Weekly Roundup January 2-6, 2023

New funding flexibility could help extend the reach of the Federal Citizen Services Fund. The government funding package passed by Congress late December gave the General Services Administration’s Federal Citizen Services Fund a new, pass-the-hat style funding tool to allow agencies to turn over money to GSA for multi-agency or governmentwide tech work. That new authority, which experts say could help the agency fund existing programs like FedRAMP as well as cross-agency customer experience work, also comes with oversight measures and $200 million in spending authority. 

One thing modern governments need more than ever: Resilience. So-called black swan events seem to be happening in flocks. For government, it all adds up to the need for resilience and preparation. And, according to new research by the IBM Center for the Business of Government, a technological approach is also needed. For more on this, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin talked with Syracuse University professor and Government Accountability Office managing director, Chris Mihm.

Easterly: Sustainable Cyber Rides on Better Design, Communications. The nation’s path to sustainable cybersecurity improvement lies in improving technology security by design, and achieving better communication between industry and government, said Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), during an address today at the CES 2023 technology conference in Las Vegas. Easterly emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in how government and industry work together in order to get more persistent collaboration.

Gen. Telita Crosland Becomes Fourth DHA Director. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Telita Crosland was appointed as the fourth director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), during a Jan. 3 ceremony, during which she pledged to continue taking the DHA “down its path of excellence. I’m thankful for this opportunity and grateful to this team, and excited about partnering with our surgeons general, our industry partners, and our patients during a dynamic period in health care,” said Crosland during the ceremony.

Exit interview: What the Labor Department’s unemployment insurance guru thinks about the state of the system. Is the system ready for the next recession? The Labor Department’s former deputy director for policy at the Office of Unemployment Modernization says it isn’t. She explains why, and talks through problems around fraud, equity and more.

Congress drives CIO authorities deeper down at USDA, Justice, State. The long-standing concern that agency chief information officers don’t have a seat at the table or their seat isn’t big enough or they are sitting at the kid’s table — use whatever analogy suits you — is a major theme in fiscal 2023 omnibus bill. 

State Dept. Establishes New Critical Technology Office. The U.S. Department of State established a new office charged with understanding the critical and emerging technologies reshaping the world and its integral part of the conduct of U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy. The Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology will bring additional technology policy expertise, diplomatic leadership, and strategic direction to the department’s approach to critical and emerging technologies.

What’s Next for Evidence-Based Policy Making? As researchers and practitioners continue to collaborate to produce evidence on the most critical public sector challenges, it’s time to ask: What happens next? How do we go from documenting “best practice” to adoption of evidence? If we want evidence-based policymaking to meet its promise, we have to move beyond one-off demonstration projects to transformational use of evidence at scale.

IARPA aims to thwart cyberattacks with psychology. The intelligence research agency is looking to deploy and automate hackers’ cognitive biases to help defend potential cyberattacks.

RELEASED: 2022 Unified Regulatory Agenda and Plan. OMB released the 2022 Unified Regulatory Agenda and Plan, which outlines regulatory actions federal agencies are considering in the coming months to help deliver results for the American people.

Want to achieve in 2023? Set a “Mount Shasta Goal” Leaders can accomplish more in 2023 by setting a “Mount Shasta Goal,” that’s big and in the distance, writes Wally Bock, who notes that drivers on California’s Interstate 5 can’t help but be aware of the mountain’s majestic presence everywhere they turn. “If you’re serious about hitting your version of my Mount Shasta Goal, you need to check from time to time to evaluate how you’re doing,” Bock writes. Put it into practice: Determine, each week, what steps you can take to achieve your “Mount Shasta Goal,” and take time to measure your progress and adjust your actions as needed. Three Star Leadership

Hate networking? Why not make connections instead? Creating strong connections with peers doesn’t have to be hard or intimidating, writes executive coach Elisabeth Owen Hayes, who offers five steps including how to find potential connections, what to say, how to set up meetings and how to foster deeper relationships. “Go into this process with the goal of not only learning from others but also providing assistance, sharing ideas and making introductions,” Owen Hayes writes. Put it into practice: Initially, connecting can feel awkward for everyone involved, but by making reaching out part of your leadership routine, you’ll soon be meeting people you can learn from and finding ways to be of service to them. SmartBrief/Leadership

LinkedIn CEO: Why adaptive leaders thrive in a crisis. Adaptive leaders who can see opportunities in crises, remain upbeat and know how to constantly pivot to take advantage of the moment will be those who thrive in uncertain times, says LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky. “It’s human nature to get pulled into the cycle, but the more that you can stay adaptive, I think the better folks you’re going to be,” Roslansky says. Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)