ABSTRACT
The ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in a time of change,” appears to be more relevant today. Pace of change seems more rapid than it was 10 years ago. President Obama was elected on the premise that he would change things. He has set in motion fundamental changes that challenge leaders in government to do things differently (Balutis 2009; Kettl 2009). The president’s agenda involves initiatives such as replacing the existing performance appraisal process with a new improved framework, transforming the federal workforce, managing across sectors, and enhancing transparency, technology, and participatory activities (Balutis 2009). Leadership or management reform in government agencies needs to change not only because of presidential initiatives but also because of some fundamental, relevant, social, economic, technical, and global realities.
