Today’s posting concludes a five-part series outlining recommendations to the next Administration on the Department of Homeland Security’s transitioning. See the introductory post for an overview of the challenges involved in transitioning, as well as recommendations on selecting a Transition Manager, ensuring the next President is ready for Day One, using the expertise of the Department’s career officials, and hunting for hidden jewels.
• Don’t push reorganization. The new administration has the privilege and responsibility to work with Congress for appropriate organizational changes. Organizational changes come at a high cost, especially after five years of fairly significant ongoing organizational changes. The most “bang for the buck” in the Department under a new administration will come from stable, professional management, thoughtful policy direction, and institutionalizing tools and processes that harness private sector energy and creativity – not from wholesale reorganizations. Early signals of major reorganization of the Department will exacerbate retention and morale issues and will paralyze meaningful progress on important homeland security issues.
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