Building a people machine at the White House

President Obama is not the only one leaving office next January 20th. The spotlight will certainly be on him and his family as they depart the White House, but joining them through the exit door will be about 4,000 political appointees, all heading for new challenges.

Such a wholesale change has its advantages - it affords the new president the opportunity of a fresh start and new ideas, for example - but there are also some significant drawbacks. The federal government, the largest organisation in the world, is left without key leaders in position should an economic, health or military crisis hit. No wonder building a new team quickly and effectively has always been an important determinant of success for a new president.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Recruiting a diverse group, matching the talent pool to specific jobs, and working with the Senate to seek confirmation for nominees are just a few of the hurdles that explain why most modern presidents have less than 300 of their top appointees in place nine months after their inauguration. So, what can be done to accelerate this process?

Rules for recruitment

It's not all bad news. Recent legislative changes have made it easier to appoint leaders without Senate confirmation. Advance planning by both the transition teams and potential candidates - for example by advancing the slate of qualified candidates, preparing disclosures and conducting advance background checks - can help speed the review of all those whose appointments still have to be confirmed by the Senate.

The new president would also be well advised to give a member of their inner circle enough staff to recruit and train a cadre of leaders from which the final nominees can emerge, and these candidate lists should be ready by late October. This list could and should include incumbents whose high performance is mirrored by a willingness to stay on and serve.

New - or pending - arrivals to federal service can often find themselves in need of some navigational assistance. It would be beneficial to establish an early training programme and a self-questionnaire in order to help those who are interested in serving to assess quickly and realistically the requirements they must meet. These will include ethical, experiential and financial disclosure criteria.

Teaming for transition

Of course, the White House is far from the only stakeholder in this process. Congress, too, has a vital role to play. This means that the new White House congressional team should solicit views on agency and mission challenges, obtain candidates, and include them in the candidate-screening process. Similarly, the White House government relations team should solicit views from interest groups on prospective candidates and track the results of this process.

It is important to remember that the hiring process is a two-way street.  The new administration should commit to completing their deliberations in a timely fashion, while candidates need to adhere strictly to submission deadlines.  The Office of Presidential Personnel and the White House Personnel Office can then choose the best candidates they wish to nominate.  A commitment to turnaround standards, especially for scheduling and completing interviews, can minimise delays in confirmation.

Technology is another tool in the box. After a rocky start, the federal government has made good strides in its digital deployment in recent years. With this in mind, web tools such as LinkedIn and Monster should be used to provide a diverse pool of qualified candidates. But this is only one step. Departments should also look specifically at private sector organisations that resonate strongly with their mission - so the Treasury would look to larger financial institutions, for example.

And of course, not all positions require Senate confirmation. For roles such as chief financial officer (CFO) and chief human capital officer, the incoming administration should block-train and block-appoint in order to get the new personnel up and running in their jobs as soon as possible.

The clock is ticking

This latter point is particularly important. Citizens (rightly) expect the new government to hit the ground running. Maintaining a speedy pace should involve certain guidelines, such as establishing and maintaining communications with all selectees and providing a transparent progress chart, so that potential nominees can track their progress. They should also help nominees by assigning a sherpa who can guide them through to confirmation and help them navigate the potential landmines that are part-and-parcel of any senate confirmation.

Ever since FDR, presidents have viewed the first 100 days of their presidency as a key landmark. It seems sensible, then, to aim to train all nominees prior to, and during, this period to align on the new administration's agenda. This should also involve ensuring that appointees know that their performance will be tracked and that they have someone who will help manage their professional development. In turn, this will help strengthen team dynamics across the senior team in each agency - something that has previously been overlooked in the confirmation and appointment process.

I know from my own personal experience that the course from nomination to confirmation rarely runs in a straight line. But the course corrections during this journey should not obscure its vital importance. At a time of stormy waters for our body politic, a steady hand on the tiller of government is one ambition we should all be able to agree on.

With contributions from Sharon Marcil, Meldon Wolfgang and Brad Carson.

Read more on BCG Perspectives

FURTHER READING

• Why the US-Presidential transition process should start now. Sharon Marcil and Mel Wolfgang explain how four steps can lead to a major improvement in the presidential transition process
• Presidential-transition expert Max Stier on what's at stake in the next handoff. Max Stier the founding president and CEO of Partnership for Public Service, says that while transition planning has improved over the last decade, the process is still far from perfect
• The power of collaboration in government. Stephanie Brown is on a mission to change the way US federal employees work together. She tells us about her work leading the Performance Improvement Council's Collaboration Studio
• Women leadership: accelerating the ascent. Dr Leila Hoteit explains what more can be done to help more women into leadership roles in the Middle East
• DC despatch. While there is much that unites the policymakers of London and Washington, DC, very few among them have worked in both cities' corridors of power. Kate Josephs, however, is an exception. She tells us about her experiences driving performance improvement in both governments - and how she got there
• Mission possible: creating a smarter and better US government. Improving the effectiveness of public policies and helping rebuild public trust in government are the twin priorities facing new President of The Volcker Alliance, Tom Ross. But he's not one to flinch from a challenge…
• Winds of change. Few understand the mechanics of US elections better than Matthew Dowd. A veteran of both sides of the campaign trail, he tells us about his experiences and why change is coming to America…
• A doorway to delivery. Kevin Donahue has spent his career seeking to harness the power of data to improve government services. He tells Adrian Brown why good data is not an end in itself, but rather an opportunity to achieve better citizen outcomes
• Window on the workforce. To preserve and enhance the public impact of their organisations, government leaders must dramatically improve how they recruit, train and manage talent, says Agnès Audier
• Tapping the talent. Organisations from the public and private sector have long sought to attract the best and brightest - and Indonesia is no exception, says Edwin Utama. But more needs to be done to attract the best talent into government service
• Labour pains. A high-functioning workforce cannot be taken for granted, says Danny Werfel. He explains why a period of greater investment in skills and training will lead to stronger government performance in the US
• Millennials and the future of government. Many graduates might be tempted by a higher salary or perks from the private sector, but Virginia Hill, President of Young Government Leaders, says public service still holds substantial allure