Ask to pick the top three challenges most likely to slow down the transition to the next administration in a recent survey, over 50 percent of senior executives cited confirmation delays either first of second.
The survey, administered by the National Academy of Public Administration and completed by 1,116 executives, showed that about 25 percent cited distrust either first or second, followed by reticence on the part of appointees to identify and leverage career staff experience, eagerness on the part of appointees to change policy and lack of appointee preparation, all cited by around 20 percent of respondents first or second.
Respondents to the NAPA survey indicated they believe that role clarity, knowledge of external stakeholders and an understanding of personnel and agency culture are key for both the SES and appointees, but senior executives also said their role is internally focused while the role of appointees is more external focused, particularly in the need to work with Congress.
The Senior Executives Association in a recent set of policy recommendations for the incoming Obama Administration suggested cutting the ranks of appointees and bolstering the corps of career employees in key agency leadership positions, something not touched on by NAPA.
