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Episode 1: Welcome
The Government Mechanic
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Episode 2: The Playbook
The Government Mechanic
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Episode 3: Peacemaking and Multi-Track Diplomacy
The Government Mechanic
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Episode 4: Peacemaking and Multi-Track Diplomacy Part 2
The Government Mechanic
Welcome to Episode 1 of my podcast The Government Mechanic. I’m going to describe my background, my goals, the format of each episode, lessons from my 40-year career as an organizational psychologist, and what I saw and heard in 2015 and 2016 as an independent candidate for President of the United States.
The Playbook describes the 7 Layers of Government so you can diagnose exactly what’s wrong and decide what actions will fix what problems.
Reducing veteran suicide requires a national conversation about war and peace building in the 21st-century; a new way of welcoming our soldiers and veterans back into our communities; and a plan to transform the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
This episode describes the mechanics of reinventing a government agency using the awful VA as the case study.
This episode looks at the ways government agencies are destroying small, family owned food production in America. We all eat, and very few of us know what’s in our food or where it comes from.
COVID certainly revealed the unfair distribution of health and mental health resources across our country, both urban and rural. How do we stop wasting taxpayer money on inefficient healthcare systems, how do we expand access to healthcare, and how do we honestly measure healthcare data and not simply paperwork?
Americans are angry, divided and do not feel fairly treated by our law-enforcement agencies. What are the mechanics of reinvention and transformation that will move us closer to our Constitutional vision of justice for all?
From foster care to divorce court, family law often does more damage than good, while law enforcement and childcare offices rarely hold local and county agencies and courts accountable. Some parent community support groups are working together to change family law.
Learn about the mechanics of changing the agencies that are supposed to guarantee the health and well-being of all Americans yet fail to stop the poisoning of our food, water, soil and every day items including firefighters’ gear.
From the point of view of how government agencies operate, what are the mechanics of pressing the relevant agencies to move the needle on these chronic issues? What do the most successful programs teach us?
Climate change discussions are a good example of conflict fading when participants move past positions and focus on work that needs to be done. What works? What actions protect and repair our environment? And what are the best mechanisms for coordination and communication?
My 1988 book, “Peacemaking: A Systems Approach to Conflict Management,” drives my optimism for problem-solving. Since then, I’ve learned that fixing broken government agencies does a lot for building peace.
A successful transition to a green economy has many elements, connections and relationships. What does green manufacturing actually mean and is it realistic? What exactly does that strategic plan for transitioning to a sustainable economy look like?
The strategic plan to heal our damaged planet recognizes that the very jobs and required teamwork for repairing the environment will also repair the divisions in America.
Peacebuilding is active behavior, such as agreeing on a cease-fire or even showing up for the conversations. Peacemaking is internal, a change of heart or a new point of view. Fixing government is deeply connected to the activities of peacebuilding and the dynamics of peacemaking.
Fixing our broken government requires more communicating and coordinating than just about anybody guesses. This episode presents real life examples of complex coordination and communication.
Dr. Kahn will identify the most frequently asked questions during Season 1 and offer her best recommendations.