Performance has become a critical term—for both the private and public sectors. Everyone is looking to increase employee performance by improving effectiveness, efficiency, and engagement. And since President Barack Obama signed into law the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act, federal agencies have been seeking innovative ways to execute their performance priorities. 

Whether we’re talking Moneyball for government, the Evidence Agenda, or performance-based government, discussion about improving performance management in the federal government has recently amplified. In our feature article, “Leading the Way to Improved Government Performance,” _authors R_obert Shea and Elizabeth Hennemuth offer a review of where early performance efforts went astray. Hopefully, this examination can help point the next administration toward future performance management success. 

The second feature article in this issue uncovers some key challenges that agencies face in their quest to plan and execute their performance priorities. Culture, skills gaps, and constantly shifting priorities are chief challenges, according to Bethany Blakey, capability building manager at PIC. But Blakey notes that designing and providing assistance to middle managers, who must deliver on agency missions but have way too much on their plates to successfully take on performance issues, is the most important task her organization can do for federal agencies. 

As you can see by the main theme of this month's issue, The Public Manager is on the pulse of key government concerns that need the attention of our federal workforce. I hope you find the articles in this issue valuable.

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