Weekly Roundup: August 23-27, 2021

DHS stands up new excepted service for cyber talent. The Department of Homeland is launching a new excepted service for cybersecurity talent, according to a new rule scheduled to publish on Thursday. The agency says it'll help it adapt to growing cyber threats and a tight labor market for cybersecurity professionals.

The long-awaited move puts into place the Cybersecurity Talent Management System (CTMS), a new hiring and compensation system authorized by 2014 legislation, into effect.

Microelectronics supply chain challenges and zero trust. The Defense Department's concerns about supply chain security have only increased over the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed manufacturing challenges. But when it comes to microelectronics, better risk assessment to breed better policy. There's been an increased focus on microelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing in recent National Defense Authorization Acts, primarily addressing reshoring efforts and scoping security concerns.

Why VA must keep Vista healthy. The Department of Veterans Affairs is three years into a 10-year program to replace parts of its legacy electronic health record, Vista (Veterans Health Information System and Technology Architecture), with a commercial system designed and built by the Cerner Corporation. VA Secretary Denis McDonough pauses any further deployments of the new EHR for at least the rest of 2021. This has created substantial doubt as to whether the original decade-long schedule for the EHR modernization program (EHRM) remains viable.

TMF, cyber EO drive modernization at Labor, CIO says. Department of Labor CIO Gundeep Ahluwalia said the president's cybersecurity executive order lit a fire under agencies with lofty modernization plans, while newly funded resources like the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) were providing paths to achieve those goals. "This is a marathon, it's not a sprint. We've been running this for a while," Ahluwalia said. "But now we must use those tools, whether it's data loss prevention, whether it's two-factor authentication, whether it's the [Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation] program … I think this just brings it together, and creates this urgency and impetus to deliver that capability."

Building a Government-Wide Management Learning Agenda. Federal agencies are spending the next six months finalizing comprehensive Learning Agendas, which serve to focus leaders’ attention on building the research and evidence needed to solve big problems. Federal agencies will be publishing these Learning Agendas next February, and they are an important milestone for implementation of the Foundations of Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-435) and agencies’ efforts to improve Government effectiveness and advance a more equitable society. These efforts support the Biden-Harris Administration’s focus on evidence-based policy and help create a culture of evidence throughout the Government.

The Future of Work Is Flexible. A March 2021 ClearanceJobs survey of defense industry professionals showed 82% of employers plan to continue offering remote work post COVID-19. That’s a significant figure, considering all employers who participated in the survey are in the security-cleared space. Remote work will still be determined by the position, company and government requirements. The clear takeaway is that remote work is no longer a benefit—it's an expectation.

How your mindset is keeping you stuck. Studies on fighter pilots and athletes suggest they can improve their performance on eye-vision tests simply by believing they have great eyesight -- the type of positive mindset that can help leaders overcome limiting beliefs and obstacles, writes former Navy fighter pilot Carey Lohrenz. "When struggling, tell yourself: 'I just don't have it yet' or 'We're not there yet,'&nbps;" Lohrenz writes. Texas CEO Magazine

Focus on this moment instead of the future. Your history matters, but most of your energy should be spent on what you need to be doing in the moment, writes Dan Rockwell. He offers five questions for learning from your past but advises against too much daydreaming about the future. Leadership Freak

Strategy's confusing. Here are 3 tools to help. Strategy remains important even in a world that's rapidly changing and faster-moving, and Art Petty offers three tools -- The Kernel, The HOP and The Strategy Palette -- based on well-regarded books. These books aren't a panacea, but they can help you in the "process of exploration, assessment and, ultimately, soul-searching decision-making for an organization's leaders," Petty writes. SmartBrief/Leadership

Franklin Templeton CEO shares her 4 P's of leadership. Great leaders are passionate, persistent, purposeful and make sure to hire and work with great people, says Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson. The granddaughter of the fund manager's namesake also discusses how she's changed as a leader during the pandemic and why technology is transforming how we work and what data is available. LinkedIn

What leaders can learn from master sculptors. German-Egyptian sculptor Dr. Gindi shares parallels between the artistic realm and leadership, as people who look at things "with a slightly detached outlook" can uncover new ideas and pathways. "With regular, critical self-reflection and creative destruction of the obvious, leaders can advance and create real value for many stakeholders -- customers, employees, and investors," Gindi says. Real Leaders

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Next Week on The Business of Government Hour: COVID-19 and Its Impact.  Join host Michael Keegan next week for Special Edition of The Business of Government Hour – COVID-19 and its Impact: a series on how the pandemic has transformed government management and operations with guest Dr. Rob Handfield--discussing key steps in building national supply chain immunity.

Broadcast Schedule: The show airs Monday at 11 a.m., and Friday at 1 p.m. on Federal News Network 1500AM WFED

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