BBG Watch Commentary

After Washington Post columnist Joe Davidson reported correctly about 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) results:

 

 

“The Broadcasting Board of Governors, another regular bottom-feeder that oversees the Voice of America and other government broadcasters, also scored 56 [in EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Category]. But unlike DHS, BBG is going backward. It scored two points better last year.” [in Engagement Index Trends]”

 

 

Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) CEO and Director John Lansing felt obliged to explain to the agency’s federal employees their own FEVS answers, saying that “BBG continues to make improvements,” to which one VOA journalist responded: “You must be kidding, Mr. CEO!”

 

 

BBG CEO AND DIRECTOR JOHN LANSING:
 
“While it is clear that we have a number of ongoing challenges to address, our 2016 results show that BBG continues to make improvements in becoming a more inclusive and open place to work.”

 

 

To most people “inclusive and open place to work” implies strong employee engagement, which BBG employees concluded has declined under Mr. Lansing’s leadership. While well-intentioned, he appears to lack critical experience to lead U.S. government’s international news, intercultural communications and public diplomacy agency. He has no significant prior experience in any of these areas or in leading federal employees.

Mr. Lansing’s email to staff, sent out with the rather presumptuous subject line: “2016 FEVS Results Explained,” appears to have offended some Voice of America (VOA) journalists. One VOA reporter was particularly unimpressed by Mr. Lansing’s emphasis on improved results in a few areas while the Broadcasting Board of Governors CEO said nothing specific about the overall negative employee assessment of the agency, its last place in the government-wide OPM FEVS rankings and the negative employee view in the “Employee Engagement” and “Senior Leaders Lead” categories of Mr. Lansing’s own leadership performance as a senior agency leader.

In addition to the Washington Post report, Politico and Washington Examiner said the same thing about BBG’s dismal performance in 2016 FEVS.

FCW website focusing on the business of federal technology summarized the employee assessment of BBG senior leaders in these words:

 

 

FCW: “The Broadcasting Board of Governors finished second-to-last on both indices and suffered a two-point decrease in employee engagement. Only 42 percent of BBG respondents were likely to recommend their agency as a good place to work, the lowest score across government.”

 

 

The VOA reporter who has done radio, TV, and social media who has been mentioned in books and articles about VOA but does not want to be identified by name, had this to say in reaction to Mr. Lansing’s email:

 

 

VOA REPORTER: “We are all adults there and do not fall for his explanation of FEVS. We are very capable to read it correctly.

 

‘We are improving’ ???? You must be kidding, Mr. CEO!”
 

 

Speaking of Voice of America director Amanda Bennett and referring to what the reporter described as a growing trend to post poorly-produced animal videos and to hold countless meetings and workshops, VOA journalist observed:

 

 

“She [Amanda Bennett] should think what should we do tomorrow that we did not do today in covering Russia, Middle East, IS, terrorism in general, rule of law, corruption, etc., world over….”

 

 

The VOA reporter added:

 

 

[We need fresh leadership, not endless and senseless meetings] “cronyism, corruption and waste is the name of the game there.”

 

 
Another VOA reporter told us:
 

 

“I feel bad for the new crew. But they don’t seem like morale raisers, frankly.

 

Cold fish, the lot of them.

 

 

The VOA reporter added:

 

 

“He [Lansing] has not, actually, provided any firm react statement, though one can surmise what he thinks.”

 

 

The reporter also observed:

 

 

“Lansing is invisible to employees.”

 

 

John F. Lansing is a former successful private sector television entertainment media executive who was in charge of Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, DIY, Cooking Channel and Great American Country. He has no prior experience in government operations and leading federal employees, or in international affairs, intercultural communications, U.S. foreign policy or U.S. public diplomacy — all of which related to the core mission of the agency “to inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.”

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which conducts the government-wide survey of employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and employee assessment of their supervisors and top agency leaders, reported correctly that while BBG employees were slightly more satisfied in 2016 than in 2015 with some of their work conditions, they were definitely not more satisfied with John Lansing and other senior leaders and their ability to engage with staff.

In the all important Employee Engagement category, BBG lost two points. The survey was conducted from May 3, 2016 to June 14, 2016, eight months into John Lansing’s tenure at the agency.

In the Engagement Index Tend – Leaders Lead, the Broadcasting Board of Governors lost one point from 2015 to 2016. This seems to be a commentary largely on John Lansing since the survey shows that BBG employees have a far more positive view of their supervisors than of their senior leaders.

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BBG CEO John Lansing’s Perspective