2011 Government Talent Summit

This three hour workshop provides lessons from research, thought leaders and innovative
agencies for improving human capital practices, systems and cultures. HCI introduces
its new framework to guide these workplace improvements: the two Ts and the twelve
Cs. Trust and transparency (the two Ts) are the bulwark of any innovative effort; and the
twelve Cs can be grouped into the following categories:
 

• The Big Purpose: A Calling
• The Job: Clarity and Contribution
• The Network: Connections and Community
• The Coach: Crucial Conversations and Constructive Confrontation
• The Experiences: Concentration and Challenges
• The Lattice and the Ladder: Choices and Career Crossroads
• The Legacy; Cultural Champion

These are all changes that can be made to improve the workplace and workforce.
They enhance the stickiness and meaning of work, with beneficial results for both the
individual and organization. There is no great expenditure that is required to implement
these ideas; changing practices and cultures takes dedication and persistence, not money.
In the workshop, teams will apply several of these principles, come up with suggestions
and share best practices.

This three-hour workshop will provide government HR executives and managers with a new way of thinking about strategic human capital management in the face of mounting pressures to attract and retain talent. Leveraging lessons from research and hands-on experience on “High-Performance Bureaucracy,” this workshop will provide practical tips and tools on how to develop insights into future human capital needs and effectively define and realize the organization’s talent management goals.  Oftentimes talent management strategy is ring-fenced from the larger discussion of organization priorities and strategy, creating a disjointed dynamic. Complaints such as not having the right talent, high performer retention and failure to execute a clearly defined mission seem overwhelming. In this workshop, leaders will learn how to:

• Integrate the strategic, execution and talent imperatives
• Strike the right balance in delivering for the needs of the organization today, while preparing for the future
• Articulate and define the value proposition for current (retention) and future (attraction) employees

Learning the skills above will enable the organization to develop a human capital strategy and attract and develop the right people to successfully achieve organizational goals.  In these times of fiscal austerity, an integrated human capital strategy will enable organizations to effectively “do more with less.”  In the workshop, breakout groups will discuss how to apply these best practices to their own organization.

Government leaders today face a world in which the evolution of their organizations has led to a paradox: their organizations are best prepared for the world of yesterday, rather than the world before them now.  The image of the government bureaucracy as a “machine” – formal, mechanical and inflexible – has dominated our perception of the government mindset.  This view casts people as part of the process machinery in which their jobs and roles and rate of productivity are defined with ever more specificity.  While such an approach to people management and organizational effectiveness has yielded important performance improvements across government agencies, today’s world is experiencing dramatic changes driven by unprecedented degrees of connectivity, radically different expectations, and an era of austerity sweeping across national, state and local governments. Every day, leaders of these organizations find themselves having to make difficult choices about how, when and where best to deploy limited resources and talent.
Enormous opportunity exists to “re-humanize” government to better unlock the vast store of untapped energy and talent in the people who will redefine government over the next decades.  More than ever, the most successful and enduring government organizations will be those best suited to answer two fundamental questions: How do we fully engage our people to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow?  And, how do we organize to create lasting value in a changing world?

As organizations in the public sector face the impending “Federal brain-drain” and continue to grapple with the seemingly impossible demands that come hand in hand with the current economic state, unprecedented challenges ensue.   Given the uncertainty of the future, it is now more critical than ever to both define, and align organizational missions, goals and critical roles for the future. Iin this session, Pat Tamburrino will convey the importance of:

• Creating a line of sight into the organizational mission, vision, values and strategy
• Integrating Human Capital Management with all components of organizational goals
• Implementing analytically-based methods which support long-term workforce planning
• Identifying the strengths and weaknesses in the skill portfolio of the workforce
• Developing targeted programs and strategies required to execute the mission for future success

Talent is the only sustainable advantage in a global knowledge economy, and integrated talent management strategy and practices are now central to organizational results. In order to keep top talent organizations must keep them fully engaged and committed to the success of the agency’s overall mission and goals. With an impending retirement boom and young talent ready to join the ranks it's more imperative than ever to develop talent, allow them to become top performers and retain them. In this session, Dr. George Tanner will reveal the critical thinking needed to create a high performing culture of top talent.

The Open Government Directive (OGD) has been the driving force behind the current administration’s underlying goal to “strengthen U.S. democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.”  New developments in Gov 2.0 seek to improve communication, attraction and engagement across the public sector.  Agencies now face the need to re-launch their websites, develop fresh New Media concepts. This panel session, comprised of representatives from agencies who have revitalized their Gov 2.0 strategies in remarkable ways, will discuss how they have succeeded not only in their mission to collaborate with the citizenry but how they were able to capitalize on this transformation to increase internal collaboration, communication and the removal of departmental/geographical silos.

