When he was mayor of New York City (1978-89) Ed Koch would walk (actually, more like bound) the streets, with a big grin, yell out “How am I doin’?” to any and all he encountered. Being New Yorkers, most people told him what they thought! Which was sometimes good, sometimes not.

A friend of mine was in the Big Apple one day and spotted Koch (who is 6’2″). As he got closer, the mayor grinned at him and said ” How am I doin’?” My friend said he didn’t live in New York and Koch said, “Well, you should!” Then sped off.

It isn’t often that the big boss asks his employees, or the people who put him/her in the job how he/she is doing. But when they can, or when they can get constructive feedback, it is useful. Sometimes painful. But a learning experience. So…

President Barack Obama is best known for being POTUS. Supreme Commander. Leader of the Free World! But he’s also CEO of the biggest and arguably the most expensive and complex operation in the nation.

So the gang at Federal News Radio decided to ask the question for him. How’s he doing as the leader of the a huge organization that is responsible for everything from public health and safety to our super highways, air traffic control, research, law enforcement and of course national defense.

For the past couple of months reporters, editors and researchers at Federal News Radio have been looking at things good, and not so good, that have happened to the federal government over the past 3-1/2 years. It has developed into a series we hope you (and presidential aides) find interesting, useful and fair. It will take the form of a series of articles, on-air reports and interviews you can see and hear this week. (Click here to check out the series.)

• Today, Federal News Radio — with the help of experts in each field — looks at Management. That includes the performance agenda; waste, fraud and abuse; regulations; and reorganizations.
• On Tuesday Technology is the subject. That includes openness and transparency; cybersecurity; health IT; and talks with experts on the subject.
• On Wednesday, we will zero in on the Workforce. That includes hiring, diversity, the hiring veterans initiative, SES reform, telework, buyouts and pay and benefits, and support of federal workers.
• Acquisition goes under the microscope in Thursday’s reports here on Federal News Radio. It will include high-risk contracts, strategic sourcing, inherently governmental, small-business contracting and industry-government relationships.
• Saving what may be the best for last, Friday’s question is What’s Next?. What can feds expect of the next president? We’ll discuss the presidential transition teams and the top three priorities for the next administration.

We hope you’ll check it out and give us your feedback. We cover the government. That’s fine, up to a point. But you work there!

Check it out, then tell us how we’re doin’.

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID

By Jack Moore

On this early Monday morning, you may have let a few yawns lose. And if you’re sitting near your coworkers, you may have set loose a chain reaction of yawning. But scientists really don’t know why yawns are so contagious. A University of Maryland psychologist hypothesizes that a part of the brain associated with theory of mind causes us to replicate a yawn when we see others doing so.

Source: Life’s Little Mysteries

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