The Business of Government Hour

Latest Episodes:

Insights on How Great Leaders Drive Innovation at Scale Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Why do so many great ideas fail to scale? What separates organizations that innovate once from those that innovate continuously? And what can government leaders learn about building partnerships that turn bold ideas into real results? Join me, Michael J. Keegan, for a conversation exploring insights from the book Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation at Scale.

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Managing the Mission at Homeland Security: A Conversation with Troy Edgar, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

What does it take to run the most operationally complex department in the federal government? Securing borders. Responding to disasters. Protecting critical infrastructure. At the Department of Homeland Security, keeping those missions running takes focused management. Join host Michael J. Keegan as he discusses these topics and more with Troy Edgar, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

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Modernizing the Delivery of Public Benefits for a Digital Era: A Conversation with Ajit Girn, CIO, California Employment Development Department Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

What does it take to modernize a public benefits system that millions of people rely? How do government leaders improve customer experience, strengthen trust, protect sensitive data, and replace legacy systems? And how can technology help a large public agency become more responsive, more resilient, and more human-centered? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he explores these questions and more with my special guest Ajit Girn, Chief Information Officer of the California Employment Development Department next week on The Business of Government Hour.

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Results Driven Government: A Conversation on How Government Leaders Can Make Improvement Stick Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Why do performance improvements often vanish when leadership changes? What separates activity from results? And how can government leaders build systems that make improvement stick? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he speaks with John M. Bernard, author of Government That Works and founder of America’s Pulse.

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Shaping How We Lead: A Conversation with Dr. Masud Husain author of Our Brains, Our Selves Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

What makes us who we are? How do memory, motivation, empathy, judgment, and our sense of belonging shape the way we lead, make decisions, and connect with others? And what happens when those essential cognitive functions begin to change? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dr. Masud Husain author of Our Brains, Our Selves: What a Neurologist’s Patients Taught Him About the Brain.

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Governing Pandora: Leadership, Trust, and Risk in the Age of Exponential Technology with Andrea Bonime-Blanc May 25, 2026

Show notes

What does leadership require when technology is advancing faster than institutions can adapt? How can government, business, and society capture the promise of generative AI while confronting its risks? And what does it take to build trust, resilience, and responsible governance in an era of exponential change? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he explores these questions with Andrea Bonime-Blanc, author of Governing Pandora: Leading in the Age of Generative AI and Exponential Technology.

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LEADERSHIP LESSONS ON NAVIGATING DISRUPTION: A CONVERSATION WITH TERENCE MAURI AND PROF. SCOTT D. ANTHONY May 22, 2026

Show notes

Join host Michael Keegan as he outlines critical insights on leadership, disruption, and transformation. He brings together two remarkable thought leaders who offer strategies on how to navigate uncertainty, embrace change, and drive transformation in an era where disruption is accelerating. From his interviews with Terence Mauri and Scott Anthony, he explores the mindsets, strategies, and courage required to lead in the unknown.

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Leading in Chaos: Rethinking Leadership for an Uncertain World with Nicholas Janni and Amy Elizabeth Fox May 18, 2026

Show notes

What does a new model of leadership look like in this moment? How do leaders stay grounded when the environment is anything but? What does it take to move from trying to control outcomes to creating the conditions for something new to emerge? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Nicholas Janni and Amy Elizabeth Fox, co-authors of Leading in Chaos: A Clarion Call To A New Future From Two Pioneers In Leadership Development And Transformational Change.

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Reimagining Child Welfare Through Data, AI, and Human-Centered Design: A Conversation with Steven Hintze, Arizona Department of Child Safety May 11, 2026

Show notes

What does it take to bring artificial intelligence into state child welfare systems? How do you modernize legacy systems…without losing the human judgment at the heart of child welfare? And what happens when you combine data, product thinking, and human-centered design to rethink how government delivers services? Join host Michael J. Keegan and his guest Steven Hintze, Chief Data and Product Officer at the Arizona Department of Child Safety.

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Leadership Stories from the Edge of Uncertainty: A Conversation with Pete Behrens Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

What if the biggest leadership challenge today isn’t strategy, talent, or even technology? What if it’s uncertainty. Why are traditional leadership models breaking down? What is the difference between leading with authority and leading with trust? Why, in today’s environment, is leadership less about control and more about courage. Join host Michael J.Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Pete Behrens, author of Into the Fog: Leadership Stories from the Edge of Uncertainty.

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