David Spirk on Scaling What Works and Cutting What Doesn't
David Spirk, a Marine Corps veteran and Senior Counselor at Palantir, joins FedUpward to talk about driving real transformation in government. He discusses how to operationalize data, the trap of failing programs, and what efficiency should actually mean in federal service. David joined the FedUpward Podcast during the annual conference hosted by Globally, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating communities of emerging leaders who are committed to addressing the most pressing global challenges of our time.
00:00 – Meet David Spirk
01:20 – How federal workers can build technical and data literacy
03:10 – Operationalizing AI: Why transformation starts at the workflow level
04:55 – Why failing programs keep getting funded
07:46 – Rethinking efficiency: Better, faster, cheaper (with meaning)
Spirk doesn't mince words. He calls out the persistent funding of underperforming programs and urges federal leaders to stop rewarding PowerPoint progress over real-world impact. He also shares why mindset—especially around acquisition and budgeting—is often the biggest barrier to innovation.
Connect with the Globally community here.
Book Recommendation:
Freedom's Forge: https://www.amazon.com/Freedoms-Forge-American-Business-Produced/dp/0812982045
Helpful Resources:
-
Follow David Spirk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-spirk-a21a37126/
-
Work with Love: www.fedupwardcoaching.com
Connect with Love:
-
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/love-rutledge
Facebook: facebook.com/fedupward
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.