In order to attract and retain the best and brightest it’s imperative that the overall mission behind the work is understood.  The greatest asset agencies have is the sense of higher purpose that can be instilled into talent.  Mastering this along with key engagement strategies will provide an effective, efficient and happy workforce. In this interactive session Peter Shelby, Maia Church, and Ilka Rodriguez-Diaz will share their experiences with the human capital strategic lifecycle and how they have been able to use a sense of higher purpose to increase the longevity of their top talent.  Specifically They will share how this is done through branding to attract candidates; post-hire acculturation which introduces new employees to the organizational mission and their roles in achieving it; and, development strategies to improve engagement, productivity, and retention.

The task of workforce planning is now mandated by OMB memorandum “Managing the Multi-Sector Workforce”.  However, the urgent need of agencies to have a Workforce Planning model in place goes beyond this mandate – it’s a necessity to ensure consistency between business strategy and workforce capabilities.  Due to staffing cutbacks, constantly revolving environmental factors and, rapidly evolving business needs, it is critical to have a solid Strategic Workforce Plan that provides guidance on putting the right people into the right roles and at the right time. Bjorn Rother will share how workforce planning is currently translated at the International Monetary Fund from a timid concept into a reality on the ground that underpins HR policies and programs. He will discuss the substantive issue areas covered in the workforce plan such as skills mix, staff demographics including diversity, mix of appointment types and as importantly, the process for engaging decision makers across the organization on these important themes.

Spending agreements, pay freezes, tax cuts, budget crises, hiring stops, smaller government: all this equals major talent management challenges for federal agencies. Overcoming these challenges will only be possible if we maximize the potential, engagement and performance of our people. Attracting and retaining talent, cultivating high performance behaviors from employees and leaders, using the latest technologies to support overall organizational strategy are challenges the public and private sector share. In this session Andrew Jackson will discuss how collaboration and communication between these two parties can lead to successful outcomes for all.

In challenging times where uncertainty is the norm, the pace of change can often leave organizations and those who lead them unsure of their footing and confused over the way ahead. The only constants are the inevitability of surprise and the consequent necessity to be adaptable enough to respond. To lead organizations in this dynamic environment will require leaders who can cut through complexity and lead effectively for high performance. Lieutenant General Andrew Graham will offer a practical set of ideas for generating a `command` approach to leadership in business where a radical, decisive and effective style is underpinned by an ability to communicate with, engage and inspire committed performance from all parts of the organization, and not just the most talented individuals.

The public sector is in dire need of a talent refresh as many organizations are facing an exodus of their seasoned and valuable employees.  Government agencies are not grappling with the question of who should fill these resulting talent gaps - they realize that the future lies in the next generation of bright and motivated young workers.  The critical challenge lies in the task of attracting the younger workforce into the exciting realm of government jobs. The public sector is not only the number one employer in the country but is also arguably the most cutting-edge, and multi-faceted institution. For the next generation of workers, government jobs can promise perks such as dealing with virtually every segment of the economy. Obama has tasked OPM with making gov jobs cool again and in this session Angela Bailey will detail how organizations can use branding and out-of-the-box methods to make their jobs attractive and cool.

This highly interactive session will combine collaboration and education. Based on the game show “Jeopardy” our host will quiz attendees on employee retention, talent management practices, human capital consulting and candidate search enabling the opportunity for attendees to share their best practices with others and gain knowledge about what their fellow federal employees are doing best in their own organizations.

A recent survey conducted by HP of 100 Government IT professionals concluded that 76% feel that they understand what Gov 2.0 entails and two-thirds believe Gov 2.0 will improve their agency. When asked what would drive adoption of government 2.0 technology, 31% said "management takes the lead" and 26% said "increase technology budget". Although early adoption was embraced with the thought that Gov 2.0 tools were free, the last two years have uncovered the reality that they are not. They cost an agency primarily in the staff time required to develop, maintain and measure them effectively. If an agency really wants to take the tools and technology to the next level, there is a cost associated with integrating them into traditional marketing, information technology and human resource plans. What does this mean for HR? This session will explore the challenges Gov 2.0 poses for the human resources department in overcoming the education and funding barriers, gaining support from managers.

A major segment of the workforce is eligible to retire within the next 3-4 years. How can agencies avoid losing institutional knowledge along with that talent? Even if a system is currently in place often times it’s so laborious that employees ignore it.  The combination of an exciting system for knowledge collection coupled with the instillation of the agency's higher purpose will not only motivate the workforce but ensure that knowledge isn't lost with the employee. This session will address creative ways to achieve these goals, strategies to develop your workforce and technology options that support your efforts.

With government leaders retiring in record numbers succession planning management is more relevant now than ever.  The Social Security Administration has championed innovative approaches to implementing succession management and leadership programs.  In this session Donna Siegel will detail why leadership development matters and how succession management plays a key role in an agency’s strategic path.

Recruiting and retaining Gen Y is imperative as 60% of the government workforce retires in the next four years.  Making this especially difficult is the current climate of intangible rewards and incentives, coupled with the perception that Gen Y is difficult to manage in the Government Workforce.  This panel will provide a direct line between attendees and the interns to discuss their experiences, what attributes attracted them to their respective agencies and how employers can make government service attractive and satisfying to this group of talent.