Barrier Busters
By Robert Brodsky rbrodsky@govexec.com
July 25, 2007
In recent years, federal employees and their industry counterparts have practiced an awkward dance of compulsory partnerships and cautious mistrust. Brought together by necessity, the two sides generally interact at arm's length, signing contracts and sharing resources, but rarely developing friendship.
It's hard to blame them. For years, personal relations between public and private sector employees have been quietly discouraged -- arguably a residual effect of ethical scandals that left some feeling the sides were too cozy.
But a fairly new cooperative group, comprising young professionals from federal and private industry, is looking to institute a new level of discourse and mutual understanding.
Full column: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0707/072507mm.htm
