After doing a bit of digging, I noticed that the GSA acquired this site for free. And it shows. If you’re serious about this, give it the resources and attention it deserves.

So take a quick stroll through the site and you’ll see challenges for a National Radon Poster challenge or GovGab – a project to source stories about how you’ve used government information in your life. Again, wow. Somewhere, during one of the most difficult economic climates we’ve experienced, government employees are working on these pressing challenges.

It seems to me like spending some time automating the Census process and bringing it into this century or reducing those annoying statements you get from the Social Security Administration would be much more innovative than this. And that’s just fixing old problems, not innovating and thinking about future ones.

I saw a new site today that picks up where Bullfighter left off. Unsuck It. A refreshing and new approach to ridding the scourge of awful business speak.

Now, if business schools would only do a better job of doing the same. Because nothing corrupts the power of communication, storytelling and persuasion, and undermines the momentum of change like ridiculous business jargon.

1. Ideas are immeasurably powerful – the power of a compelling idea is inspiring, galvanizing and exponentially more powerful than the most irrefutable data

“What’s the most resilient parasite? An Idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules. Which is why I have to steal it.”

2. Positive visioning – focusing on a positive outcome instead of the negative consequences is a much more powerful motivator of change

Cobb: “I think positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time.”

3. Involvement = Commitment – the art of leading change is involving the key stakeholders in crafting and creating the desired end state; and leaders that are able to share the credit for the great visionary ideas have mastered a critical part of the energy the propels change

4. It starts with good architecture – but a plan is just the beginning. As we used to say in the Army, plan the fight but fight the battle. Having a well trained, aligned team that communicates well and is flexible, stalwart and resilient in the throws of dynamic depatures from the original plan may be the leading success factor of successful change.

Now if this fantasy of being able to shape change and decisions becomes a reality, I’ll either be in a completely fascinating line of work or out of a job.

A great article on how the US State Department is showing courage and pioneering a new trail by embracing social tools was in the recent NYTimes Magazine — it’s a must read and may help you break the inertia you have individually or as an organization. And thanks to Elisabeth Bednar at Bold Type Communications, who sent this to me hot off the digital presses in the wee hours of Sunday morning.