Gov Actually

Episode 10: What We've Learned So Far by FedScoop Radio

Episode 9: Can Innovation Survive Federal Downsizing? by FedScoop Radio

Episode 8: Trump's OMB by FedScoop Radio

Episode 7: The Dissent Channel by FedScoop Radio

Last Friday, around closing time, the White House dropped a bomb in the form of an executive order — one that restricts travel of citizens from seven predominantly Muslim nations to the United States, suspends the entry of any refugees for 120 days, and bars Syrian refugees indefinitely. In this week’s episode of Gov Actually, hosts Dan Tangherlini and Danny Werfel talk about the political communication cycle in government, their firsthand experience with it, and if what seems like a stodgy and dated process remains that way for a reason, in light of the way the new White House handled the news over the weekend. On episode 6, Gov Actually features its second guest, Eric Schultz, the former principal deputy press secretary under Barack Obama, in his first public interview since leaving the White House. Schultz has since take a senior advisory position with former President Obama for his post-presidency communications. Chatting with Dan and Danny, Schultz recalls his work managing communications around crises. “Nobody wanted to see me in their meetings,” he says. “I always got bad looks whenever I entered a room.” The three go on to discuss how the administration handles hot-button news items, navigates the press, and conveys an image of trust and transparency with the public during trying times. Spoiler alert: Schultz explains there’s no “secret sauce” and his team didn’t have some “monopoly on wisdom.” They just experimented, balancing tried-and-true techniques with the creativity needed in the era of new media, he says.

Gov Actually returns this week, after hosting its first guest Beth Cobert in episode 4, to address the forthcoming leadership changes with the transition of administrations and how a major driver of success for new leaders will be their ability to keep their workforce happy and engaged. “Is part of your mindset I want to be the right director for these people?” Gov Actually co-host Danny Werfel questions, referring to the thoughts of nominee for Office of Management and Budget head, Mick Mulvaney. “In this case, these 475 people — I want to figure out what their needs are in a leader and what helps them be better at their job, and how the director can do that. Do I want to have that mindset as part of how I think about my aspirations.” “Or do you divorce yourself from that and just look at it more through the lense of the broader macro of cutting the deficit and supporting the West Wing and the president in some way?” he wonders. “I can’t imagine there’s anyone who comes to a job like that who doesn’t” worry about how they’ll be perceived, “even if they would never outwardly admit it,” says co-host Dan Tangherlini. In many cases, it comes down to being a likeable person, he says. There’s a difference, though, between being liked in the short-term and being respected in the long-run, Tangherlini posits. Likeable leaders will let their employees out early on Fridays, whereas respected leaders “take their agency to a new place and a new level.”

​Acting OPM Director Beth Cobert joins Dan Tangherlini, former administrator of the General Services Administration, and Danny Werfel, who spent time as the acting commissioner of the IRS, on this episode of Gov Actually to talk about "the call" — the moment they were each asked to take over a federal agency and lead the damage control during a major government crisis.​

Episode 3: Trimming the Fat of the Federal Government by FedScoop Radio

People are nervous. Tensions are high. Morale is low. It's been eight years since the federal government has experienced a presidential transition, and many federal workers haven't been through such a drastic change. Adding in the fact that President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on platforms of "draining the swamp" and that Washington is broken, many civil servants may be questioning whether they want to stay on for the new administration. In this episode of the Gov Actually podcast, hosts Dan Tangherlini and Danny Werfel, who've both experienced presidential transitions firsthand, make the case that federal employees shouldn't let their anxieties get the best of them. Giving a pep talk of sorts, Werfel says in the podcast "I actually feel this is the exciting moment. This is what you signed up for when you're a civil servant, which is this moment where things are going to shift underneath your feet in terms of the direction your agency is going, and above your head the politics are moving in very different directions. Yet you have to keep moving forward and serve the institution, and serve the mission, and continue on your path as a career civil servant." Tangherlini published a blog post about this in November in response to the many talented members of the U.S. Digital Service and 18F who were considering leaving government, putting the future of their young organizations in jeopardy. As he explains in this episode, he believes those civil servants should give the new administration a shot. As always, let us know what you think of the podcast and what you might want to hear on future episodes. And if you missed it, catch up on the first episode of Gov Actually.

FedScoop Radio introduces Gov Actually, a podcast series hosted by Dan Tangherlini, president of federal for Seamless Docs, and Danny Werfel, a director with the Boston Consulting Group, in which they set aside the politics of Washington to discuss the operations and management elements that really drive the federal government. The hosts reflect on their public sector experience to give their candid perspectives on the issues and challenges unique to federal service. Prior to their current roles, Tangherlini served as administrator of the General Services Administration and Werfel spent time as the acting commissioner of the IRS.