This is part of a recurring series, where former federal leaders reflect upon the lessons learned since leaving government.
Martha Johnson, now a consultant and author, led the General Services Administration from 2010 to 2012. Her career as GSA administrator was cut short when she resigned in the wake of an inspector general's report that revealed apparent overspending and waste related to a GSA conference in Las Vegas in 2010.
If you knew then what you know now….
How would you have partnered with industry differently?
I would have learned more about younger people in business — what they want, how they see opportunity, how they view government.
How would you have worked more effectively within the confines of the Federal Acquisition Regulation?
I would have pressed even more on collaboration, through slams and such, to build a FAR oversight community that could engage in better work flow re-engineering.
The "slam" is a technique that Johnson brought to GSA. It is a meeting of all key stakeholders in a project or program to talk through an issue until they make all the decisions needed and reach an action plan that all parties can agree to. Nobody leaves the room until the solution is reached.
How would you have sought out innovative ideas and solutions to help your organization function better?
I would have floored it about sustainability and zero footprint for all of government operations.
Early in her tenure, Johnson revealed a plan to reduce GSA's emissions, first by 30 percent in 10 years and ultimately to zero. Acknowledging the difficulty of the feat, she described it as this generation's "moon shot." See this Federal Times story from 2010 for more.
