Category: Leadership

Happy Sunshine Week!

by dferriero, posted in Leadership, NARA Records, Open Government, Participation, Special Events, Transparency

Almost 100 years ago, Justice Louis Brandeis wrote:  “Sunlight is said to be the best disinfectant.  If the broad light of day could be let in upon men’s actions, it would purify them as the sun disinfects.” I like to think that we celebrate Sunshine Week every day at the National Archives.  We have a … Continue reading Happy Sunshine Week!

Yes We Scan Again! The Archives chats with voters on a “We the People” teleconference

by dferriero, posted in Leadership, Open Government, Participation, Special Events

On January 10th, I blogged about the “Yes We Scan” petitions proposed by Carl Malamud’s PublicResource.org on the White House’s We The People petition platform. “Yes We Scan” calls for a national strategy, and even a Federal Scanning Commission, to figure out what it would take to digitize the holdings of many federal entities, from … Continue reading Yes We Scan Again! The Archives chats with voters on a “We the People” teleconference

“Yes We Scan”

by dferriero, posted in Collaboration, Leadership, NARA Records, Open Government, Participation, Records Management

In September 2011, the White House launched an online petition web site, We the People, where anyone can post an idea asking the Obama administration to take action on a range of issues, get signatures, and get a response from their government. It’s an experiment in democracy, which is generating new ideas and improving on … Continue reading “Yes We Scan”

Record Keeping Memo

by dferriero, posted in Leadership, NARA Records, Records Management

Today, the President issued a memorandum to heads of Executive Departments and Agencies on Managing Government Records.  This marks the start of an executive branch-wide effort to reform records management policies and practices. I strongly support this Presidential initiative, which sends a very clear message to Federal agencies about the importance of managing electronic records.  … Continue reading Record Keeping Memo

A Tool for Transformation

by dferriero, posted in Collaboration, Leadership, Open Government, Participation, Social Media, Technology, Transformation

During the transformation planning process last year, we began using a variety of social media tools to invite staff discussion and participation in transforming the agency.  Staff participation has been and continues to be critical in providing new ideas as well as feedback for our transformation initiatives. As we continue to work on transforming the … Continue reading A Tool for Transformation

Life is Short

by dferriero, posted in Leadership

Steve Jobs will long be remembered for his entrepreneurial savvy, design intelligence, high standards, and ability to predict the future.  The Wall Street Journal called him “the secular prophet.”  I will remember him also as Steve Jobs the philosopher.  His 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford is among the best I have heard or read—and I … Continue reading Life is Short

Igniting Joy

by dferriero, posted in Leadership

Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer have been analyzing 12,000 diary entries created by hundreds of employees in many different organizations in an attempt to understand inner work life:  “the conditions that foster positive emotions, strong internal motivation, and favorable perceptions of colleagues and the work itself.”  It is about the work, not the “accoutrements.”  Meaningful … Continue reading Igniting Joy

Cue the Locusts!

by dferriero, posted in Collaboration, Leadership

It has been quite a week.  Tuesday afternoon an earthquake rattled many of our facilities around the Northeast.  Little known fault lines named Lakeside and Spotsylvania near Mineral, VA, the epicenter, made themselves known over several days with at least seven aftershocks. The Washington National Regions Records Center in Suitland, MD was the hardest hit … Continue reading Cue the Locusts!