Round Up: February 27

It's been a busy time for me in the last little while so here is an overdue roundup for your reading pleasure.

Should Public Servants Blog?

There has been some back and forth about whether or not public servants should blog. It started with this post by Laura Wesley. Then Etienne posted this response, but make sure you read the comments in the original post for a comment from Doug Bastien.


GCPEDIA

Etienne decided on a very simple way to promote GCPEDIA, while Doug has provided some more of the back story of GCPEDIA. (and don't forget the GCPEDIA challenge, our patently obvious attempt to prompt you to migrate to and play in GCPEDIA)

On Websites

Peter has a nifty little post on the irrelevant corporate (or government) website.

Main Stream Media

1. Fewer rules, more risk needed in PS (which is MSM coverage of the release of the PM's Advisory Committee’s report Achieving Results: Accountability and Action)
   
2. PS faces major test (note Dr. Gilles Paquet's reference to scheming virtuously)
   
3. Feds ponder sale of assets
4. Foreign Affairs violating disclosure laws: experts

On Onboarding

Happy to h/t to @DGTweets for tweeting us this link: Onboarding How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time. I am not going to say a whole lot about it other then, Etienne, I am looking at you right now.


On My Own Experience in Alberta This Week

I just wanted to thank the Alberta Federal Council for inviting me out to speak, for everyone for participating and for sharing their stories with me. I will post a proper follow up later. I met some great people while I was out there and hopefully they walked away from my presentations with something they can use in their own organizations or in their own careers.

Cheers for now.

Update: February 22

Hello Everybody,

Just a friendly reminder that I am off to Calgary and Edmonton to speak at the Evolving Public Service and You Conference(s). Needless to say I am super stoked about the opportunity to meet some of my regional colleagues, listen to their stories, and of course spread the Scheming Virtuously meme.

Since I am gone most of the week, I doubt I will be posting anything this week, that includes a weekly column, unless of course I am up for writing one on the plan ride back... which knowing me, is a definite possibility.

You may be able to catch me on twitter a bit while I am gone, but given that I am speaking 4 times in two days it might be fleeting.

Cheers, and send me your good karma, because I would love to pass it on to our colleagues out West.

- Nick Charney

Cpsrenewal.ca Weekly Column: The GCPEDIA Challenge

As part of our continued efforts to drive public servants to GCPEDIA. I would like to simply highlight some of the articles that either need your attention or ones that you should attune to in GCPEDIA.

(NB: you MUST be behind the GoC firewall to play)

Needs Your Attention

@dbhume has put out the call for people to help him craft his paper, Why GCPEDIA Matters and What it Means for Senior Leadership. Being able to point to the paper as an example of a collaborative cross departmental initiative will obviously bolster its efficacy.

The Young Professionals Community has been updated (h/t to those of you who helped contribute). There is now information there on how to start a group and some ideas on events/activities to try. Please build on it.

We would love if you would make a contribution to our paper, Scheming Virtuously.

Check These Out

Interested in new technologies in government? Why not take a look at the Applying Leading Edge Technology Working Group?

The Green Citizenship Network gives you all the info you need on carpooling in the NCR, this is something that could undoubtedly be applied to other regions.

The Web 2 Communications Community always puts on an interesting event and is worth adding to your watchlist.

... and if you are ever looking for a search engine beyond Google, check out the massive Search Engine List.


Naturally, feel free to make your own suggestions via the comments.


The Challenge

The challenge is simple:

Step 1: Write your next document in GCPEDIA.

Step 2: Email me or tweet me the link to the article. I will compile a list of articles currently being written and in need of collaboration and post them on the blog.

Step 3: Invite your team to review your note in GCPEDIA, make it clear that you will only be accepting input there, and that they should feel free to edit the article as they see fit.

Step 4: Invite other people you know who may have valuable input or strong editing skills to review the note in GCPEDIA.

Step 5: Present the note to whomever it was addressed and specifically indicate that the note was a collaborative effort using GCPEDIA and list the contributors and what areas or departments they work in (if they are different then your own).

Step 6: Gauge reaction and report back to us here on the experience. We’ll compile a weekly that shares your collective experiences.

Caveat: Offer to help anyone who is unfamiliar with GCPEDIA, and then show them the basics, and explain its potential.


The Prize

I don’t have much to offer in the way of prizes to motivate you to use new collaborative work tools (e.g. GCPEDIA). What I can do is offer the winner the chance to lead their team towards a more open and collaborative workplace.

Oh wait everyone who takes us up on the GCPEDIA challenge gets that!

Best I can do is offer the best report back a beverage of their choosing at a location of their choosing at a time and place TBD.

Final h/t to @dbhume for creatively instigating the GCPEDIA Challenge. If you have an idea worth spreading here on the blog, please get in touch with us, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to engage public servants.

Cheers,