Scott Gould

Feds@Work: VA Designs Learning Institution to Develop and Identify Talent

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This is one in a series of profiles on the 2012 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal finalists. The awards, presented by the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, recognize outstanding federal employees whose important, behind-the-scenes work is advancing the health, safety and well-being of Americans and are among the most prestigious honors given to civil servants. This profile features a finalist for the Management Excellence medal Alice Muellerweiss, Dean of the VA Learning University at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Alice Muellerweiss helped design, establish and now heads a new learning institution that provides web-based and in-person leadership, management, technical and professional training to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees nationwide. Keep reading →

 /  Published July 12, 2012 at 10:30 AM

Innovation in Government: Creating VA’s Innovation Initiative

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This is the third in a series of profiles of innovative leaders in government based on interviews for the book “Paths to Making a Difference: Leading in Government” by Paul R. Lawrence and Mark A. Abramson. The book highlights the management lessons of 24 political executives during their first two years in the Obama administration.

Organizations, both in the public and private sector, have come a long way since the employee suggestion box of the 20th century. For much of the last century, the suggestion box was the major vehicle for soliciting input from within organizations. Other than receiving mail and perhaps conducting focus groups, organizations were also limited in ways that they received information and ideas from outside their organization. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 11, 2012 at 12:58 PM