B&G Report

Dedicated to State and Local Government, State and Local Government Management, State and Local Performance Audit, State and Local Government Human Resources, State and Local Government Performance Measurement, State and Local Performance Management, State and Local Government Performance, State and Local Government Turnover, State and Local Government Data, New Governors.

Does Measurement Get Things Done? Really?

greenebarrett

Apr 27, 2022
2 min

Does Measurement Get Things Done? Really?

Two of the most-repeated aphorisms pertaining to performance management have long been “What Gets Measured Gets Managed,” or, optionally, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” We’ve always liked these ideas, even though some smart people have pointed out flaws in these general principals. (And by the way, they are often attributed to management guru Peter Drucker, who never said either one.) But as years have passed, we’ve become increasingly aware of another itera

greenebarrett

Apr 25, 2022
3 min

Hiring Data: “A Game Changer”

In the current tough-to-hire environment, we’ve become increasingly aware of the importance of a strong entity-wide state government data infrastructure for recruiting and hiring in the public sector workforce. As we described in our column in Route Fifty last week, in the past, the leaders in Missouri weren't paying much attention to that notion. Fortunately, things have changed. Here's the story: Back in 2019, the state’s agencies, and even smaller units within those agenci

Return Utah: Reducing the Stigma of Work Gaps

greenebarrett

Apr 21, 2022
6 min

Return Utah: Reducing the Stigma of Work Gaps

Pools of new talent for state and local governments are in short supply. One state, which has come up with a significant new effort is Utah with its program called Return Utah. Launched a year ago, it is designed to welcome individuals who have taken a break from work, for a wide variety of reasons, back into the workforce. “State agencies, just like everyone else, are experiencing a labor shortage where they need qualified candidates to fill roles that run the gamut,” says S

“I Wonder… What if…? Let’s Try!” From Sesame Street to Your Governments and Communities- The Power

greenebarrett

Apr 19, 2022
4 min

“I Wonder… What if…? Let’s Try!” From Sesame Street to Your Governments and Communities- The Power

By Bruce Waltuck, Professor, Kean University, College of Business and Public Management and an award-winning creator and facilitator of better outcomes for organizations It is ok. You can admit it. You have watched Sesame Street. If you are my age, you have probably watched from the first day it was on the air. Right now, Sesame Street is in the midst of a two-year initiative to teach people (yes…all people, not only children) a simple, yet powerful framework for creati

Spending State Dollars Effectively By Prioritizing Partnerships

greenebarrett

Apr 13, 2022
4 min

Spending State Dollars Effectively By Prioritizing Partnerships

About a month ago, we wrote a column for Route Fifty about a dramatic transformation in the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). The change, which has taken place under the leadership of Human Services Cabinet Secretary Justin Brown, was simple and surprisingly powerful and it’s helping Oklahoma to more effectively use state dollars to serve people in need. It can be replicated in other states, as long as non-profits, foundations and government agencies are open to pr

What Value are Sensible Statutes Without Sufficient Oversight?

greenebarrett

Apr 12, 2022
2 min

What Value are Sensible Statutes Without Sufficient Oversight?

On April 1st a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that there was a crisis in mental health among America's teens. A few specifics from the CDC: Over 50% of teens experienced emotional abuse, 44% felt persistent sadness/hopelessness and 20% seriously considered attempting suicide.” To help confront the mental health crisis among youth, New York State, has been leaning on legislation passed in 2018, which made it the first state to mandate t

Surpluses & Deficits: What Do They Really Mean?

greenebarrett

Apr 7, 2022
2 min

Surpluses & Deficits: What Do They Really Mean?

“A California budget surplus that is already expected to be massive could end up being billions of dollars more than initial estimates,” reported KTLA Morning News’s website in February. We mention this, not because we want to write about fiscal conditions in California, but because we want to carp a little bit about one of the most widely misused and misunderstood words in all of state and local government finance: “surplus.” This is of particular significance right now, bec

greenebarrett

Apr 4, 2022
2 min

Recommended Podcasts for You

We both really like listening to podcasts and even though we don’t have nearly the time to tune into all the ones we enjoy, we’re always on the lookout for good recommendations for those that add context and conversation to our work about government. (Though our favorite doesn’t fall in that category. It’s Alan Alda’s Clear & Vivid. It occurred to us that perhaps you are also seeking some good recommendations of podcasts that overlap with your interests in all things state, l

The Federal Jobs Report: What’s Happening In States and Localities?

greenebarrett

Apr 1, 2022
2 min

The Federal Jobs Report: What’s Happening In States and Localities?

On the morning of April 1, 2022, the New York Times gleefully reported this very long sentence about the happy news from the Department of Labor’s monthly jobs report. “A continued torrent of consumer demand, paired with an emerging atmosphere of normalcy as coronavirus caseloads and health restrictions fade away, led to a burst of new jobs last month, giving reason for optimism despite the year’s increasingly uncertain economic outlook.” The Times piece didn’t, however, addr