 697-9708
Where: Indianapolis, IL
Presenter: LTG Henry T. Glisson
January 11
Who: Department of Defense--Office of Training Technology- Seamless Product Information, Data Exchange and Repository (SPIDER) Team
Results: The SPIDER team developed and provides on-line training technology and information that saves each training developer approximately 8.2 hours of research. Consolidation of this information indirectly improves military readiness and productivity through improved training programs.
POC: Lois Douglas (703) 697-9708
Where: The Pentagon
Presenter: Cherie Stallman
January 12
Who: Department of Defense--Air Force Research Laboratory - Fundamental Skills Training Team
Results: This team worked with the Department of Labor, the public school system, and private technology firms to develop tutorials that revolutionize training. They developed math, writing, and science tutorial programs, with hands-on teacher training and technical support, and made them available electronically to the whole nation. Each tutorial significantly improves the student’s skills in the subject area.
POC: Lois Douglas (703) 697-9708
Where: To be determined
Presenter: To be determined
January 13
Who: Department of Defense -- Two Teams
Technology Transition Team
Partnering with a Field Unit Team
Results:
The Technology Transition Team drastically reduced the transition of new textile technology into direct production. By integrating research and development with user requirements the Army reduced 2-4 years from the development cycle and saved $5 million dollars.
The Partnering with a Field Unit Team simplified the process of prototyping and field testing low cost equipment. By partnering with equipment users they matched resources to needs, condensed the process, and saved $233,000.
POC: Lois Douglas (703) 697-9708
Where: Natick, MA
Presenter: General Johnnie Wilson
January 28
Who: Department of Defense--Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Security -Center for Archaeological Curation
Results: This team developed a network of curation partners, centralized enumeration, and vastly improved access and educational possibilities for all Americans. In addition to reducing curation costs by $5 million dollars, they are ensuring our national treasures are properly preserved for future generations to study and enjoy.
POC: Lois Douglas (703) 697-9708
Where: St. Louis, MO
Presenter: Major General Phillip R. Anderson
Membership - Short Term Project
Pat Gould, our steering committee member from Drug Enforcement Administration, is developing a phone tree to update our membership information and obtain membership feedback. Please contact her at home (301) 948-4741 (after 5 p.m.), Fax (202) 307-7381 and email peg2037@access.digex.net if you’re interested in talking with other communicators. This is a golden opportunity to help and at the same time do some networking.
Electronic Dialog on Vice President's E-mail to Federal Employees (http://www.npr.gov/library/misc/letter.html)
Here are some thoughtful comments by Vijaya A. Chilton on
Vice President's e-mail to employees that came in on the Federal Communicators Network listserv. They are followed by Morley Winograd’s personal response, which I thought you would enjoy. Morley Winograd is the Senior Advisor to the Vice President and Director of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government.
From: Vijaya Chilton
Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 1998 7:20 PM
To: National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR)
Subject: Vice President's Letter to Federal Employees -Reply
Thank you so much for the NPR survey result summary. I especially admire the fact that we have the courage to share negative results as well. In the spirit of NPR, here's a couple thoughts/suggestions on the federal workplace:
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It will be nice if we can replace the word SUPERvisor in all written and oral
communications with "first line manager" or "manager." This may help send a message that there are not SUPER and SUB people, i.e., supervisors and
subordinates. Similarly, the word "boss," which implies bossing people
around rather than cooperative teamwork and consultative approaches, can be
replaced with manager.
While we are at it, can we encourage managers and team leaders to say "our
team" rather than "my staff"; "we" rather then "I"; He/she works "with" me
rather than he/she works "for" me . . .
The idea here is that words send powerful messages for how we regard people,
and are important. Words and phrases we use day after day can convey a sense
of trust, mutual respect, and "teamness" or can be somewhat condescending.
-
Is there a reason that Friday dress down day does not seem to apply in DC?
Having it everywhere across the nation but not in DC seems to send the message
that Washington takes itself a bit too seriously and is one of the only places
that does not practice this. It might be nice for the DC people, as well as for
the rest of the country, if it applied for those in DC too; it could even start
with the President, Vice President, and the Cabinet/Secretaries (unless there's
a visiting foreign dignitary or some special event).
Sometimes quality is arrived at incrementally, and is in the details. These
are two small ideas. Thank you, Vijaya A. Chilton, DHHS/HCFA (Department of Health and Human Services/Health Care Financing Administration)
Morley Winograd’s Response
Thank you for taking the time to respond to the Vice-President's letter to Federal Employees. I will pass your message on to him directly for his reaction.
My reaction is that all of the ideas in your letter are good ones. Culture exists in language and the best way to change it is to change how we talk about each other and the world.
Now as for those dress down days, that would be a real culture shock in our world. I'll see what I can do, agency by agency.
(PS -- Later Morley reported that the Vice President liked the suggestions!)
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